Better than the movies
1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment trains at Yakima
By J.M. Simpson
SFC Pablo Castro was feeling pretty good about himself and his platoon when they reassembled in a shed on the Multi-Purpose Range Complex at the Yakima Training Center.
“Yeah, the training has been phenomenal,” said 1st Platoon, C Company’s leader as he sat down and removed his Kevlar. “What you just saw was a ‘deliberate attack’ exercise, and I think these guys did a pretty good job,” he added.
Castro went on to say that he thinks a movie should made about him and that action movie actor Vin Diesel should play him.
That’s what he thinks.
Diesel couldn’t keep up with Castro and his soldiers. Their assault on the wind swept and dusty objective began with massive suppressive fire on the village, an explosion that left a good sized door in splinters, a clearing of all rooms and a securing of the perimeter.
“These guys are coming together well,” said SSgt Christopher Sterling with a smile after overhearing Castro’s comment about Diesel. “We take this training very seriously; we’ve got veterans in this platoon and the battalion; and all of this work will pay off in the future,” he added.
This particular work began in early June when 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Division, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division deployed to the Yakima Training Center. The battalion returned to Fort Lewis this week.
“These soldiers learn to think in this environment,” explained Lt. Col. Ricardo Love, commander, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, as he stood in the middle of a dirt street in the fictitious Iraqi town of Altafar. “There is a great deal of uncertainty built into the training,” he added.
1Lt Peter Coffman, A Company commander, was getting a lesson in uncertainty as he and his soldiers dismounted from their Strykers and began a cordon and search mission in the town.
Intelligence had reported there was an IED (improvised explosive device) maker in the town. Alpha Company’s mission was to find the bomb maker while at the same time remaining cultural sensitive to the town’s citizens. The key to accomplishing this mission was to work with the mayor.
“As they work through the mission, other dynamics will be introduced,” added Love. “These soldiers have to be city managers; they have to be political; they have to be culturally aware; they have to be penthathletes,” he added.
Before long, dynamics designed to take the soldiers’ focus off the mission became apparent.
A shot rang out. Then another. A sniper hidden in the town’s mosque had shot and killed the mayor and wounded a soldier.
Uncertainty set in. The company’s mission was to find the bomb maker; however, Coffman had just lost the mayor and he had one soldier down. Moreover, enraged “Iraqi citizens” began to push and yell at the soldiers.
“This is some of the stuff we throw at them,” explained 1Lt Ryan Lendall as he watched how Coffman and his soldiers reacted. “The point here is to find out where the mess ups occur, to look for the weak spots, and then fix them. It’s OK to look bad now; we want everyone coming home alive when it’s for real,” he added.
Coffman’s men managed to control the “Iraqi citizens” as they expressed outrage at their mayor’s death, and they also managed to successful evacuate their “wounded” soldier. What’s more, other soldiers had found the bomb maker and his supplies.
Then they made a mistake. They flex cuffed the bomb maker and then left him. Unguarded. He simply got up and walked away, and when he did he took some of his bomb making materials with him.
All of this action occurred while some of the townspeople continued to express their displeasure at having the soldiers in their town.
Coffman’s uncertainty hovered between trying to remain culturally sensitive while at the same time accomplishing the mission and protecting his soldiers.
At one point, Coffman ordered the taking of the mosque where the sniper was hidden. “That’s going to start a riot,” he said to no one in particular. However, he was operating well within the rules of engagement.
A small riot ensued. But Alpha Company handled the situation well as Coffman continued to work with the town’s imam, or religious leader.
The soldiers continued with the mission. They found weapons and explosives; they detained several suspects and searched a tunnel; they worked on security and communication. The hardest part seemed to be communicating with the “Iraqis.”
“Language is an issue,” pointed out Love. “The citizens will respect us it we know some of the language,” he added.
As the exercise wound to an end, Alpha Company began to withdraw. It had been an intense morning’s work.
“We train harder than what we expect to face,” said Love. “By making it hard here, we should do well when in Iraq,” he added.
With the mission completed, Coffman and his company sat through an after action report (AAR). They were briefed on what they had done well and where they had erred. Overall, the mission was graded a success.
As they returned to their Strykers to head back to base camp, Alpha Company began to relax a bit.
“They’re in for a surprise on the way back,” said Lendall. “The training wouldn’t be complete without an ambush.”
It’s training Diesel couldn’t have kept up with.
On Target: A soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, hones his marksmanship with the M240 during a reflexive training drill at the Yakima Training Center.
Outta Here: Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, work to maintain control as Iraqi reenactors attempt to prevent the soldiers from entering a mosque.
Pointing Fingers: A soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, tells an Iraqi reenactor to step back during a training exercise at the Yakima Training Center.
(Story and photos courtesy of J.M. Simpson - The Fort Lewis Ranger Newspaper)
