US Soldiers Hone Skills During Simulated Combat Operations

American Soldiers from the 92nd Chemical Company (Hazardous Response) “Rock Steady” and the 756th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) “Blasters” supported the 2nd ABCT, 3rd Infantry Division, during Decisive Action Rotation 23-05 at the National Training Center (NTC) on Fort Irwin, California.

U.S. Army combat units honed their warfighting skills against fierce opposition forces from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment during combat training rotations in the “the box” – shorthand for the Mojave Desert training center.

From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.

As the U.S. Army has transitioned from decades of counterinsurgency operations, training rotations are focused on preparing maneuver units for large-scale combat operations against an enemy that could use chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons. The training prior to the rotation included aircraft decontamination, CBRN detection for a wet gap crossing operation and an integrated command post exercise.

Capt. Donovan G. Coleman, the commander of the 92nd CBRN Company, said the training rotation was focused on integrating enabling forces into the 2nd ABCT. “Although not organic to the brigade, each of us brought a unique but invaluable asset to the fight,” said Coleman. “The 92nd Chemical Company (Hazardous Response) brought mounted and dismounted reconnaissance, detailed troop and equipment decontamination and sensitive site analysis.”

Coleman said his company also met with a Kazakhstan CBRN cell at NTC. The 92nd Chemical Company demonstrated equipment and decontamination techniques while also exchanging handshakes and unit patches with the Kazakh military leaders.

U.S. Army EOD 1st Sgt. Henry J. Charles, the first sergeant for the 756th EOD Company, said his EOD techs not only train for combat operations but also take on domestic response missions. “Our mission is to protect personnel and property against explosive threats and hazards,” said Charles. “We also provide EOD support to the United State Secret Service for the protection of U.S. and foreign dignitaries.”

Capt. Jose G. Matos, the commander of the 756th Ordnance Company, said the NTC rotation enabled “the Blasters” to integrate and provide continuous support to the 2nd ABCT.

“Our training scenarios were tailored to prepare our Soldiers to support maneuver units during large-scale combat operations against a near-peer threat with a heavy emphasis on military munitions to include both foreign and domestic,” said Matos.

Matos said his EOD technicians trained for a wide variety of missions during the NTC rotation, from defeating explosive devices and rendering safe lodged projectiles to destroying enemy weapons caches and clearing booby traps.

“We will utilize the lessons learned during this NTC rotation to continue to optimize the way we integrate at echelon, empower our unit leadership, conduct mission-focused training and emphasize the importance of maintenance to build sustainable unit readiness, increase combat power and prepare for our next assigned mission,” said Matos.