218th HSB (Mech), SC ARNG

218th HSB (Mech) Train for the NTC While Unit’s HHC Takes the Cake in Army-Wide Competition ODT missions at Hohenfels and Grafenwohr.

CONUS Deployments: The engineer brigade was busy in FY97, sending elements of the 111th and 386th EN Battalions to California for annual training to work with JTF6 on Operation Southwest Border, building a fence to stop drug trafficking. The 111th EN Battalion also sent one company to the NTC to support the 11th ACR.

Gunnery Training: During FY97, the division conducted crew gunnery qualification in the M1 Abrams, AH64 Apache, and AH1F Cobra. Three units were scheduled to qualify TTVIII in the M1. They were 1-124 Cav, 1-112 AR, and 5-112 AR. In addition to M1 gunnery, the 1-124 Cav deployed its air cav troops to Ft. Bliss to fire AH1F gunnery. The two tank battalions followed an aggressive training plan to fire TTVII, VIII and XI (TWGSS), all during annual training. Both battalions were very successful in TTXI, and the TWGSS system proved to be an outstanding training simulation. In addition to testing the TWGSS, all of the TTXI scenarios and evaluation packets were developed using the Training Exercise Development System (TREDS). The units conducting TTXI moved directly into SIMNET when they finished TTVIII to conduct a TTXI in simulation prior to doing it on the range. This combination was very effective at providing recovery time for the crews, as well as time for equipment maintenance. The 1-149 AV fired AH64 Apache gunnery at Ft. Hood with 1-4 AV from 4th ID. This relationship proved to be mutually beneficial to both units, and we expect a continued AC/RC partnership between these units.

Lanes Training: The 36th Bde conducted platoon lanes training at Ft. Hood in June with 3-141 IN and 4-112 AR. This training utilized the PRIME system in the lanes as the run stage of the training, with SIMNET as the walk stage. This combination of virtual and live training saved OPTEMPO costs while still providing quality training for the units. 3-112 AR conducted its entire annual training in SIMNET at Ft. Knox in April 97. Once again, the OPTEMPO saved by simulation went toward successful completion of other lanes training and gunnery.

ARNG Unit Support: The 49th Armored Division has the mission to provide OPFOR support to the 256th Bde, LAARNG. In FY97, the 2d Bde provided two balanced co/tms, one from 2-112 AR and one from 1-142 IN, to conduct this mission at Ft. Polk, La. In December 1996, the division headquarters sent a division response cell to Ft. Polk to support the 256th Bde BCBST. Mil to Mil/State Partnership for Peace: Texas has the distinction of having the highest population of Czech descendants of any state. Because of this, the Texas Army National Guard was selected as the partner state for the Czech Republic in the State Partnership for Peace and the Mil to Mil exchange program. In FY97, the 49th Armored Division conducted 12 exchange visits with the Czech Army and Civil Defense organization. These exchanges primarily focused on staff procedures, chemical training, and field artillery. This partnership has helped the Czech Military understand our staff and training procedures in preparation for their eventual admittance to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.