Warrior Task Training Paves the Road to Readiness

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers practice critical skills with warrior task training

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers buddy up to apply camouflage upon creating hasty fighting positions atop a hill during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 3, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers storm a hill while practicing battle drills, part of Warrior Task Training during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 3, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Non-Commissioned Officers conduct Warrior Task Training during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 3, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

Observer Controller/Training NCO stands ready to teach Warrior Task Training

U.S. Army Reserve Master Sgt. Moweary with Charlie Company 3-318th OC/T, stands ready to instruct CBRN training during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 3, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers stand fast while receiving a briefing from 1st Sgt. David Phillips, 3-309th based in Liverpool, NY, during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 3, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

Sgt. Kathryn Dowdey with the 820th Signal BN, based in Dallas, TX, conducts CBRN training as she reacts quickly to don her M-50 protective mask during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 3, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers deploy critical skills in Lethal Warrior

A U.S. Army Reserve Soldier wearing an M-50 protection mask gets into the prone position to secure the area during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, Va., March 7, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers evaluate a casualty while others rush to bring a liter to carry the injured Soldier through battle drills during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 7, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers with the 743rd Transportation Company, based in Boston, MA, provide security while others moved a casualty via liter during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 7, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers Sgt. 1st Class David Tate and Sgt. Shawn Robinson, 338th Transportation Detachment, Ft. Eustis, VA, setup and test their equipment during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 7, 2018. Based on the Navy Trailer-mounted Sensor Platform system built by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, the Harbormaster TSP has a hydraulic mast mounted radar with dual mast mounted video cameras. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) Based on the Navy Trailer-mounted Sensor Platform system built by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, the Harbormaster TSP has a hydraulic mast mounted radar with dual mast mounted video cameras -- video and infrared. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers flex and pump their arms to signal "gas, gas, gas" after donning their M-50 protective masks during CSTX 78-18-03, at JEB-Ft. Story, VA, March 7, 2018. CSTX 78-18-03 is a Combat Support Training Exercise that ensures America's Army Reserve units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy on short-notice and bring capable, combat-ready, and lethal firepower in support of the Army and our joint partners anywhere in the world. ( U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia.) The entire training focus is on the Ready Force X units, whose preparation revolves around being trained and ready to deploy at a moment's notice. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Sofia)

JOINT EXPEDITIONARY BASE LITTLE CREEK-FT. STORY, Va. — Readiness is the goal, with Warrior Task Training being paramount to giving Soldiers a better chance of making it home from the battlefield. The Army Reserve is rising to meet the challenge by training proficient, vigorous, ready, and lethal forces.

During the Warrior Task Training, Soldiers went from station to station, learning each task led by Observer Controller/Trainers. Each OC/T instructed their assigned task directly from the training manuals. Lanes included tasks such as reacting to chemical and nuclear threats, radio operations, treating casualties, reacting to indirect fire, and land navigation. After the lanes were completed, training culminated with battle drills that demonstrated how these skills related to each other.

The intent is for those Non-Commissioned Officers to take what they learned here and the methods in which they learned them back to their units. There, they will disperse that knowledge to their Soldiers so that they are better prepared for these types of situations, which ultimately could occur in combat.

"There's an old saying that goes, the more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war ", said Master Sgt. Ronnie McNeill, from the 2-323rd OC/T, Lumberton, N.C.

The Soldiers receiving the training make up Ready Force X units, which are vital in deploying on short notice to meet Army Reserve capabilities to face global threats. They'll have to be mentally and physically prepared for any type of dynamic operational environment because they could encounter a host of diverse situations in combat.

"The way we defend and the way we fight has changed", said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Hunter, 1st Ops BDE CSM and Exercise Director TAF.

"Look at what we've done in the past and the type of conflicts that we've been in, and compare it to how we look at the type of conflicts we are potentially going into. As senior NCO's and leaders, we've talked about bringing back the basics because combat and times are always evolving. We are coming out of conflicts where we were hit with IED's and fought insurgents; now we're talking about chemicals, nuclear, enemies launching missiles, etc. We have to be mentally and physically prepared for any type of dynamic operation because we could confront a multitude of different things in future battles", said CSM Hunter.

More than 11,000 service members from nearly 200 units across the country are participating in CSTX 78-18-03 from March 1 through March 29, 2018.

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Warrior Task Training Paves the Road to Readiness

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