Page 201 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

few months the command post was reduced in footprint, so that by Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE it was ef ciently moved down the trace in response to rapidly advancing brigade elements. During the exercise, the now-named Rear Area Command Post, or RACP, was located within the Brigade Support Area, usually adjacent to the 1 Service Battalion’s Logistic Operations Command Post. During the high tempo of this exercise, the battle rhythm and internal processes of the command post were stressed. This provided valuable lessons for all members of the staff.
The Rear Area Command concept was deemed a success as the exercise came to a close. The ability for the mechanized platoons to react quickly to situations, regardless of terrain or distance, provided a much needed security boost for the Brigade Support Area. Everything about the LAV platform, from the communications and optics to the troop lift, was ideal for the task of ghting in a rear area environment. Rear Area Command, as a dedicated battalion level headquarters, proved to be essential in coordinating the requirements for the tasks and the allocation of resources.
After Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE the battalion returned to Edmonton where Alpha Company focused on deploying on Roto 6 of Operation REASSURANCE while the Battalion Headquarters turned its attention to planning a robust Primary Combat Function (PCF) cycle, aimed at converting Bravo Company to the LAV 6.0 platform and qualifying additional Bison crews. The LAV 6.0 conversion was enabled mainly by Charlie Company, and leaders such as Lieutenant Vince Tetrault and Sergeant Steve Wilkinson were instrumental in enabling the entire conversion program.
Largely left out of battle during Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE, Charlie Company next took on a unique task. In June, a group of soldiers drawn from all three battalions, but led by Charlie Company, deployed to Kingston, Jamaica in support of Exercise TRADEWINDS 2016. This team consisted of Urban Operations Instructors (UOI) and Advanced Small Arms (ASA) quali ed Non Commissioned Of cers (NCOs), a formed ri e section from 1 PPCLI, and a small support and headquarters element also from the First Battalion. Exercise TRADEWINDS is an annual capacity building exercise lead by United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) with the aim of developing the ability of Caribbean nations
to respond to a host of situations from humanitarian assistance to counter-smuggling. The exercise was divided into several training tracks including counter illicit traf cking (CIT), attended by the 1 PPCLI section, and advanced small arms and tactics (ASAT), led by the Urban Operations Instructors and Advanced Small Arms from across the Regiment.
Overall, Exercise TRADEWINDS was a great success. The counter illicit traf cking section was able to demonstrate the exibility, determination, and tactical savvy of the Regiment’s soldiers and did so to great effect. Meanwhile, the advanced small arms and tactics team demonstrated the professionalism and instructional competence of our NCOs, garnering praise from all quarters for the quality of both the planning and delivery of training. It would be remiss not to point out that none of its success would have been possible without the support of hard working support staff, of cers, and NCOs of the Jamaican Defence Force.
Bravo Company also conducted an interna- tional exercise, deploying 130 soldiers in July to the Donnelly Training Area (DTA) near Delta Junction, Alaska to participate in Exercise ARCTIC ANVIL 2016. The exercise, which featured soldiers from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), the Iowa National Guard, the 196th Infantry Brigade, the US Air Force and 1 PPCLI, was the largest exercise hosted in Alaska in 15 years. The goal of the exercise was to provide the soldiers of 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team (including Bravo Company) a realistic training environment against a near-peer enemy force (Iowa National Guard) through three phases of war: defensive operations, transitional operations, and offensive operations. Additionally, the scenario included counter-insurgency operations which, until recently had been the focus of US Army high readiness training.
The nal phase of Exercise ARCTIC ANVIL wasn’t just the end of an exercise; it was the culmination of all the training on Bravo Company’s Road to High Readiness. In true army fashion, the live re attack became the apex of training, not just involving the coy, but a list of American attachments which were instrumental in producing the most robust combat team in Alaska. Provided was a US Army recon- naissance platoon, sniper team, mobile gun system (Stryker with 105 mm turret), two Stryker 120 mm mortar variants, an engineer section, two Apache helicopters, and a re support of cer to coordinate
THE FINAL PHASE OF EXERCISE ARCTIC ANVIL WASN’T JUST THE END OF AN EXERCISE; IT WAS THE CULMINATION OF ALL THE TRAINING
ON BRAVO COMPANY’S ROAD
TO HIGH READINESS
Members of 1 Section, 5 Platoon dismount Exercise ARCTIC ANVIL
THE RIFLES
ALLIANCES 199