Special Forces Battalion trains with 25th ID, UAE partners at NTC

Maj. April N. Olsen
21 August, 2008 03:40:00

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FORT IRWIN, Calif. – Known for being the best trained Soldiers in the Army, Special Forces units routinely send individuals and teams to locations around the world to practice their field craft.

To capitalize on an opportunity to train with a conventional Army brigade combat team and partner nation forces, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) recently sent an entire battalion to participate in a National Training Center rotation as part of pre-mission training for their next Iraq deployment. 

“Second Battalion’s training objectives are being executed on two levels,” said battalion commander Lt. Col. John Prairie. “At the headquarters, we are developing our staff’s systems and processes that will be utilized during our upcoming deployment, while simultaneously incorporating training events for our specialty teams that haven’t been emphasized due to high operational tempo in OIF.”

The month-long exercise involves one Special Forces Advanced Operational Base conducting SOF specific missions inside “the box” synchronizing operations with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, said the battalion NTC planner. 

One Operational Detachment-Alpha team is training with Soldiers from the United Arab Emirates Special Forces. Other elements and ODAs from 2nd Battalion are geographically dispersed throughout multiple training locations in California, Nevada and Utah to replicate the operating environment the battalion will encounter in Iraq.

“The intent for all specialty missions is to feed back into full spectrum operations in the box,” the planner said. “All missions outside the box are tied back into the box scenario.”

ODAs using advanced infiltration techniques by air, sea and land conduct their training as an internal validation.

“We use the training here to evaluate their skills,” said battalion Command Sgt. Maj. Dwayne Cox. “So they know and we know the unit is ready to deploy and perform its missions.” 

The battalion headquarters, operating out of a facility in southern California, is using their command and control role to refine battle tracking procedures as well as systems for communications and logistical support, said the battalion operations officer, Maj. Seth Krummrich.

“Everything we’re using here, the systems we’re developing and using were pulled from products and formats being used in Iraq,” said the planner, who also serves as a battalion battle captain. “We are refining the battle rhythm we expect to use in Iraq.”

The AOB commander in “the box” said the rotation is an opportunity to enhance how his headquarters supports the ODAs, but also to practice external communications with conventional Army forces and forces from partner nations.

“Overseas, we [Special Forces] help build a common operating picture,” said Maj. Scott Schroeder. “We work together to put pieces of the puzzle together. When you go overseas, you can’t operate in a vacuum.”

The ODAs under his AOB are working alongside battalions from 3rd BCT, 25th ID, Schroeder said. 

“All of our guys understand the importance of working with battle space owners and BCTs,” he said. “We have an appreciation for what each other bring to the fight.”

“All training, from STX lanes to full spectrum ops, was integrated with the brigade for planning,” the planner said. 

The addition of training with UAE soldiers allows some 2nd Battalion Soldiers to foster relationships and build the partner nation force capability while enhancing ODA training.

“Every time we work with other countries, we stay fluid,” said one ODA team sergeant, citing the flexibility it provides his team to learn from the experiences of other Special Operations Soldiers.

The battle captain said working with conventional Army forces such as BCTs provides a similar opportunity to share lessons learned from previous combat deployments. He said tracking geographically separated elements which are conducting training missions in desert, mountain and water environments as part of the same rotation involving U.S. and UAE forces is preparing the battalion for continued combat operations in a complex operational environment.

“We work very decentralized,” he said. “Teams are given a lot of responsibility and we expect them to be responsible and do what needs to be done.”