The Brigade Ex Iron Talon was a dissapointment of a great training opportunity. Here's how it went. 1) Left a platoon sleeping in the bush for three hours because bus didn't pick them up resulting in afternoon training being missed. 2) Clerks who had to beg for rations from CQ because theirs were lost in the system. 3) Ump ands OCs who insisted on pulling rank so they could take a short cut through VCP training and getting pretty pissed when told they would be searched. This screwed the whole flow up. 4) Sitting on the grass for fours Sunday morning waiting for yet more buses. 5) THE DUMBEST yet, being ordered to wear ballistic eye wear in the FOB (including the meal line) just in case I get hit in the eye by a piece of flying IMP. (Man down he's got a piece of fruit cocktail in the iris). 6) No water resupply while out of the FOB 7) ENOUGH TO DEMAND a mutiny - no cofee at breakfast on Saturday. 8) Being told "train as we fight", but yet I don't see Maj. Todd Strickland walking around his FOB wearing FFO just to take a piss. See page nine of today's Sun for proof.
Iron Talon was a mess
- Thread starter mudeater
- Start date
- Reaction score
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- Points
- 410
But at least it had a cool name
Troop, as your military career progresses you will discover several constants in military life. One of these is that training exercises do get screwed up. not always but more than once. If everyone here posted one, just one, example of a screwed up Ex, Poor Mr. Bobbit would lose all his available band width.
Not supporting those responsible for this clusterhump, but two points it’s training, better to screw up here and learn form it then on the two way range. Second remember what went wrong and figure out why and someday if and when you find yourself in a position of authority and running an FTX make sure it don’t happen on your watch.
Troop, as your military career progresses you will discover several constants in military life. One of these is that training exercises do get screwed up. not always but more than once. If everyone here posted one, just one, example of a screwed up Ex, Poor Mr. Bobbit would lose all his available band width.
Not supporting those responsible for this clusterhump, but two points it’s training, better to screw up here and learn form it then on the two way range. Second remember what went wrong and figure out why and someday if and when you find yourself in a position of authority and running an FTX make sure it don’t happen on your watch.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 260
well my review is, good idea, poorly executed.
Lets see......
Saturday-We had a bus, then we didn't, then we did to take us to our VCP. Then we went to get stores, but there wasn't any......then there was at the last second. First VCP was in a stupid position, though good role playing good scenario.
Second VCP, very well done on the part of, we had proper stores, had transport on time, great scenarios. Even though I don't know how I got shot when the UMP that said I was shot, said it came from the guy I put 4 rounds into his chest, and 2 in the face, before he even had his rifle up(deadly force authorized because they tried to run through the "wire" even though there was a troop on the other side[endagering life of friendly]). So shot in the chest, took the medics over 10 minutes to make the 100m run from there position(they might have been sleeping??).
Sunday- FUBAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well it started with us leaving for a HUMINT/presence patrol at 0130. We were supposed to get HUMINT from some guys in a village about an arms cache, then were were supposed to continue our patrol past the village, and back to the FOB. Well the role players didn't show up to do their job. So the section commanders and our platoon 2ic, didn't like it, so we very quickly humped our way back.
We were cleaned up, had our tents cleaned out by about 8am. Sat around until about 11. Moved over beside the gym with the rest of the company, sat around for another 2 hours. At about 12, we had to go make sure the tents were clean, and make sure all the sand bags were pointed in the same direction??(wtf? were told it is a meaford thing, the guy in out unit that works with the PATs there, said he had never heard of it). At 1, we went back into the training area to pick up about half a bag of brass. We got back, some units had already left. About half an hour later we left...........all in bad moods.
Suggestions that MIGHT improve things:
Vehicles for each platoon.(there is a vehicle compond with LOTS of MLVWs in Meaford, not to mention the ones at each unit.) I don't know the cost difference in using these, as opposed to chartering school bus' to drive us around in realistic fashion.
Making sure your OPFOR is there. If you change your plans, tell the guys that are walking there, so they don't find out at 0230 that you decided not to go play .
Have enough food. They push and push us to all show up, then the one hot meal from the cooks, and they run out of food with like 100 people left.
Have stores available for the people that need them. There wasn't enough, and what we got, was all last second. Have the stuff ready to go, that's why you have an advance party.
Tactical?? Like mudeater said, wtf is with the BEW thing? I am going to get some toothpaste in my eye when I go to ablutions in the morning? or get a lukewarm egg puck in the eye while eating? They pick somethings that make sense to do(were BEW outside the line) and make it over the top, by making us were them EVERYWERE!!!.
Lets see......
Saturday-We had a bus, then we didn't, then we did to take us to our VCP. Then we went to get stores, but there wasn't any......then there was at the last second. First VCP was in a stupid position, though good role playing good scenario.
Second VCP, very well done on the part of, we had proper stores, had transport on time, great scenarios. Even though I don't know how I got shot when the UMP that said I was shot, said it came from the guy I put 4 rounds into his chest, and 2 in the face, before he even had his rifle up(deadly force authorized because they tried to run through the "wire" even though there was a troop on the other side[endagering life of friendly]). So shot in the chest, took the medics over 10 minutes to make the 100m run from there position(they might have been sleeping??).
Sunday- FUBAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well it started with us leaving for a HUMINT/presence patrol at 0130. We were supposed to get HUMINT from some guys in a village about an arms cache, then were were supposed to continue our patrol past the village, and back to the FOB. Well the role players didn't show up to do their job. So the section commanders and our platoon 2ic, didn't like it, so we very quickly humped our way back.
We were cleaned up, had our tents cleaned out by about 8am. Sat around until about 11. Moved over beside the gym with the rest of the company, sat around for another 2 hours. At about 12, we had to go make sure the tents were clean, and make sure all the sand bags were pointed in the same direction??(wtf? were told it is a meaford thing, the guy in out unit that works with the PATs there, said he had never heard of it). At 1, we went back into the training area to pick up about half a bag of brass. We got back, some units had already left. About half an hour later we left...........all in bad moods.
Suggestions that MIGHT improve things:
Vehicles for each platoon.(there is a vehicle compond with LOTS of MLVWs in Meaford, not to mention the ones at each unit.) I don't know the cost difference in using these, as opposed to chartering school bus' to drive us around in realistic fashion.
Making sure your OPFOR is there. If you change your plans, tell the guys that are walking there, so they don't find out at 0230 that you decided not to go play .
Have enough food. They push and push us to all show up, then the one hot meal from the cooks, and they run out of food with like 100 people left.
Have stores available for the people that need them. There wasn't enough, and what we got, was all last second. Have the stuff ready to go, that's why you have an advance party.
Tactical?? Like mudeater said, wtf is with the BEW thing? I am going to get some toothpaste in my eye when I go to ablutions in the morning? or get a lukewarm egg puck in the eye while eating? They pick somethings that make sense to do(were BEW outside the line) and make it over the top, by making us were them EVERYWERE!!!.
ArmyRick
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 1,986
- Points
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The ballistic eye wear is an order from the commander of the army and it is in a training area or on exercise or ops.
Prescription glasses may be worn in lieu of ballistic eye wear. Also common sense is supposed to be used with the policy. For example in the meal line was not an time that the CLS had intended to be mandatory for ballistic eye wear. But doing stuff like VCP is.
The problem with reserve brigade exercises? First off, keep the brigade ex to the summer concentration and stick to unit level training through out the year. Another problem far too many clowns and JAFOs that wonder around looking to show their great wisdom and jacking up ability.
Prescription glasses may be worn in lieu of ballistic eye wear. Also common sense is supposed to be used with the policy. For example in the meal line was not an time that the CLS had intended to be mandatory for ballistic eye wear. But doing stuff like VCP is.
The problem with reserve brigade exercises? First off, keep the brigade ex to the summer concentration and stick to unit level training through out the year. Another problem far too many clowns and JAFOs that wonder around looking to show their great wisdom and jacking up ability.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Hmmm, need an vehicle dispatcher to confirm this but when an order is put in for x numer of pax, they decide what vehicle to use. If you get delegated a bus it may be due to: not enough drivers for MLVWs; or cheaper to use a single vehicle rather than multiple vehciles; or maybe too many MLVWs are in maintenance; or some other reason (i.e. vehicles needed for parade coming the next day, or personnel away on other duties). Lots of stuff happens behind the scenes in transport.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 60
I was supposed to be a villager.. We were sent to the market at 11 PM on Saturday night and had to stay there until 6 am. Nobody went through the market until 6:10 am, so we pretty much just sat there in the cold for 7 hours doing nothing but trying to stay warm... We were told that there were supposed to be at least 3 patrols going through the market over night.
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 410
Sounds like my platoon, was the opposite, we actually went through a couple of scenarios on saturday no problems, role players were at there posts and doing there thing. We did some decent training and found out what our short comings were, and until we get some SOPs and Doctrine from on high, our (48th) Op and Training folk along with our pers who have been overseas, will be creating our own SOPs, so we have something to work with. Yes the eye wear thing in the lines was retarded, but as for the other stuff (no transport, late transport, messed up timings etc.) thats to be expected on these little weekend brigade ex's, they seem to be the one constant.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 260
Centurian1985 said:
Well the WO that works in meaford in my unit said there was quite a few ML's available....My platoon had 12 people troop lify qualified on the ML, so I think that they might not have been the problem. Plus, how many MLVW's are at the armouries in the GTA? There are alot(last time I was down there)......
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
I'm was forestedwarrior's platoon commander for the exercise, so I was part of the entire situation he describes. Yes, there were issues with the exercise, and the biggest logistics. Our CQ was ripping his hair out because he couldn't do his job.
VCP 1-Lessons learned and we still got the job done. The OPFOR we got did a very good job, in that they acted like actual people instead of escalating the situation right away. Granted the VCP location was not the best, part was where we were tasked to do it, part was my direction on what I wanted. I'm out there to learn lessons too.
VCP 2-Went well, location was good and the control of vehicles and personnel was bang on. Granted when we laced the vehicle that tried to run the barricade the OPFOR that had roughly 8 rounds in him didn't even make an effort to stop defeated the purpose of us firing at him. Nonetheless this was a major improvement over the first one.
Sunday's patrol was not a total loss. Even though there were no personnel we still learnt some lessons on how to properly search and clear a village in a tactical but non-threatning manor. We could have continued on our patrol through the AO to search for weapons caches, but every single one of my troops and myself have been on patrols in the bush at night. So the training value was somewhat lost at that point. Therefore discussing with the Pl 2ic and the Sect Comd's I made the final call to end it there with the OC's approval and return to the FOB. Which was a good call because it turned out the transport matrix was all screwed up and we were never slated for our proper pickup at 0700. So we would have been waiting there for a few hours, and nothing could have been done because Coy HQ were not on their comms the entire evening/morning.
Keep in mind with all things, many times the training is what you make of it. I used that weekend as an exercise with the unit, not with the Brigade and focused on training my platoon. I need to keep an eye on the big picture or the Coy Obj but my platoons training was the focus. I felt it was good because we got the opportunity to have both garrisons working together. We have focused on the section so much all year round that it was good to work as an entire platoon.
Complaining is a natural reaction, but at least try and place some positive thoughts into what you got out of the training. It might be hard, but it's a fact we have all gotten used to. Sometimes things just don't work out.
VCP 1-Lessons learned and we still got the job done. The OPFOR we got did a very good job, in that they acted like actual people instead of escalating the situation right away. Granted the VCP location was not the best, part was where we were tasked to do it, part was my direction on what I wanted. I'm out there to learn lessons too.
VCP 2-Went well, location was good and the control of vehicles and personnel was bang on. Granted when we laced the vehicle that tried to run the barricade the OPFOR that had roughly 8 rounds in him didn't even make an effort to stop defeated the purpose of us firing at him. Nonetheless this was a major improvement over the first one.
Sunday's patrol was not a total loss. Even though there were no personnel we still learnt some lessons on how to properly search and clear a village in a tactical but non-threatning manor. We could have continued on our patrol through the AO to search for weapons caches, but every single one of my troops and myself have been on patrols in the bush at night. So the training value was somewhat lost at that point. Therefore discussing with the Pl 2ic and the Sect Comd's I made the final call to end it there with the OC's approval and return to the FOB. Which was a good call because it turned out the transport matrix was all screwed up and we were never slated for our proper pickup at 0700. So we would have been waiting there for a few hours, and nothing could have been done because Coy HQ were not on their comms the entire evening/morning.
Keep in mind with all things, many times the training is what you make of it. I used that weekend as an exercise with the unit, not with the Brigade and focused on training my platoon. I need to keep an eye on the big picture or the Coy Obj but my platoons training was the focus. I felt it was good because we got the opportunity to have both garrisons working together. We have focused on the section so much all year round that it was good to work as an entire platoon.
Complaining is a natural reaction, but at least try and place some positive thoughts into what you got out of the training. It might be hard, but it's a fact we have all gotten used to. Sometimes things just don't work out.
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