The Crucible - The JRTC Experience Podcast

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the eighteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by a former Senior Intelligence Trainer, COL John Ives, on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. This is part one of a two part series with COL John Ives.   In this episode we discuss the best practices for the intelligence warfighting function as with most of our discussions it focuses on brilliance in the basics. The best practices for the intel WfF within a BCT formation are as follows: Led by an S2 with a clear understanding of the 4-core competencies (Synchronization; Operations; PED; Analysis) and the intelligence process: articulates, trains, and stresses the steps and output of IPB. Rehearse, exercise, and maintain intelligence systems and team development at home-station; maximizes training time and incorporates intel systems in all activities. Establish and maintain the intelligence architecture: plan, validate, and rehearse by phase, collector, and capability. Conduct rehearsals and describe the intelligence cycle for each named area of interest (NAI) or high payoff target (HPT); emphasizing PED directly impacts the sensor-to-shooter integration. Resources and train the intel collection management team to leverage Echelons Above Brigade (EAB) and organic collection, coordinate PED (processing, exploitation, and dissemination) capacity, and integrate into the operations planning process. Plan and coordinate organic collection capabilities (recon, human intel collection teams, signals intel collection teams, and unmanned aerial systems platoon) including security, communications, and command support relationships. Maintain an intelligence common operational picture (COP) in both analog and digital form and actively disseminate fighting products, including battle damage assessment (BDA) charts and intelligence collection and synchronization matrix (ICSM). Operationalize RSOI (reception, staging, onward movement, and integration) including pack-out at home-station to set conditions for synchronization, PED, and intelligence operations. Specifically addressed in this episode are the core intel competencies, conducting intel preparation of the battlefield, and home-station training good habits.   Part of S10 “Out-Thinking the Enemy” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the seventeenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. We have a special treat for our audience, today’s guest is retired US Army COL John Antal. The event was designed to encourage discourse and offer insights of the evolution of modern warfare and its impacts on the battlefield of tomorrow to future Leaders while promoting the Joint Readiness Training Center as a whole.   COL John Antal is a renowned author, military historian, and foreign affairs subject matter expert. He served 30 years in the US Army, where he led formations from platoon level through regiment and served on corps and multinational staffs. He is the author of hundreds of articles on military affairs and leadership subjects as well as having authored fourteen books, including his most recent book: '7 Seconds to Die: A Military Analysis of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Future of Warfighting.'   Faculty and team members from across the US Army’s Combat Training Centers were able to participate in this briefing as it was part of the CTC Commander’s Conference at the Combined Arms Center in the Summer of 2022.   In this episode they discuss the evolution of technology and the impact it has had on modern warfare as well as the training provided to brigade combat teams in preparation for conducting large scale combat operations across multiple domains. The material referenced comes from multiple recent or on-going conflicts, including but not limited to the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict. Specifically addressed are the so-called battlefield disruptors of modern war, which are the: Transparency of the battlefield. First strike advantage, often maintained by the opposition. Accelerating of the operations tempo. Fury & effectiveness of top attack. Unmanned to fully autonomous systems. From “kill-chain” to “kill-web” constructs. Visualization of the battlespace across all-domains. One of the repeatedly emphasized methods for mitigating these disruptors was through the technique of “masking,” which was loosely defined as the full-spectrum, multi-domain effort to deceive enemy sensors and disrupt enemy targeting.   Part of S10 “Out-Thinking the Enemy” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the sixteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. We have a special treat for our audience, today’s guests are all former COGs at the JRTC, LTG Sean Bernabe, MG David Doyle, BG David Gardner, BG Jason Curl, and COL Andrew Saslav. This is our first annual Large Scale Combat Operations Symposium and what we hope to become a routine, annual event. The event was designed to encourage dynamic dialogue, offer insights to future Leaders, and promote the Joint Readiness Training Center as a whole.   LTG Bernabe was the COG from 2016-2017 and is now the Commanding General for III Corps. MG Doyle was the COG from 2017-2018 and is now the Chief of Staff for United States Central Command. BG Gardner was the COG from 2018-2019 and is now the Commanding General for the Joint Readiness Training Center. BG Curl was the COG from 2020-2021 and is the Deputy Commanding General of Operations for the 10th Mountain Division. COL Saslav was the COG from 2021-2022 and is the Deputy Commanding General of Operations for the 82nd Airborne Division.   Students and faculty from the Maneuver Center of Excellence submitted questions to the team, which were then synthesized by COL Hardman and presented to the COG panel. This was part of the Maneuver Warfighter Conference in September 2022.   In this episode they discuss the evolution of training provided to brigade combat teams and the preparation for conducting large scale combat operations across multiple domains. As the Army transitions from the BCT being the primary effort to the division becoming the unit of action, some of the long-term trends are examined as the training at the JRTC shifted from mission rehearsal exercises to decisive action training environment (DATE) exercises focused on LSCO. A major topic of discussion is the distinction between deficiencies and military activities that are simply challenging tasks, which will always be points-of-friction for warfighters.   Part of S01 “The Leader’s Laboratory” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the fifteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Today’s episode is hosted by the Task Force Senior of the Fires Task Force, LTC Aaron Thomas on behalf of the JRTC COG. Today’s guest is the commander for 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment of 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, LTC Adam Ropelewski. The SBCT’s Hollywood call-sign is “Steel” while the regiment’s motto is “En Garde” or “On Guard.”   The 2-77th FA was first constituted in July 1916 and served has valiantly in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the Global War on Terror campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Their rotation at the JRTC was the first Stryker rotation in nearly five years as the rotational training unit. This rotation was an extremely complex rotation as TF Steel Fires had their normal compliment of field artillery batteries as well as a M-109A6 Paladin 155mm self-propelled Howitzer battery from 1st Armored Division.   In this episode they discuss some of lessons learned from operating indirect fires assets across complex, restrictive terrain in support of a Stryker brigade combat team during large scale combat operations. They discussed the need to pre-plan and rehearse fires procedures when operating with adjacent units, such as a supporting armored-mechanized team or advisor teams, as well as when conducting operations as part of a coalition force with our multinational partners. They emphasized the necessity of “leading with HE” during large-scale combat operations and the balancing act between deep fires and supporting the close fight for BCT operations. When used effectively, a Stryker BCT can over-match the enemy as it brings organic M-777 155mm self-propelled Howitzers and M-121 120mm mortars organic to companies and maneuver battalions, which gives the SBCT the ability to develop an echelonment of fires plan in depth.   Part of S07 “Joint Fires Discussions” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the fourteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are the command team from 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, COL Andrew Kiser and CSM Michael Eierman. The SBCT’s Hollywood call-sign is “Warhorse” but are also known as “Mountain Warrior” and their motto of “For Love of Country.”   The 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team was established in November 1917 as the 7th Infantry Brigade for the 4th Infantry Division and served valiantly in World War I. The brigade was deactivated just prior to World War II but saw service during the Vietnam War. The Mountain Warrior Brigade is one of the most deployed brigades during the Global War on Terror with numerous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Their long, distinguished service to the Nation includes nineteen Medal of Honor recipients with three recipients from the GWOT era.   The Mountain Warrior Brigade’s rotation at the JRTC was the first Stryker rotation in nearly five years as the rotational training unit. This rotation was an extremely complex rotation as it was almost a Division (-) or at least BCT (+) sized rotation as in addition to being a SBCT, they also had attached 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, the Canadian 3 R22eR light infantry battalion, and 83rd Chemical Battalion as well as an armored company and Paladin battery for a grand total of eight thousand Soldiers and 1,600 vehicles training at the Joint Readiness Training Center.   In this episode they discuss some of lessons learned from operating Stryker and armored elements across complex, restrictive terrain during large scale combat operations. They emphasized the need to focus on the heavy-light / mounted-dismounted paradigm required to fight across complex terrain at a high operations tempo. As COL Kiser described it, “Fighting Geronimo in a broom closet.” The brigade heavily focused on the dismounted infantry squad being the primary maneuver element with the Strykers simply providing transportation and sustainment with occasional use as support-by-fire assets.   Part of S02 “If I Would Have Only Known” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are the field grade officers from 2-501st PIR, MAJ Doug Meyer and MAJ Anthony Formica from 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.   The 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment was established in November 1942 as part of the 101st Airborne Division but was deactivated after World War II. 2nd Battalion, 501st PIR was deployed to Vietnam as a member of 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division and then was deactivated following the Vietnam War. Fast-forward to 2013 after some time spent in Alaska, 2-501st PIR became part of 1/82nd ABN as one of their infantry battalions. The battalion’s call-sign is “Geronimo” while at the JRTC they are jokingly referred to as the “Good Geronimo” since our OPFOR has the same call-sign. (The BCT’s call-sign is “Devil and their motto of “Strike and Hold.”)   During GEN Mark Milley’s tenure as Chief of Staff of the Army, he stated that he wanted “rotations at the Combat Training Centers to be like Ranger School but for BCT formations.” Our guests in this episode can in fact confirm that the JRTC has lived up to this request.   In this episode they discuss some of lessons learned as told through the eyes of a battalion’s two field grade, staff officers. They emphasize the importance of a battalion’s “Top 5” leaders needing to work as an effective team which results in the battalions functioning as a team at large. Additionally, they highlight the need for the field grades across the brigade to have an open dialogue, which will then overcome a lot of the bureaucratic traps that staff sections can often find themselves locked in. The area they emphasized was the need for units needing to establish, vet, disseminate, and test their systems prior to attending a rotation. This comes in the form of roles and responsibilities for staff sections coupled with the establishment of their standard operating procedures.   Part of S02 “If I Would Have Only Known” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twelfth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are the division liaison officer from 3rd Infantry Division, MAJ Joe Laplante and the armor-mechanized team’s commander, CPT James Corino. The armor-mech team that supported 1/82 ABN was Team Cronos, C Company, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.   The 67th Armor Regiment has the honor of being one of the oldest armor units in the U.S. military as they were first formed in 1929 as the 2nd Tank Regiment (Heavy) and redesignated as the 67th Infantry Regiment (Medium Tanks) in 1932 and then became the 67th Armor in 1940. During WWII, they took part in the invasion and fierce fighting that followed for North Africa, Sicily, and then mainland Europe. Later they would take part in Operation Desert Storm followed by the various operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. The company team has the Hollywood call-sign of “Cronos” while the BN’s call-sign is the “Hounds of Hell” and the ABCT's call-sign is "Spartans." The ABCT’s motto of “Send Me” while the BN’s motto is “Ready for War.”   For the rotation in question, Team Cronos supported the rotation by providing an armor-mech team to a light infantry brigade combat team in order to provide a highly lethal and mobile force, so as to facilitate winning engagements on any battlefield in any operational environment across the globe. Its effectiveness increases through the synergy of combined arms including M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks, M2A4 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, infantry, engineers, and support elements.   In this episode they discuss they the various nuances of effectively employing an armor-mech team as part of a larger light infantry task force and the massive learning curve for honing the light-heavy paradigm. The U.S. Army has only recently began task organizing light infantry BCTs from XVIII Airborne Corps with armor-mech teams again and so the Army is having to re-learn some of the fundamentals once again. Sustainment, logistics, and maintenance cannot be over emphasized. Having a liaison from the armor-mech team’s division to the supporting light infantry BCT is definitely an identified “Best Practice.”   Part of S04 “Scouts Out” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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 eleventh episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Platoon Sergeant in 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2-505th PIR), 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, SFC Tyler Manship. The 505th PIR has the honor of being one of the oldest airborne units in the U.S. military as they were activated in July 1942 during World War II and earned four of its five combat jumps during the fierce fighting of WWII. They have the Hollywood call-sign of “Panther” with 2nd BN having the call-sign of “Task Force-2 Panther” and the motto of “H-Minus.”   For the rotation in question, Panther Brigade supported the rotation by providing augmentation leaders and Soldiers to assist as both Observer-Coach-Trainers (OCTs) and Opposing Force (OPFOR) personnel.   In this episode they discuss the importance of rigorous, realistic, and relevant training, whether it’s Ranger School for the individual or collectively at the JRTC as the Rotational Training Unit. The importance of these type of training events cannot be overstated as it builds the foundation for our warfighters through arduous trials that cultivate character and humility while providing leaders expertise as well as a shared experience basis. This process gives both the leader and subordinate confidence in themselves, their leadership, and the organization in general. They additionally delve into leader development with an emphasis on the Non-Commissioned Officer side-of-the-house. NCOs must be able to not only understand doctrine but be able to utilize it. Platoons must be prepared to self-sustain and fully embrace the “no one is coming to save you” mentality. (“The Last Tactical Kilometer.”) An underlying theme that applies to every warfighting function (WfF) is you must master the fundamentals before you can attempt the master skillsets and this applies at echelon.   Part of S03 “Lightfighter Lessons” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the tenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is a repeat offender on the podcast, the commander of 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, COL Theodore Kleisner. Established during the fierce fighting in the Italian campaigns of World War II, 1/82 was employed in multiple brush wars throughout the Cold War as well as in Operation Desert Storm and later as part of Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo before deploying in support of the Global War on Terror. They have the Hollywood call-sign of “Devil and the motto of “Strike and Hold.”   In this episode they discuss some of the trends from the Devil Brigade completing two iterations at the Joint Readiness Training Center with the majority of the leadership throughout the entire process. Also discussed are some lessons learned as well as the points of friction that were identified as the Devil Brigade transitioned from planning to execution. One of the major topics of discussion were the various nuances to building an effective joint task force that is capable of conducting an airborne joint forcible entry operation into a heavily contested environment and the challenges of moving all the heavy equipment into the Devils’ newly seized battlespace.   This is the sequel to their episode with COL Kleisner and Team Devil that took place at the end of the Leader Training Program, which is part of the training glide-path for their rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center.   Part of S02 “If I Would Have Only Known” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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.

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the eighth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are both brigade staff with 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). CPT Pamela Donais is the Chief of Plans and CPT Nickolas Ondrla is the Brigade Training Officer with the S-3 operations staff section. 1/101 ABN has a long and illustrious history dating back to trench-warfare in WWI to glider assaults during WWII to air mobile warfare in Vietnam and then air assault operations in Operation Desert Storm and the Global War on Terror. They are easily identified by the clubs (not shamrocks) patches on their helmets dating back to preparation for the invasion of France in World War II and have the Hollywood call-sign of “Bastogne.”   In this episode they discuss life as a brigade staff officer and the preparation glide-path to coming to the Combat Training Centers. Special attention is placed on the common points-of-friction within brigade and battalion staffs as they transition to operating in a large-scale combat operations environment against a peer opposing force. An interesting note, the Bastogne Brigade flew more tactical unmanned aerial systems missions than any other unit over the last five years and conducted more rotary-wing sling-load tactical resupply missions than all the other units combined for the last year. Additionally, they discuss the importance of planning and how the Leader Training Program prior to their rotation allowed them to get multiple iterations / repetitions while conducting multi-echelon planning cycles.   Part of S02 “If I Would Have Only Known” series.     For additional information and insights from this episode, please checkout 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   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.