When Soldiers rise to the occasion, it is the perfect combination of preparation and execution. Although 2020 was a year filled with indefinite pauses to live training exercises, the Soldiers of the 311th Signal Command (Theater) Support Unit resumed normal training operations by performing exceptionally at Joint Warfighting Assessment 21 (JWA-21) which took place in Fort Carson, Colorado.

During JWA-21, the 4th Infantry Division and Coalition partnered with the 7th Australian Combat Brigade, 1st UK Strike Brigade and 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade. The main purpose of this training event was to create a multi-national training operation with elements from Hawaii, Colorado, and Washington.

“Working with our NATO team members provided additional experience and long lasting relationships that only serve to bolster trust from our allies at the tactical level,” said Capt. Justin Brown who served as one of the key leaders of the Command Technical Assurance Cell (CTAC). “This exercise was a reminder of how integral our Reserve component can be to joint environments.”

The Soldiers from the 311th SC (T) SU were comprised of all Reserve Soldiers who never participated in a JWA exercise, however every single team member accepted the challenge by being selfless and doing what was most beneficial for the team.

“JWA-21 was a new experience for all of us, but each of us had different backgrounds and skills from prior service or our civilian careers that helped us understand the different technical aspects of JWA21,” said Capt. Jackie Chiu who served as the leader of the Coalition Network Operations and Security Center (CNOSC).

As one of the embedded units with the 4ID, the presence of the 311th SC (T) SU was immediately noticed by the 4ID key individuals. The 311th Soldiers did not back down from challenges, but responded with fortitude and intellect.

“The 311th provided outstanding support and assistance during JWA 21, the G6 team were truly impressed with their skill set and performance,” said Maj. Normal Hill, 4ID Deputy G6. “JWA posed many challenges and the 311th team jumped in and helped us over come, and I was truly impressed with their technical and professional skills.”

As Soldiers from the 311th SC (T) SU are safely resuming operations again in a compliant manner, Capt. Jerome Rabanal, 311th SC (T) SU HHD Commander, is eagerly looking forward to live training operations like JWA-21 so the Soldiers can receive hands on training experience to always be ready to fight at a moment’s notice.

“Safety will always be the number one priority to protect our Soldiers, but we are not a Virtual Army. At some point, safety measures will be put in place so that we can safely, and effectively perform our in-person duties.” Rabanal said.