DECEMBER 23, 2024 — Dogface Soldiers conduct a Deployment Readiness Exercise with Air Force personnel at Hunter Army Airfield, here, Dec. 17, 2024. The training was part of a broader attempt to increase interoperability between the Army and Air Force, while giving individual Soldiers and Airmen the opportunity to develop combat skills in a joint environment.
The exercise included transport of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and M1120 Load Handling System via the U.S. military’s largest aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy. The exercise lasted from December 16-17 and consisted of Soldiers from 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (6-8 Cav., 3rd ID), and Airmen from the 436th Airlift Wing.
The exercise began late Dec. 16, with 6-8 Cav. receiving instruction on proper loading procedures before successfully securing their vehicles onto the aircraft. The next day, the training culminated with a trip to Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County, Florida, and back to Hunter Army Airfield.
“We were able to practice passenger procedures by loading the Soldiers who were participating,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Cole Wolf, a member of the C-5 crew. “We were able to get more repetitions for the engineers and pilots, and let the Soldiers see what it’s like to deploy from a C-5. We executed an Engine Running Offload when we returned, demonstrating our ability to rapidly offload and depart”
Training exercises such as these are key in preparing for future conflicts. That’s why these Deployment Readiness Exercises (DRE) are part of the mission set of the 3rd ID’s Immediate Response Package (IRP), a scalable and tailorable combat-ready response force which is trained to deploy on short or no notice anywhere in the world. This package consists of an annual rotation of units who each assume the broader mission sets and requirements.
“Back in October, Chaos Group assumed the IRP mission set,” said U.S. Army Capt. Bryan Jones, commander of Chaos Troop. “Over the next calendar year, we’ll have roughly 3-4 repetitions or deployment readiness exercises, where we’ll travel to an airfield, practice loading and unloading vehicles, personnel, and conducting flyaways out to the National Training Center or somewhere else for a rotational training exercise.”
However, these kinds of exercises aren’t just routine training. They stand as part of a broader effort to keep our country and Soldiers safe regardless of the circumstances. Trainings such as this one allow 3rd ID to respond to threats and support combatants as immediately as possible without serious impact or strain on the unit’s readiness as a whole.
“Our mechanized elements have to continuously conduct repetitions of no-notice deployment exercises,” said Jones. “To provide any combatant or ground force commands with a well-trained and combat-ready armored force. This exercise that we accomplished did just that.”
Joint training exercises such as these don’t just bring value to the 3rd ID, but the U.S. military as a whole. Army vehicles provide the Air Force personnel to work with transporting more difficult equipment in preparation for future operations as well.
“The loadmasters are challenged with things like tanks, helicopters, boats, and other oversized cargo that they may not see on operational missions as often,” said Wolf. “This gives them the chance to see something before they have to load it within a tight operational timeline.”
The DRE successfully tested 3rd ID’s ability to rapidly deploy vehicles and personnel with Air Force support, while also underscoring the importance of joint operations. Trainings such as these also help 3rd ID refine processes for handling future rapid deployments. With these skills honed, our Dogface Soldiers remain prepared to respond to global contingencies at a moment’s notice.
Story by Sgt. Jonathon Downs
3rd Infantry Division