CrosswireThe

Official Newsletter of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat TeamIssue 3 | July 15, 2012

Page 1

Black Hawk Battalion page 2-3

Mass Casualty Training page 4

In this issue

by Lt. Col. Ron Tillotson, Commander, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment

Leadership is the essential element of a command climate that produces strong, adap-tive and ethical Soldiers capable of operating in complex environments. Successful unit commanders at all levels develop leaders by leveraging the three pillars of leader devel-opment: training, education, and experience. The XCTC program expertly supports two of the three pillars – training and experience. XCTC is one of the few training programs in the Army’s inventory that allows com-manders to develop leaders at all levels, in a theatre immersed, standards based collective training environment.

In October of 2011, the 2nd Battalion,

Black Hawks, Always Ready!

Keeping a heads up on OPSEC at all timesby: XCTC Command Staff

Soldiers participating in XCTC must keep Operational Security (OPSEC) in mind. Les-sons learned in this exercise should not be shared with friends,family or posted through Internet sources like Facebook. Soldiers should not be in possession of cell phones or personal cameras during lanes training.

Additionally, photos of contractors are prohibited. Only authorized personnel are

130th Infantry Regiment (Black Hawks), the premier infantry battalion, transitioned from squad/section/crew-level training to platoon-level training, with the end state of platoon-level proficiency by September of 2012. Against this backdrop, the battalion created an aggressive XCTC training plan to develop dynamic, morally straight junior leaders fo-cused at the platoon-level. The training plan includes squad and platoon-level live fires, core Mission Essential Task training, combat enabler integration and multi-echelon train-ing with mission command at all levels.

Black Hawks have a long and storied his-tory of professional and selfless service, starting in the frontiers of early America, continuing through their participation in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and,

most recently, their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Battalion Soldiers find their assignment both professionally and person-ally rewarding; the XCTC experience only further enhances this fact. Membership in the Regiment is viewed as more than a job; it’s a way of life.

While the battalion staff is commended for developing the XCTC training plan, it is also the leaders and Soldiers within the subordi-nate units who deserve admiration. This ex-ercise is progressive and challenges Soldiers at all levels. To date, the performance and conduct of the battalion has been outstanding. Soldiers are challenged and asked to operate well outside their comfort zone; nevertheless, morale remains high and Soldiers remain fo-cused on the task at hand. It is this level of professionalism and commitment that makes serving among remarkable men of the Black Hawk Regiment the highest honor.

XCTC is the Army National Guard’s pre-mier training exercise that gets to the prob-lem of developing trained and ready units prior to mobilization. It is by far the best training many Soldiers will ever experi-ence. However, XCTC is just one method by which the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment creates adaptive, morally straight junior leaders. In the end, Black Hawk lead-ers at all levels enforce standards and devel-op Soldiers who are the envy of others - rec-ognizable everywhere for their confidence, courtesy, bearing, appearance, and fighting ability. Black Hawks - Always Ready

authorized to capture any type of electronic media.

We cannot compromise our tactics and strategies to the enemy. While you may think a simple Facebook post is harmless, a photo of an interpreter could mean death for him and his family.

That same photo could result in the death of your battle buddy. Use common sense and remember OPSEC.

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Black Hawk Battalion

Spc. Jarrett J. McDonald of Charleston, Sgt. Kelly B. Veach of Ef-fingham, and other Soldiers secure a building during Situational Training Exercises. All Soldiers are from Company B, 2nd Battal-ion, 130th Infantry Regiment and participating in the Army Na-tional Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability program at Camp Ripley, Minn. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jesse Houk/released)

Soldiers with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt. based in West Frankfort begin clearing a building during a platoon live-fire exercise (LFX) July 13 at the XCTC program. The LFX is a culmination of the team and squad level training that allows the Soldiers in the unit to come together and maneuver in a platoon-sized element. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher A. Garibay/released)

Soldiers with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt. exit a CH-47 Chinook during an air insertion for a platoon-sized LFX where the unit was tasked with attacking an objective and securing an area by repel-ling a potential counterattack. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher A. Garibay/released)

Soldiers with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt. walk through a dense forest to begin assaulting an objective during a platoon live fire exercise. Soldiers endure rain and harsh humidty during their training mis-sion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher A. Garib-ay/released)

Pfc. A.J. Distefano of Glen Ellyn and Pfc. Nicholas J. Clarice of Belleville, Soldiers from Co. C, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt. estab-lish a hasty mortar firing position during live fire exercises at Camp Ripley, Minn. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jesse Houk/released)

“In the end, Black Hawk leaders at all levels enforce standards and develop Soldiers who are the envy of others - recognizable everywhere for their confidence, courtesy, bearing, appearance, and fighting ability.“

-- Lt. Col. Ron Tillotson, commander, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment

Mortarmen with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt. based in Mount Vernon are called to bring fire on a position to repel a counterattack during a live-fire exercise. Infantry and mortarman worked together for the first time since their deployment, bringing together their efforts in a real-life combat environment. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher A. Garibay/released)

Soldiers with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt. fire on a tank simiulating a coun-terattack during a platoon-sized LFX. The LFX was the first time Soldiers were able to come together as a platoon to take over an objective since before they were deployed. “They did very well,” said Capt. Matt Morse of Carterville. “The purpose of their training is to achieve tactical excellence, thus meeting the com-mander’s intent of creating lethal and proficient platoon-sized elements.” (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher A. Garibay/released).

Sgt. Ryan P. Roe of Farmer City and Spc. John A. Sparr of Decatur bound with their team as other Soldiers provide fire. Both Soldiers are in Com-pany B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment and participating in training at Camp Ripley, Minn. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jesse Houk/released)

Soldiers with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt. get ready to begin the next mission during an all day STX July 13 at Camp Ripley, Minn. The STX covered various ambush situations from open fields to constricted roads. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Al-lison Lampe/released)

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Soldiers with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt.) practice bounding with their Hum-vees during a Situational Training Exercise July 13 during the XCTC program. Bounding is when Humvees take turns laying down suppressing fire for each other so that they can advance on an enemy. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Allison Lampe/released)

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by: Pfc. Allison V. Lampe, 33rd IBCT Public Affairs.

Soldiers with Company C, 634th Brigade Support Battalion based in Springfield, Ill. took part in a brigade wide mass casualty (MASCAL) exercise July 15.

A MASCAL is defined as any situation where the number of casualties exceeds the avail-able medical capability to rap-idly treat and evacuate them. A medical unit’s objective during a MASCAL event is to triage, treat, and evacuate casualties based on priority as quickly as possible.

In other words, “Organized

Charlie Med saves day during MASCAL exercise

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Senior Section Sgt. Miguel O. Aguilar of Round Lake with the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment based in Chicago triages and places an IV on a victim during a mass casulaty exercise during the XCTC program on July 15. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jesse Houk/released)

chaos,” according to Cpt. Henry M. Deiters of Marion, Ill. with Co. C, 634th BSB.

During the roughly two hours in which the exercise was con-ducted, medics treated 36 ca-sualties. Although they usually arrived in ambulances with five or six casualties, at one point 10 casualties arrived at once for treatment.

Co. C Soldiers overcame the challenges of multipe simulat-neous casualties and the overall chaotic scenario.

“The soldiers reacted fantasti-cally,” said Deiters.

Cadet Kristina M. Warfel of Dieterich, Ill. with Company C, 634th Brigade Support Battalion based in Springfield gives a simulated casualty an IV during the mass casualty exercise (MASCAL) July 15 at Camp Ripley, Minn. A MASCAL situation is defined the point in which the number of casualties exceeds the available medical capability to rapidly treat and evacuate them. For the majority of the medics of Co. C this was their first experie (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Allison Lampe/released)

Spc. David C. West of Oak Forest with Headquarters and Head-quarters Company 1st Battalion, 178 Infantry Regiment, prepares an IV for a casualty during a MASCAL exercise July 15. The event was intended to place medics in a stressful environment, chal-lenging their skills in dealing with multiple casualtiy at one time. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher A. Garibay/released)

Chaplain (Capt.) Vincent C. Lambert of Chicago, Chaplain for 2nd Bn., 122nd FA offers pastoral care and comfort to a Soldier during the mass ca-sualty exercise that evaluated the ability of Co. C., 634th BSB to respond to receiving a large number of casualties in a short period of time. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Nathan Westby/released)