In the harsh, windswept landscape of the Mojave Desert, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, known as the “Ironhorse,” faces its ultimate test. Stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, the brigade undertakes a rigorous, month-long rotation at the National Training Center (NTC) in California, a training ground often likened to the “Super Bowl of Army training.” Here, soldiers confront not only the unforgiving desert terrain but also a formidable and intelligent Donovian Opposing Force (OPFOR), alongside a complex web of logistical, technical, and ethical challenges. This meticulously designed “worst-case scenario” pushes units to their absolute limits, ensuring they are prepared for any future mission.
Colonel Wilson R. Rutherford IV, commander of the Ironhorse Brigade, emphasized the critical importance of this training: “There is no better place for Ironhorse Brigade to train on validating our Soldiers, systems and equipment. It is important we take training rotations, like this one, at NTC seriously in order to become proficient before participating in future missions.”
Since the 1980s, NTC has served as the final proving ground for the Army’s most lethal fighting units. Its uniqueness stems from a trifecta of factors: the sheer scale and severity of its desert environment, the presence of a dedicated and professional OPFOR from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and a brigade of expert Observer Coach Trainers (OCTs) who provide crucial coaching and feedback. This comprehensive approach hones the skills units have developed at their home stations.
Brigadier General Jeff Broadwater, commanding general of NTC and Fort Irwin, highlighted the evolving nature of global security: “What we do know about the next war, well we know it’s kind of unknowable. We know that the enemy’s abilities in technology are greatly increasing compared to just five or six years ago. So we have to be prepared for that.” He added, “We have to be able to operate at a level against a peer threat, but we still have to keep in mind the population and the counter-insurgency and all those variables that are associated with that.”
The Ironhorse Brigade’s rotation exemplifies these challenges. The unit’s objective is to aid friendly forces in the fictional nation of Atropia in repelling an invasion by its technologically advanced neighbor, Donovia. Early in the rotation, the brigade endured relentless assaults from Donovian conventional forces, including tanks, aircraft, and helicopters. Simultaneously, they contended with synchronized chemical attacks and sophisticated cyber and electronic warfare aimed at disrupting communications.
Throughout the rotation, the brigade also faced simulated insurgent forces, criminal networks, displaced civilians, and surrendering enemy soldiers. Each element is designed to stress the unit and compel leaders to adapt their strategies.
“We are trying to set conditions where every day at the National Training Center is these staffs’, these leaders’ worst day,” explained Maj. Tom Lamb, Chief of Plans for Operations Group at NTC. “It’s much better that they face that here than in real combat. We’re not taking a chance, so we are just piling it on.”
The Operations Group begins crafting these rotational scenarios nearly a year in advance, conducting extensive research on current threats and collaborating with senior trainers at the units’ home stations. However, the plan is merely a framework. Once a rotation commences, the decisions made by the participating unit have tangible consequences. For instance, choosing to cooperate with Atropian Special Forces might strain resources but could yield invaluable intelligence. All the while, the OPFOR operates as a thinking adversary, fighting to achieve its own objectives.
Captain Michael Culler, Plans Team Chief for Plans Team One, which developed the current scenario, stated, “We put the unit commanders at all levels here in really difficult positions to make hard decisions, because at all times their combat power is stressed. They will never have enough combat power here to do everything that they need to do on a given day. And they have to make hard decisions, prioritize, and fight with what they’ve got, which is almost never enough.”
At times, the challenges faced by rotational units may seem insurmountable. Yet, the ultimate goal of every simulated trial is to forge a more lethal and adaptable fighting force capable of prevailing in any conflict, at any time, against any adversary.
“The most important process in this is the after action review,” said Lamb. “They will execute a mission, and then we will give them directed feedback, show them what they did — show them what they did right, show them what they did wrong — so the next mission they get, they can get better.”
References
- Army.mil: Worldwide news.
