SNAP EXERCISE OKAS 2019 Lieutenant Colonel Indrek Lilleorg

SNAP EXERCISE OKAS 2019

Lieutenant Colonel Indrek Lilleorg Commander of the Combat Service Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade

The purpose of a snap exercise is to mimic the formation of units with short notice in order to achieve combat readiness in case of any rapid escalation of crisis events.

During the period preceding Okas 2019, the battalion’s headquarters and the leadership of companies were engaged in drafting plans, practising staging elements, and eliminating operational bottlenecks. However, as always, the plans were not ideal before the additional reservist training.

During regular service, the task of the Combat Service Support Battalion (CSSB) is to support the 1st Infantry Brigade’s eleven units. It is mainly

conducted by the Logistics and Medical Company consisting of civilian employees and active service members.

The wartime structure of the CSSB, consisting of reservists, differs significantly from that of peacetime. The most important task of the Training Company is drilling conscripts and thereby strengthening the reserve force with almost no involvement from the brigade in peacetime support functions.

The difference of wartime support functions lies in the infrastructure and the established processes. However, the scheduled reservist training sessions do not indicate the achievement of the battalion’s

readiness in every situation. The invitations are sent out at least 120 days in advance, with even more time for the participants to plan activities, prepare equipment, and get used to the situation.

When the staging order is given unexpectedly and there is no time for preparation, human-generated variables come into play that are almost impossible to mimic, meaning that every little detail (incoherence, misunderstanding, assumptions, hopes, fear of failure, activity, speed of action, prior agreements, etc.) may activate a reaction chain, which significantly changes the achievement of readiness.

The Okas SNAPEX tested the operation of the mobilization system, which is why the order to participate comes like ‘lightning from the sky’. For active service members, this ‘lightning’ provides an excellent opportunity to test the system and other various plans in reality. But how does the battalion function when the ‘actual’ moment is here?

People involved in the mobilization of the CSSB (as well as the commanders of many other units of the EDF) received an early warning one day before late night that staging was about to begin. An order with the names of possible units increased readiness and blood pressure.

The staging points were completed, those responsible for staging were called in, information was provided to the key staff, the reservist hotline was up and operational, and then the waiting began. It was believed that the CSS Battalion would ‘win’, meaning that the leadership of the EDF and the Estonian government would provide this battalion with an opportunity to test themselves and welcome back its reservists.

Sure enough, before noon the next day, the Okas SNAPEX was announced – the reservists of the 61st CSSB were immediately ordered to participate in the additional reservist training exercise. The staging of hundreds of reservists and providing them with additional training is a rather tough nut to crack, and it was also accompanied by the specifics of the CSSB – a huge amount of various equipment, a variety of specialities, tasking for five different companies, etc.

The staging of hundreds of reservists and providing them with additional training is a rather tough nut to crack.

According to the battalion’s commander and those who assessed the additional reservist training, the CSSB did quite well. It was not perfect, but the shortcomings and issues that needed to be fixed were identified.

It was impressive to see the reserve officers who dealt with their subordinates – thinking, planning, coaching and helping them to get in shape again in terms of skills they might have been a little rusty with. The other ranks did not fall behind either. It is true that the everyday life of a reservist is very much influenced by these kinds of rapid exercises. However, most of the reservists of the 61st CSSB were extremely pleased with their achievements.

Five days flew by like one moment. Every unit’s commander would like to experience this in peacetime. It gave the CSSB the opportunity to become stronger and faster. Map or simulation exercises are often insufficient to identify areas that need improvement. It is necessary to call in actual persons and practise realistic plans with all the failures and successes that will yield valuable experiences.

Thanks to the contributing reservists, the 61st CSSB is significantly more ready to respond in a crisis situation. I would like to thank all the participants for giving us the opportunity to become better.

OKAS 2019: WHAT DID WE LEARN AND HOW TO PROCEED?

Lieutenant Colonel Mart Sirel Commander of the 23rd Infantry Battalion

SNAPEX Okas 2019, which took place in October, was an extraordinary exercise in its purpose, scale and duration. Even more significant are additional aspects: the response rate of the reservists, level of participation, and the positive attitude towards the exercise in society as a whole. All these factors clearly indicate that we are moving in the right direction and have achieved a major milestone on this journey.

Our reservists and society have a high willingness to defend the country. We have developed a system to manifest this willingness on the battlefield, and we are clearly and decisively prepared to defend our country. However, while the exercise as a whole can be considered a success, it would certainly be wrong to say that everything is fine and there is no need for improvements.

In the following, without focusing too much on the details that were revealed during the exercise and that we have already improved or are currently improving, I would like to take a look at the SNAPEX Okas 2019 to create a thoughtful and, in a way, an out-of-the-box discussion on future activities.

In the event of a military threat to the Estonia, one of the critical factors would be the speed of our combat readiness. Simply put, this is achieved by means of two components: the response of the reservists and the provision of equipment to the unit being formed. The first depends primarily on the reservists themselves, while the second is up to the Estonian Defence Forces. I believe that combining these efforts would produce a much better result.

For example, with some envy, we often highlight the Swiss system, where soldiers remain in reserve with their personal combat equipment. Today, we should not place an additional burden on society by keeping armament at home, however, we might look for new solutions for allowing personnel to use individual clothing and personalized equipment.

As active service members, we can immediately set out the risks of such a solution – resources it would take. However, regardless of our decision, the ultimate key to the solution is the ability of the reservists to understand the responsibilities and activities involved, as well as to ensure successful functioning of this system. The fact that many reservists were interested in this confirms that such a solution is not utopian in Estonia.