FORT POLK, La. — The 101^st Combat Aviation Brigade’s Task Force Shadow from Fort Campbell, Ky., trained their forces at the Joint Readiness Training Center here during the month of January for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan later this year.
 
They arrived as early as Jan. 4, conducting training operations through Jan. 30.
 
“We built up our area of operations from the ground up,” said Capt. Jeff Godfrey, 6^th Battalion, 101^st CAB assistant operations officer. “Within 48 hours upon arrival we were set up and conducting ops.”
 
While the command post personal, including Soldiers specializing in intelligence, fire support, radio transmitting operators and flight operations had the task of setting up command post operations, the forward arming and refueling point personnel were responsible for constructing a safe and successful FARP.
 
“Although compressed the systems for deployment ROSI (reception, staging, onward movement and integration) through mission execution and redeployment are exercised,” said Lt. Col. Joel Aoki, 6^th Bn., 101^st CAB commander. “This training is focuses on the refinement of our standard operating procedures that we will use when deployed.”
 
Up until Jan. 21, Task Force Shadow was doing daily situational training exercises. The real scenarios began when they practiced force on force training Jan. 21-26.
 
Situational training exercises included personal recovery, route security clearance and recon, live fire lanes, downed aircraft recovery, FARP operations, command post virtual training, medevac missions and air assaults, said Godfrey. They practiced these operations with opposing enemy forces, to train as they fight.
 
The STX lanes allowed aircrews, medics and mechanics to conduct simulated missions as they would down range, preparing them for the JRTC force on force examination and their upcoming deployment.
 
“The training scenarios are very realistic and similar to Afghanistan,” said Godfrey. “It replicates a real deployment, kind of like a scrimmage, where we can validate the systems we have in place.”



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