3d Cavalry Regiment Troopers Conduct Squad Training Exercise

FORT HOOD , TX, UNITED STATES

Courtesy Story

3d Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs Office

Troopers from the 3d Cavalry Regiment are refining their skills through repetition July 29 – August 11 during a Squad Training Exercise (STX) at Fort Hood, TX.

The regimental headquarters and all seven squadrons are in the field for a situational, scenario-driven, mission-oriented, limited exercise designed to train on collective tasks and battle drills. The STX is one of several pre-deployment training exercises that the Brave Rifles will be taking part in over the next several months.

During the STX event Troops are conducting tactical training lanes including an attack lane, movement to contact and defense lane. Headquarters and Headquarters (HHT) Troop, 3d Squadron (Thunder) conducted mission control and Opposing Forces (OP4) for the Regimental Troop Attack Lane.

“We are providing a realistic urban environment and intelligent OP4 for the opposing forces,” HHT commander, Capt. Jordan Marks said. “We are enabling the infantry troop’s ability to conduct attacks into an urban environment and react to dynamic circumstances.”

Thunder Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Travis Shain said the objective of the lane was to train an Infantry Rifle Company (SBCT) on conducting an attack. Troops conducted the operations process of planning, preparing, executing, and assessing for the attack in Boaz Mount Facility.

“The Troop achieved its endstate by successfully seizing the town of Boaz and turning back control of the town to the Atropian National Police Forces,” Shain said. “The Troop commander successfully employed the fundamentals of breaching (suppress, obscure, secure, reduce, and assault) and used a variety of intelligence assets such as the RAVEN and scout reconnaissance to gain intelligence and analyze to drive his future actions and decisions.”

This type of training increases warfighting capabilities because after conducting the mission and After Action Reviews, Troop Commanders and leaders are more capable of conducting operations in a dynamic and complex environment against a hybrid threat. Shain said the Troops that conduct the lane are better prepared and trained to conduct security, assault on an objective, secure a foothold on the objective, kill, capture, and/or force the withdrawal of enemy forces while complying with rules of engagement. 

This type of training also allows the Brave Rifles to integrate other systems into the scenario.

“The Troops also integrated other enablers successfully into the assault to include engineer breaching units and military police forces,” he said. “Further enhancing their ability to accomplish the mission.”

The Brave Rifles will continue STX over the next week and ramp up for the Troop Company-Level Combined-Arms Live-Fire (CALFEX) August 12-29. The CALFEX will validate the ability of Troop Commanders to plan and conduct a tactically sound, safe and realistic live fire, applying the principles of maneuver tactics within a combat environment.

By Capt. Jo Nederhoed, 3d Cavalry Regiment PAO