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Brave Rifles execute decisive action

mission at NTC

By Staff Sgt. Tomora Clark

3rd Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs

“Train as you fight” is a common phrase uttered among Soldiers. Troopers with 3rd Cavalry Regiment engage “enemy” fighters during a clearance
It’s a phrase that alludes to the training mentality to be prepared to deploy in a moment’s operation on a mock town Feb. 18 at the National Training Center.
notice, and that’s exactly what the 3rd Cavalry Regiment did here at the National Training
Center – they trained for an upcoming deployment. based on well-known deployment locations.
The 3rd CR departed Fort Hood, Texas, Feb. 1 for a month-long exercise to receive tough, The DA training mission here was in accordance with the unified land operations doctrine,
realistic training in the harsh desert environment here.
“NTC provides that ability to face a uniformed enemy element with the same capabilities as which focuses on combined-arms maneuvers and the ability to provide attack, secure and end
us, so we can fully prepare for any mission or deployment we may encounter,” said Maj. Frank conflicts, said Barnes.
Hooker, regimental executive officer.
More than 6,000 Soldiers and government employees deployed in support of the Brave Rotation 16-04 operated in four phases with a two-day live fire event for the artillery assets
Rifles’ mission. as the culminating event.
“The reason we bring all of these elements here [to NTC] is for the training value,” Hooker
said. “We wouldn’t necessarily have these assets organic to ourselves, but we would have them “Without a shadow of a doubt, we are ready for whatever mission that we deploy to, because
when we deploy.” of the training we received at NTC,” Hooker said.
Each unit that undergoes training at NTC is given a scenario. Brave Rifles’ scenario was
they were deployed to a fictional country, Atropia, to assist its citizens from an enemy force,
the Donovians.
In the scenario, the fictional country of Donovia wants to dissolve the sovereignty of Atropia
though the use of propaganda and militia forces, with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
playing the opposing “enemy” force.
“Generally, we have the same assets that the unit receiving the training has in order to simulate
force-on-force; it helps to add a realistic feel to training,” said Capt. Joseph Barnes, a planner
with 11th ACR.
Unlike many previous NTC rotations that focused on counterinsurgency, this rotation was
a decisive action mission.
“One of the misconceptions is that the decisive action mission doesn’t incorporate a coun-
terinsurgency mission, but it does,” Hooker said. “Some of the same areas we actually combat
against in a deployed counterinsurgency environment is what we’ve done out here in a decisive
action rotation.
“If we can successfully accomplish a DA rotation at NTC, we are better prepared to fight a
COIN mission as well,” added Hooker.
So, what exactly is a DA mission like at the NTC and how does it differ from a COIN mis-
sion training?
The Brave Rifles strategically placed a conglomerate of combat assets in a “new” environment
to solve tactical problems from threats across the Army’s operational environment, versus training

Soldiers of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment evacuate “casualties” during a clearance operation- Photos by Staff Sgt. Alex Manne, 982nd Combat Camera Company
training mission here, Feb. 18. Strykers with 3rd Cavalry Regiment halt during a convoy movement in the training area
here, Feb. 12.

For more information go to www.irwin.army.mil