News From USJFCOM: Command prepares joint task force headquarters for deployment


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Command prepares joint task force headquarters for deployment

A mission rehearsal exercise conducted by the Joint Warfighting Center will train units to assume command and control operations when they deploy to Iraq.

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By MC2 (AW) Nikki Carter
USJFCOM Public Affairs

(NORFOLK, Va. – Sept. 24, 2009) -- U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM)’s Joint Warfighting Center (JWFC) will conduct a mission rehearsal exercise (MRX) for units preparing to deploy to Iraq Sept. 28-Oct. 8 in Suffolk, Va..

Unified Endeavor 09-3 (UE 09-3) will prepare the Army’s III Corps to assume command and control of U.S. Forces - Iraq upon its expected arrival in theater, said Army Lt. Col. Mike O’Neill, JWFC’s lead planner for the exercise.

“The exercise will be scenario-based,” he said. “We replicate two weeks in Iraq and we try to provide what that staff would see.”

UE 09-3 includes three complementary phases: academic, the MRX itself and a staff assistance visit conducted in theater after the corps assumes its new responsibilities, O’Neill said. In addition to those three phases, the JWFC will conduct a supplementary exercise in January at the request of the III Corps commanding general.

During the academic portion, subject matter experts from Iraq along with other experts provided presentations and relevant context for the operating environment as well as lessons learned and best practices, he said.

UE 09-3’s second phase uses the JWFC's Joint National Training Capability to provide a realistic environment using a mix of live events and modeling and simulation capabilities, O’Neill said.

During the MRX, III Corps and 1st Armor Division units at Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Riley, Kan., and Grafenwoehr, Germany will use the battle rhythms, command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems, and joint tactics, techniques, and procedures used in theater.

In addition to replicating the USF-I headquarters, the MRX uses numerous role players from theater – including local, national, regional and interagency organizations – to portray the complex political, economic, military, social and informational environments in which the corps will operate.

“When they arrive in theater, they understand the process and what they have to do. When they come, they are ready to take over,” he said. “There isn’t this big downward turn where they have to learn their jobs. They already know what’s expected and what’s going on.”

O'Neill said USJFCOM's objectives will incorporate regional and cultural considerations and integrate senior leadership from the Iraqi army and police.

“That will be our biggest operational piece; what we can do to support the enablers to provide the Iraqis the help they need,” he said. “It helps build a relationship between the Iraqis and the III Corps, so when they arrive they will at least know some faces.”

O’Neill said the upcoming drawdown of combat troops in Iraq is a major operational piece that will be represented in the scenario.

“Obviously a big piece of [what they will be seeing] is the retrograde as we start reducing the forces in Iraq,” he said. “That retrograde of forces from about 128,000 to 50,000 takes a lot of movement of equipment and personnel and our [scenarios] will portray that. Most of our operational pieces are support to the Iraqi government and what they have going on.”

The MRX concludes with a facilitated after action review and a written commander’s summary report of observations and analysis along with recommendations to the III Corps commander.