Category Archives: Lessons from Atropia

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Cavalry Squadron Maintenance

NTC Lessons on Maintaining at Pace

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One of the biggest challenges facing a cavalry squadron at NTC is demand of maintaining their equipment in a tactical environment. Units often provide maintenance support from their motor pool while training at home-station, lending themselves to brick and mortar infrastructure and easy access to their brigade supply support activity (SSA) and other SSAs on the same installation. These unrealistic work conditions create complacency in our ability to conduct maintenance in a tactical environment. Under this construct, units do not stress their equipment, develop analog systems of record, test the strength of their shop stock listing (SSL), practice their 5988-E flow, or fine-tune hasty maintenance meetings at Logistical Release Points (LRPs).

A Soldier from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, unloads his Stryker armored fighting vehicle after a long day of conducting fire missions at the National Training Center Aug. 12. Photo by Army Spc. Ryan Hallock.
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Combined Arms Battalion Maintenance

NTC Lessons on Maintaining at Pace

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Operations in a Decisive Action environment against a near-peer threat stress maintenance systems at all levels. The units that go through the NTC carry in training level and competency. The following discussion is based on combined arms battalion maintenance observations over the last eight rotations.

An M1A2SEP Abrams Tank from Company C, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment ‘Desert Rogues’, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, sits ready while others complete the night portion of the Gunnery Table VI in the background at Red Cloud Range, Dec. 12. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Richard Wrigley, 2nd ABCT, 3rd ID, Public Affairs NCO).
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Sustaining Aviation Combat Power

NTC Lessons on Maintaining at Pace

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The Aviation Task Force (AVTF) provides a lethal mixture of firepower and maneuverability. Depending on task force configuration, the AVTF consists of a varying quantity of AH-64, CH-47, UH-60, RQ-7B’s and MQ-1C. They all enable the ground force commander to find, fix, and destroy the enemy though fires and maneuver. However, this also presents the AVTF Commander with many unique maintenance challenges not typically found in any other unit. Here are some best practices to help with sustaining aviation combat power in the decisive action environment.

A prolonged exposure shows streaks of light from the headlamps of a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter crew while performing a preflight inspection on an aircraft prior to launching on a personnel movement mission Dec. 8, at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army Photo by Capt. Peter Smedberg/Released)
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Field Artillery Battalion & Below Maintenance

NTC Lessons on Maintaining at Pace

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In the decisive action training environment (DATE), field artillery (FA) units must conduct maintenance at a faster pace. Fires must enable the maneuver commander to have readily available combat power. This is challenged by the reality of conducting operations during prolonged periods in harsh environmental conditions. Moreover, units must conduct maintenance actions themselves in these demanding conditions. They rarely have the luxury of utilizing hardened bays or paved motor pools. Field artillery leaders must operationalize all maintenance actions. This will ensure proper utilization of manpower and resources to consistently provide maximum available indirect firepower to the maneuver commander.

Spartans from 1st Platoon, Alpha Battery, 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division fire their M777 howitzer to calibrate on Forward Operating Base Lightning, Afghanistan, Jan. 15, 2014. The 4th Battalion, 25th Artillery Regiment are currently deployed to Regional Command East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo courtesy of Regional Command-East)

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Maintenance in the Brigade Engineer Battalion

NTC Lessons on Maintaining at Pace

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Success throughout any National Training Center (NTC) rotation often directly reflects the rotational units’ emphasis placed on maintenance operations prior to and during the training event. Maintenance operations are often the primary shortcoming of Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) at Fort Irwin. The following article provides observations, best practices, and potential solutions for Echo Forward Support Company (FSC) maintenance operations, Engineer specific problem sets, and Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) Reconnaissance Platoons’ challenges within the Brigade Engineer Battalions (BEB) of ABCTs during Force on Force operations in a Decisive Action Training Environment against a near-peer threat.

These pioneers provide expert surveillance and reconnaissance putting in over 130 flight hours. These Soldiers have an incredibly important mission for the 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion and the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
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Brigade Maintenance at Pace

NTC Lessons on Maintaining at Pace

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The brigade maintenance program at home station sets the climate for maintenance management during the fast-paced decisive action fight. Brigade Combat Team can overcome the challenges they will face at the National Training Center by implementing best maintenance practices. The maintenance system will never be effective or efficient in a tactical scenario if it is not practiced at home station.

Soldiers with the 32nd Composite Truck Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and the Army Reserve’s 257th Transportation Company standby for communications checks prior to a recovery mission in support of 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., Aug. 31, 2016. (Photo by 1st Lt. Trevor Kinkade).
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National Training Center Update (MAR 2020)

Defensive Operations Against a Near-Peer Threat

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While nearly every leader prefers to maintain an offensive mindset, defensive operations serve a purpose and are listed as a Mission Essential Task for nearly every formation in our Army.  While applications vary, defensive operations often allow our Army to retain decisive or key terrain, attrite or fix an enemy force, or counter an enemy action.  Each rotation at the National Training Center, at some point, stresses a unit’s ability to conduct a defense.

U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, provide enemy fire from a mountaintop during Decisive Action Rotation 16-09 at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif., Aug. 28, 2016.
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NTC Update (MAR 20)

Cavalry Defensive Operations Against a Near-Peer Threat

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Cavalry troops frequently fail to provide early warning to the protected force while performing a screen. Units are placed on disadvantageous terrain, fail to array in depth, and neglect to incorporate available aerial reconnaissance to extend observation and maximize reaction time and maneuver space.

A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to 1st ABCT, 3rd ID., scans for simulated enemy forces during Decisive Action Rotation 20-04 at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif., Feb. 11, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Brooke Davis, Operations Group, National Training Center.)
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NTC Update (MAR 20)

Armor and Infantry in the Defense Against a Near-Peer Threat

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The main reason we conduct a defense is to set the conditions to transition to the offense. At the company level and below we must recognize the significance of properly preparing for defensive operations.  Units planning against a near peer threat at the National Training Center (NTC) will focus on preparing for an attack or conducting the seven steps of EADEV in preparation for a defense, but rarely do units prepare simultaneously for both.  Commanders must think through transitioning into defensive operations prior executing offensive operations.

Soldiers position vehicles to simulate taking over an enemy town during an exercise at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif., June 7, 2019. (US Army Photo by Sgt. Mason Cutrer).
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NTC Update (MAR 20)

Planning and Integrating Obstacles and Indirect Fires in the Defense

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Successful defensive operations against a near peer threat require units to thoroughly conduct engagement area development. Most units are able to effectively execute defensive operations, but struggle with the detailed planning required for obstacle emplacement and the time distance analysis required to choose effective locations for obstacles, indirect fires, and direct fires.

U.S. Army Soldiers participate in live-fire training during Exercise Saber Guardian in Varpalota, Hungary, June 5, 2019. U.S. Army Europe and Romanian land forces lead Saber Guardian, which is designed to improve the integration of multinational combat operations. Photo By: Army Spc. Jospeh Knoch.