The Crucible - The JRTC Experience Podcast

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-eleventh episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by MAJ Marc Howle, the Brigade Senior Engineer / Protection Observer-Coach-Trainer, and MAJ David Pfaltzgraff, BDE S-3 Operations OCT, from Brigade Command & Control (BDE HQ) on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are MAJ Steven Yates, the BDE S-6 Signal OCT from Brigade Command & Control (BDE HQ) and SFC Daniel Pippin, the BN S-6 Signal NCOIC from the 1-509th IN (ABN) Opposing Force.   This episode of The Crucible centers on the challenges of command and control (C2) integration and the employment of enablers within brigade combat teams (BCTs) at JRTC. The discussion highlights recurring issues with overcomplicated signal plans, inadequate COMSEC readiness, and a persistent lack of basic communications skills across maneuver formations. Despite widespread fielding of advanced systems like ITN, many units arrive without validated PACE plans or shared understanding of how to communicate across formations and enabler teams. A key friction point is the failure to execute realistic COMEX and VALEX rehearsals, which often leads to failure in establishing a functioning network prior to movement into the box. When soldiers can’t log into CPCE or MAVEN or don’t know how to employ SATCOM or FM, the entire C2 enterprise falters before first contact.   The episode also stresses the importance of simplifying communications, cross-training non-signal personnel, and involving maneuver leaders in signal planning. A lack of distributed competence creates overreliance on limited 25-series personnel. The team praises aviation’s model of integrating comms training into pilot academics and encourages similar investments at the BCT level—where every Soldier using a radio must understand its function and limitations. Integration of enablers—particularly aviation, foreign partners, and multi-echelon elements like MEC teams—demands proactive coordination well before RSOI. The key takeaway: units that treat RSOI as part of the operations process, not just an administrative requirement, set the conditions for success. C2 must be validated with full mission threads—sensor-to-shooter, PED, and digital fires—before rolling into the box. Anything less risks operational paralysis in the first 48 hours.   Part of S13 “Hip Pocket Training” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-tenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Senior Medical Operations Officer Observer-Coach-Trainer for the Task Force Sustainment (BSB / CSSB), CPT Victor Velez on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are subject matter experts in each of their warfighting fields, MAJ Jon Austin, SFC Scott Gallagher, 1LT Andy Cornelison, and LTC Max Ferguson. MAJ Austin is an armor officer from the Close Combat Lethality Task Force at the Maneuver Center of Excellence. SFC Gallagher is the former senior medic for 2-14 IN BN and is currently the Senior Enlisted Medical Advisor OCT for TF Sustainment (BSB / CSSB). 1LT Cornelson is a former Army Special Forces medic and is now the Physician’s Assistant for 2-14 Infantry BN, “Golden Dragons” of 2nd IBCT, 10th Mountain Division. LTC Max Ferguson is the former BN Commander for 2-14 IN BN and is now the G-3 Operations Officer for 10th Mountain DIV as well as serving as the J-3 for the JTF Southern Border.   The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, known by its Hollywood call-sign “Commando Brigade”, is a light infantry unit headquartered at Fort Drum, New York. Carrying the proud motto “Courage and Honor,” the brigade traces its lineage to the 10th Mountain Division’s storied World War II legacy in the mountains of Italy, where it earned distinction for its rugged combat effectiveness in extreme terrain. Reactivated in the post-Vietnam era, 2nd IBCT has since deployed multiple times in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, exemplifying rapid deployment capability, adaptability, and lethality. Today, the Commando Brigade remains a cornerstone of the Army’s light infantry force, specializing in mountain and cold-weather operations while preparing for large scale combat operations across multiple domains.   The “golden hour” concept from the Global War on Terror era is being expanded in LSCO to account for prolonged casualty care under contested evacuation timelines. Whole blood and walking blood banks extend treatment coverage, creating larger windows for evacuation to the next level of care. While long practiced within Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF), this marks the first employment of the concept by a conventional unit in recent history.   This episode of The Crucible podcast explores the evolving challenges and adaptations required for effective medical operations in LSCO. With evacuation timelines stretching well beyond the traditional “golden hour,” the discussion centers on how leaders must anticipate prolonged casualty care in contested environments. Panelists emphasized that bleeding remains the leading cause of battlefield death, and maneuver elements—not just medics—must assume responsibility for initiating lifesaving interventions at the point of injury. A key enabler discussed is the implementation of walking blood banks using pre-screened low-titer O donors to provide whole-blood transfusions far forward, drastically extending survivability in austere environments where surgical care is delayed or inaccessible.   The conversation also dives into the training implications for units preparing to conduct prolonged care. Leaders must invest time and energy into building whole-blood programs, standardizing procedures across echelons, and ensuring both medics and maneuver elements are prepared to manage triage, resource allocation, and life-saving interventions. Emphasis was placed on incorporating these efforts well before deployment—ideally as part of the training glidepath and Soldier Readiness Processing process—and enabling unit-level adjudication through validated kits and simplified protocols. The Joint Trauma System guidelines, Ranger Regiment best practices, and Marine Corps programs like Valkyrie were all cited as models for force-wide adoption. This episode represents a critical push toward institutionalizing practical solutions to the hard realities of LSCO casualty care.   Part of S05 “Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, Batteries, Water, & Fuel” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-ninth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by MAJ Marc Howle, the Brigade Senior Engineer / Protection Observer-Coach-Trainer, and MAJ David Pfaltzgraff, BDE S-3 Operations OCT, from Brigade Command & Control (BDE HQ) on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are CPT Joshua Ash, a Company Commander with 1-509th IN (ABN) (Opposing Force), MAJ Reed Ziegler, the BN S-3 Operations OCT in TF-1 (Infantry BN), SFC Walter Jinks, the Explosive Hazard Advisor OCT in the Fires Support TF, and MSG Brandon Roberts, the BDE Fires Support NCO OCT in BC2 (BCT HQ).   The Hip Pocket Training series is a short-form series focused on single-topic insights for the warfighter on the go. Quick, relevant, and ready when you are!   This episode of The Crucible focuses on the application of the military decision-making process (MDMP) in the defense, emphasizing how terrain, threat, and timing uniquely shape defensive operations during large-scale combat operations (LSCO). The hosts and guests walk through the interconnected steps of MDMP and engagement area development, noting that these are not mutually exclusive but instead must be integrated. The team emphasizes the importance of early terrain analysis during mission analysis, identifying enemy avenues of approach, and positioning most casualty-producing weapon systems. Fires planning is highlighted as both enemy- and terrain-informed, with best practices including placing targets in front of, on, and beyond the position to avoid over-saturating the battlespace and ensure rehearsable and executable fires.   Preparation emerges as a central theme, with observations that many units wait too long to plan and begin defense construction, leading to compressed timelines and poorly executed operations. The podcast outlines critical practices such as conducting a defense preparation rehearsal before line of departure (LD), synchronizing Class IV/V deliveries, employing engineer assets efficiently, and securing battle positions from UAS observation. The episode also explores friction points with fires rehearsals—especially the importance of digital tech rehearsals—and the lingering challenge of replacing lost cavalry reconnaissance capability with company- and battalion-level initiatives. Ultimately, the conversation drives home that successful defenses are those planned early, prepared thoroughly, rehearsed repeatedly, and executed with integrated fires, concealment, and security that match the enemy’s tempo and capability.   Part of S13 “Hip Pocket Training” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-eighth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by COL Ricky Taylor, the Commander of Ops Group (COG) and CSM Bill Gallant, the Command Sergeant Major of Ops Group (CSMOG). Today’s guest is the Commander of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, COL Eric Soults.   The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, is the premier infantry formation of the Iowa Army National Guard, headquartered in Boone, Iowa. As part of the storied “Red Bull” Division, the brigade carries forward a legacy of combat excellence dating back to North Africa and Italy in World War II and extensive deployments in the Global War on Terror. The division’s official motto, “Attack, Attack, Attack,” captures the offensive spirit ingrained in its culture. The brigade’s Hollywood call-sign is “Ryder.”   This episode dives deep into the realities of modern warfare from the perspective of the Army National Guard, drawing on the experience of a recent JRTC rotation and upcoming deployment to the CENTCOM AOR. Topics include joint interoperability with international partners such as Kosovo and Jordan, the complexity of managing a brigade built from 19 states, and the use of tools like the “Ryder Way” to enforce standards and discipline. The conversation emphasizes the need to establish early relationships with partner forces, ruthlessly enforce battle rhythm and reporting discipline, and adapt to rapidly changing mission sets across operational phases from training to mobilization.   Other key points include the challenges of sustainment and the innovative use of a sustainment common operating picture or “SUSCOP” to enable proactive logistics. The brigade’s leadership emphasizes empowering NCOs, enforcing standards across dispersed units, and maximizing limited training time by focusing on the fundamentals—especially at the squad and platoon level. The episode concludes with insights on the importance of effective commander-to-commander and staff dialogue, clear expectations, and synchronization of drill periods, all critical to preparing an Army National Guard brigade for LSCO and deployment abroad.   Part of S02 “If I Would Have Only Known” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-seventh episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Senior Medical Operations Officer Observer-Coach-Trainer for the Task Force Sustainment (BSB / CSSB), CPT Victor Velez on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are two senior medical professionals, SFC Daniel Booker and MSG Bradley Robinson. SFC Booker is the Medical Operations NCO OCT for Aviation TF (CAB) and MSG Robinson is the Senior Enlisted Medical Advisor OCT for TF Sustainment (BSB / CSSB).   This episode explores the evolving landscape of medical operations in large-scale combat operations (LSCO), emphasizing both clinical care and medical logistics under austere, high-tempo conditions. The discussion begins by highlighting training shortfalls in areas such as prolonged field care, expectant casualty care, and the degradation of trauma skills due to lack of high-acuity exposure. The panel underscores the importance of standardizing Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and incorporating behavioral health (BH) into austere environments. Updated triage doctrine—including a two-pass system and the mass casualty management model—is discussed as a key development, reinforcing that triage is not just a medical responsibility but a leader’s responsibility across the formation.   Observed trends during recent rotations were highlighted, such as the motivation and preparedness of young medics, the resurgence of fieldcraft (digging in, concealment, basic weapons handling), and the movement toward analog systems to reduce complexity. Leader certification and talent management emerge as recurring themes, emphasizing the need for medics to integrate operational planning and communicate effectively with maneuver leaders. Best practices include early development of the medical common operating picture (MEDCOP), effective use of LTP, cross-functional training opportunities, SOP development, and creative training under constraints like limited drill periods. The episode closes with guidance on improving air and ground casualty evacuation operations, promoting distributed medicine concepts, and empowering medics as force multipliers—not just clinicians, but warfighters.   Part of S05 “Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, Batteries, Water, & Fuel” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-sixth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by CSM Bill Gallant, the Command Sergeant Major of Ops Group (CSMOG). Today’s guests are four seasoned infantry task force command sergeants major. CSM Lucas Young is the TF CSM for Task Force 2 (IN BN) with ten rotations as an Observer – Coach – Trainer and four rotations as a rotational training unit. CSM Bryan Jaragoske is the TF CSM for Brigade Command & Control (BDE HQ) with three rotations as an OCT and five rotations as RTU. CSM Edwards Cummings is the TF CSM for Task Force 3 (IN BN) with nineteen rotations as an OCT and four rotations as RTU. And CSM Robert Absher is the TF CSM for Task Force 1 (IN BN) with four rotations as an OCT and eight rotations as RTU. In this episode of ‘The Crucible,’ the conversation centers on the evolving and enduring role of noncommissioned officers (NCOs) in infantry warfighting during large-scale combat operations (LSCO). The discussion highlights how NCOs are stepping up in planning processes—especially in course of action development—providing ground truth from the field, validating feasibility, and integrating fire and maneuver. NCOs’ battlefield experience enables them to shape planning guidance, refine timelines, and ensure plans account for realistic sustainment, movement, and transition conditions. The panel underscores the importance of rehearsals and timelines, the application of fieldcraft, camouflage, deception, and understanding terrain—not just through mapping, but through hands-on analysis and feedback. The episode also explores how infantry NCOs are central to managing the fight during transitions, supporting fire planning, and leading security zone operations.   A recurring theme is the necessity of blending technological advancement with mastery of fundamentals. The speakers caution against overreliance on tech like ATACs or drones without maintaining proficiency in basic soldiering skills such as map and compass navigation or patrolling under load. The conversation moves through sustainment challenges, especially medical evacuation, logistics discipline, and terrain management, offering best practices like rehearsing casualty evacuation and involving junior leaders in sustainment planning. Ultimately, the discussion affirms that well-trained, thinking NCOs—those who know the commander’s intent and can adapt when the plan breaks—are vital to combat effectiveness. Leadership, initiative, and the ability to bridge modernization with the realities of the battlefield form the cornerstone of successful infantry operations in LSCO.   Part of S03 “Lightfighter Lessons” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast.   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-fifth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by COL Ricky Taylor, the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are four seasoned infantry task force seniors. LTC Andy Smith is the TF Senior for Task Force 2 (IN BN) with ten rotations as an Observer – Coach – Trainer and six rotations as a rotational training unit. LTC Matt Bandi is the TF Senior for Task Force 3 (IN BN) with nine rotations as an OCT and four rotations as RTU. LTC(P) Timothy Price is the TF Senior for Brigade Command & Control (BDE HQ) with twenty-one rotations as an OCT and seven rotations as RTU. And LTC Chuck Wall is the TF Senior for Task Force 1 (IN BN) with nine rotations as an OCT and five rotations as RTU. This episode of The Crucible centers on the raw, uncompromising realities of infantry warfighting in the LSCO environment, drawing directly from firsthand observations at JRTC. The discussion highlights how success on the modern battlefield is built on a foundation of small-unit fundamentals—movement, marksmanship, reporting, and rehearsals. Leaders emphasize that doctrinal clarity and simplicity at the squad and platoon level remain decisive, especially under pressure from drone surveillance, EW interference, and contested logistics. Units that survive and win are those that maintain discipline in their fieldcraft: they camouflage well, rehearse everything, and operate with a combat mindset that anticipates disruption rather than being surprised by it.   The conversation also underscores the importance of deliberate leadership placement, effective use of terrain, and clarity in commander’s intent. Fieldcraft isn’t just about staying hidden—it’s about moving smart, planning for degraded comms, and sustaining yourself under fire. Leaders describe how critical it is for junior NCOs and officers to own their piece of the battlefield, from shaping local security zones to enforcing LOGSTAT discipline. The episode drives home that modernization won’t compensate for a lack of tactical proficiency—and that high-tech tools like sUAS, ATAK, or digital fires architecture only matter if teams have mastered the analog skills to shoot, maneuver, communicate, and survive under stress.   Remember, Professionals train for the fight—they rehearse under pressure, refine fundamentals, and prepare for the worst-case scenario. Amateurs train until they get it right; professionals train until they can’t get it wrong. In LSCO, that difference means survival.   Part of S03 “Lightfighter Lessons” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast.   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-fourth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Task Force Senior for the TF Sustainment (BSB / CSSB), LTC Bruce Roett on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are three seasoned medical professionals with 1st Mobility Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division. LTC Justin Bowmen is the Battalion Commander for the 426th Light Support Battalion of the 1st Mobility Brigade Combat Team in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). MAJ Ryan Morris is the Brigade Support Operations Officer (SPO) for 1st MBCT of the 101st ABD (AASLT). CPT William Breedlove is the S-3 Operations Officer for the 426th LSB of the 1st MBCT of the 101st ABD (AASLT).   The 426th Light Support Battalion (LSB), formerly the 426th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), serves as the sustainment backbone of the 1st Mobility Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne,” 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Known by its Hollywood call-sign “Taskmasters,” the battalion carries the proud motto “Taskmasters Can!” and has a long lineage of support excellence dating back to its origins in World War II. Initially activated as part of the 101st Division Support Command, the unit provided critical logistics support during key operations in Europe, including Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. Reorganized as the 426th BSB in the modular force era, the battalion has since deployed in support of multiple contingency operations, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, as one of the Army’s first Light Support Battalions under the Division Sustainment Brigade model, the 426 LSB is pioneering new methods of distributed sustainment, mobile logistics, and command post survivability in support of LSCO as part of Task Force Bastogne’s transformation-in-contact initiative.   This episode delivers an in-depth discussion on the employment of the Light Support Battalion (LSB) within the new Mobility Brigade Combat Team (MBCT) framework, using 426th LSB for 1st MBCT of the 101st Airborne Division as a case study. The episode explores the structural transition from a traditional Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) to an LSB under the Division Sustainment Brigade (DSB), including the reorganization of support companies into more mobile and modular Combat Logistics Companies (CLCs). These companies are purpose-built for direct support to light infantry battalions in LSCO environments. Key topics include changes to task organization, reductions in personnel and equipment, and the resulting impacts on mission command and sustainment support. The LSB’s experimentation with a three-cluster BSA configuration was highlighted, emphasizing survivability through dispersion, redundancy in support capabilities, and operational flexibility.   Best practices included deliberate MDMP planning cycles, the integration of emerging technologies such as Skydio drones for BSA security and route reconnaissance, and the execution of detailed sustainment rehearsals using physical props to visualize commodity flow. Friction points were numerous and centered around command and control challenges created by dispersed nodes, difficulty in maintaining a shared common operating picture (COP), digital system limitations, and underutilized analog backups. Suggested improvements included co-locating SPO and staff leadership for planning synchronization, building greater analog COP redundancy, improving digital communications through more widespread fielding of TSM/MUOS radios, and formalizing a more mobile and survivable C2 infrastructure. The episode concludes with a recognition that while the LSB construct is still maturing, it provides a more adaptive and threat-informed sustainment capability suitable for LSCO.   Part of S05 “Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, Batteries, Water, & Fuel” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast.   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-third episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by COL Ricky Taylor, the Commander of Ops Group (COG). The COG is joined by the Aviation Task Force’s TF Senior, LTC Amoreena “Ammo” York. Today’s guest is Deputy Commanding General for Support of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), BG Travis McIntosh (Eagle 09).   The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), known as the “Screaming Eagles” and bearing the callsign “Eagle,” is one of the most storied and combat-proven divisions in U.S. Army history. Activated in 1942, the division gained immortal fame during World War II with combat jumps into Normandy and Holland and its heroic defense of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Since then, it has served with distinction from Vietnam to the Global War on Terror, transforming from parachute infantry to the Army’s only air assault division. With its motto “Rendezvous with Destiny,” the 101st continues to lead from the front—now as the Army’s premier Transformation-in-Contact division. As part of the Army’s mobility and modernization focus, the 101st is pioneering the integration of multi-domain capabilities, advanced sUAS platforms, electronic warfare, and the next-generation squad weapons within highly mobile infantry formations. Their next rendezvous with destiny will not just be defined by historic legacy—but by shaping how the Army fights and wins in large-scale combat operations on tomorrow’s battlefield.   In this episode we discuss the re-emergence of large-scale, long-range air assaults as a possibly decisive form of maneuver in the 21st-century fight and the some of the capabilities required to achieve success. Our guest highlights that the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is reclaiming its mantle as America’s premier vertical envelopment force. These operations extend deep into contested terrain, often beyond traditional fire support coverage, and demand precision planning, synchronized fires, and an adaptive joint team. The division’s air assault capabilities, when executed at echelon, enable rapid massing of combat power across extended distances to seize key terrain, disrupt enemy formations, and establish lodgments for follow-on operations. However, these assaults cannot succeed without Joint Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (JSEAD). The ability to suppress, deceive, or destroy enemy integrated air defense systems is foundational to aviation survivability and mission success. Airspace must be contested—and then cleared—through layered fires and effects across domains. As BG McIntosh and Task Force Bastogne demonstrated during recent large-scale exercises, air assault isn’t just a legacy tactic—it’s a modern instrument of tempo and shock when paired with precision intelligence, hardened command posts, and rapid sustainment.   The 101st’s renewed focus on scale, range, and survivability represents its next Rendezvous with Destiny. Gone are the days of low-intensity, air corridor-based insertions. Today’s battlefield requires lift platforms operating in low-signature modes, digitally integrated with maneuver elements, and prepared to operate inside denied or degraded electromagnetic environments. With the introduction of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) ecosystem on the horizon, and the ongoing proliferation of UAS and electronic warfare, Army aviation must evolve from just being “mobility” to becoming a key component of multi-domain convergence. Under McIntosh’s vision, the division is shaping the doctrine and culture necessary to fight and win in LSCO: aggressively training mission command at distance, investing in distributed planning tools, and adapting air-ground integration to incorporate SOF, cyber, and space enablers. The air assault is no longer just an insertion method—it’s a high-risk, high-reward maneuver enabled by fires, intelligence, and the ironclad trust between aviators and ground commanders.   Part of S08 “The Aviator’s Corner” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast.   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.  

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-second episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the former Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are the command team for 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). COL Patrick “Pat” Nelson is the Commander of 7th SFG(A). CSM Adam Dunn is the Command Sergeant Major of 7th SFG(A). And CW5 Jose Villarreal is the Command Chief Warrant of 7th SFG(A).   The 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), known by its call-sign “Red Empire” and affectionately referred to as “La Familia,” is one of the most storied units within U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Headquartered at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 7th SFG(A) has a rich legacy of conducting Unconventional Warfare, Foreign Internal Defense, and Counterinsurgency missions—particularly in Latin America, where it has maintained deep strategic partnerships for decades. The group played a key role in Cold War-era advisory missions, post-9/11 operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and continues to remain at the forefront of global Special Operations Forces (SOF) engagements. Its motto, “Lo Que Sea, Cuando Sea, Donde Sea”—Spanish for “Anything, Anytime, Anywhere”—embodies its agile, mission-first ethos. Today, 7th SFG(A) is leading the way in integrating Special Forces capabilities into Large-Scale Combat Operations, leveraging its regional expertise, cultural fluency, and tactical excellence to shape the battlefield in support of joint force commanders.   This episode explores the evolving role of U.S. Army Special Forces—commonly known as Green Berets—in Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). The conversation emphasizes how Special Forces must adapt from their traditional fast and flexible mindset to operate with greater precision, depth, and coordination within a conventional division fight. The leaders from 7th Special Forces Group discuss lessons learned from their groundbreaking Combat Training Center (CTC) rotation, which required ODAs to integrate with division-level planning and synchronize across time, space, and domains. The challenge of transitioning from unconventional warfare to supporting a Joint Forcible Entry and operating in support of division commanders is central, as Special Forces teams are often forward-deployed and must now shape the battlefield not just tactically, but operationally—anticipating information requirements and transitions before a fight begins.   Additionally, the episode identifies specific points of friction and critical learning moments. These include the challenge of synchronizing SOF timelines with conventional unit operations, the sustainment burdens in contested environments, and the complexity of operating in terrain saturated with sensors, drones, and electronic warfare. Best practices included conducting a full Leader Training Program (LTP) to understand the conventional planning process, refining staff-level battle drills and MDMP execution, and committing to humble, self-aware learning. The leaders also stress the importance of strategic relationships—both with conventional forces and international partners—as a long-term enabler of influence and access. In LSCO, they note, tactical decisions can have strategic consequences, and the margins for error are razor-thin. Success for Green Berets in future conflict will depend on their ability to master the basics, think in depth, and execute with discipline and precision, in lockstep with the broader joint force.   Part of S12 “The JIIMs of JRTC: Working with Our Unified Action Partners” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast.   Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.