Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army
Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army
Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army
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time led to a significantly down-scaled exercise, executed<br />
with<strong>in</strong> the greater Mannheim area with<strong>in</strong> our kasernes. 1st<br />
PERSCOM was exercis<strong>in</strong>g their ability to put out support<br />
teams at the same time; they used our exercise to provide<br />
their transmission paths. Additionally, it was the first time<br />
we got to <strong>in</strong>tegrate the 414th Signal Company (NATO) <strong>in</strong>to<br />
the picture, which was especially significant for the 72nd;<br />
we received two complete platoons for attachment <strong>in</strong> Zagreb<br />
and Sarajevo. F<strong>in</strong>ally, 5th Signal Command used our<br />
exercise as a vehicle for provid<strong>in</strong>g their certification of our<br />
capabilities to perform the assigned mission.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g the previous summer, there had been a<br />
significant military occupational specialty (MOS) change<br />
for the Signal Corps: all satellite operators were put <strong>in</strong>to one<br />
MOS—31S. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the same period, we had a tremendous<br />
turnover of our tactical satellite operators. As a result, we<br />
did not have nearly enough 31Ss to man all our tactical<br />
satellites, nor many experienced operators. We put together<br />
a plan to <strong>in</strong>tegrate a school-tra<strong>in</strong>ed 31S with an experienced<br />
senior operator or team chief, who <strong>in</strong>tensely tra<strong>in</strong>ed them<br />
for approximately 1 month. We were unable to fence the<br />
whole month because of the amaz<strong>in</strong>gly high operations<br />
tempo (OPTEMPO): every other day Pre-Deployment<br />
Preparations (PDPs) (does the cl<strong>in</strong>ic have DNA kits now or<br />
not?), every day a new tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g requirement, etc. Hence,<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the certification, 5th DCSOPS expressed some<br />
doubts whether we would be able to do the mission.<br />
Needless to say, we were stung by their evaluation, which<br />
did not consider our plan or where we were on the timel<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
But performance over time is the true test. So our plan was<br />
eventually justified by the great performance of the tactical<br />
satellite operators and network throughout the<br />
deployment. On the f<strong>in</strong>al day of the exercise, Commander<strong>in</strong>-Chief<br />
USAREUR General William W. Crouch came to<br />
visit and check on us. He seemed to be impressed with our<br />
state of read<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
The next couple weeks of November were absolute<br />
craz<strong>in</strong>ess. Any new requirement that could be thought up by<br />
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