DVIDS – News – Active and National Guard divisions pair up against hybrid threat in Warfighter exercise

FORT LEEVENWORTH, Kansas — The Georgia-based 3rd Infantry Division and the California-based 40th Infantry Division of the National Guard, with the support of the Mission Command Training Program, will join forces at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and Indiana on November 5. Conducted combatant exercises at State Camp Atterbury. 14.

This is an ongoing series of division-level exercises in which elements of the regular and reserve components train in parallel to build proficiency and readiness to conduct multi-domain operations in large-scale combat operations. was part of

Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville’s recent comments at a National Guard conference suggested the importance of the two components training together.

“we [the Regular Army] Don’t go anywhere or do anything without the National Guard,” he said. “Without the National Guard, we can’t do what the military can do.”

3rd and 40th Inf. Department. An element that simulates operating as a flanking division tasked with expelling an invading force from an occupied ally.

This scenario allowed them to pace their offensive operations as adjacent units within their respective sectors, limiting the creation of potential vulnerabilities on their flanks. We worked to coordinate deep regional support, share information and complete our understanding of the current situation of each element.

The exercises proved timely and operationally relevant.

This happened during the official announcement of the 3rd Inf. Div.’s combat air brigades were deployed to Europe as part of the US Atlantic Resolve mission.

Atlantic Resolve began in 2014, with the United States demonstrating its commitment to NATO and providing rotating deployments of combat-reliable forces to Europe to enhance interoperability, according to U.S. military sources in Europe and Africa. did.

The 3rd CAB had honed its ability to support division-level operations in pre-deployment exercises.

MCTP combatant exercises are emerging as a rotation of the Army’s primary combat training centers to prepare brigades and upper echelons of functional and multifunctional brigades prior to deployment.

A 4th Inf. division based in Colorado. Headquarters and its maintenance brigade also he completed a combatant exercise in October. They plan to deploy to Europe in 2023, with a third CAB being coordinated under European command and support.

40th Inf. Department. It brought a unique perspective to the exercise. He has significant expertise in city operations from having conducted real-world support missions within the state in highly urbanized cities such as Los Angeles. He has also led courses for urban planners, most recently in Fort, Calif. He has partnered with the National Training Center in Irwin to enhance the urban terrain they reproduce in their training areas.

Their perspective gave them a keen sense of the civilian considerations relevant to their operations.

However, the exercise, like some operations seen in Ukraine, allowed us to train complementary skills to face near-pear threats in sparsely populated areas.

By the way, the California National Guard, where the 40th comes from, has a state partnership with Ukraine. U.S. Army General Daniel Håkansson, director of the National Guard, recently told Congressional Elements that Ukraine contacted the leadership of the California State Guard when Russia invaded the country.

“When Russia launched its unilateral invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian military leaders reached out to people they trusted — people they had known for years — and they were members of the California National Guard. The Ukrainian’s first text message was, ‘We are being invaded.’ The second message said, “This is what you need.”

Third Inf. Department. It also had real connections to the conflict in Ukraine. One of his combat teams in that brigade was sent to Europe as soon as the invasion began. It was tasked with supporting Joint Task Force Dragon to assure NATO allies and partners in the region.

“Soldiers of the 3rd Inf. Division. Deploy regularly to support combat commands around the world, assisting allies and partners in a wide range of environments and missions,” 1st ABCT, 3rd Inf. Division. Commander, in a statement following the designation of the mission.

The brigade had just returned from deployment before the exercise began. Its leaders and soldiers have undoubtedly returned with lessons and insights.