Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
Issue 49
Mar. 10, 2011
Warhorse learns negotiating skills Story and photo by Maj. Kevin Toner 2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
The West Point Negotiation Project team taught Soldiers the strategies and nuances for successful negotiations at the Elkhorn Lodge March 8 – 11. The students were members of the brigade’s Security Force Assistance Teams who will ultimately advise and mentor Afghan military forces and political leaders. “Anytime we engage with the people of Afghanistan it’s going to be a type of negotiation. We now have a better idea on how to prepare for those engagements so both parties leave as winners,” said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Welch, an infantryman serving on an SFAT.
“Something that has helped me so far is understanding the different ways to negotiate. The typical way I have seen negotiating is my father at the fruit market. Now I’m discovering SFAT members negotiate their way through a role-playing scenario. Each side was given interests and different concerns of a problem from which they had to negotiate a mutually beneficial solution. elements of negotiations-combat and peace,” said Maj. Aram Donigian, options, interests. There are multiple instructor and project member from West elements in negotiations that I didn’t know Point’s Department of Behavioral Sciences existed before now,” said 1st Lt. Marcello Di and Leadership. Gerlando. The work of WPNP has been highlighted “The purpose of the WPNP is to enhance in USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and the ability of U.S. Military small unit leaders the Financial Times. to conduct negotiations in the complex and “If you know how to prepare then you are challenging situations they face in both going to be a better negotiator,” said Welch.
Commander’s Corner
Lt. Col. Michael Simmering, commander 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment
Wow! That’s the only way to describe this past month or so in the Warhorse Brigade and Dealer Battalion. The performance of the Soldiers
From the Forward Support Company Soldiers to the last team member in the line platoons, we’re all happy to be at JRTC was inspirational as back at Fort Carson. We all look everyone used the training over forward to much earned time the past several months to test with Family, and we will make the Opposing Force. I think every effort to cash-in those every unit in the Battalion, and probably the Brigade, passed with hard-earned days. However, as everyone knows, flying colors. JRTC will not soon forget the the deployment timeline for the Brigade demands that we quickly Heavy Brigade Combat Team execute more small unit training, that made them work harder some critical individual training/ than most others in recent special schools, and prepare our memory. equipment for shipping. The As a Battalion Commander, schedule is challenging, but I owe personal thanks to the it’s amazing to see the Soldiers Soldiers who poured their making the best of the situation hearts out to do the very best to answer the Nation’s call. they could….we learned a lot, March will be a flurry of and we taught several others a activity to include packing few lessons along the way. The equipment, small arms ranges, Families that stood behind and individual Soldier and deserve to be proud.
Family preparation. In April, Death Dealer will work to ensure that all Soldiers have an opportunity to take leave. It’s hectic – nobody will deny that much. Regardless, the same teamwork that brought the Dealer Battalion to this point will carry us through our remaining days at Fort Carson. The one critical point of failure we must all keep in mind as we move forward is Soldier and Family safety. Every Soldier that we lose (for any reason) means another will carry a heavier burden. Every member of the team is important…every team member is needed to bring success. We can only get there by watching and caring for each other. Only then, will we truly be “ONE TEAM.”
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Warhorse Pride
Issue 49 Mar. 10, 2011
JFO training not an easy task for Soldiers Story by Sgt. Ruth Pagan
2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division are going through Joint Fires Observer training, Feb 28 thru Mar 11. “A JFO controls all surface to surface fires (artillery , mortars, naval) and air-toground fires. They also assist in Terminal Guidance Operations which is building the situational awareness of a targeted area for the Commander,” said 1st Lt. Lawrence Klipfel , a fire support officer for Troop B, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment. This is complex work. The JFO has to be aware of his location, the target’s location and how those relate to an aircraft. Then they have to be able to direct that air support to the target. For some, that spatial awareness is a hard concept to grasp, said Chief Warrant Officer James Outlaw a targeting officer with 2nd BCT, 4th Inf Div.
“We learn how to utilize all of the targeting equipment whether it be a laser range finder and binoculars or a compass and map. We learn how to put all our assets together: artillery, mortars, naval gun fire, fixed or rotary winged aircraft. Being able to employ all those at once is a big juggling act. The more efficiently you can do that the more lives will be saved,” said Klipfel. Not only is the course information challenging but the daily schedule adds to the challenge. “Education happens in the morning, simulations of what was just taught occur in the afternoon and then at night the Soldiers must prepare for the next day’s mission that will include concepts not yet taught,” said
Outlaw. “On the second day Soldiers are tested on calling-for-fire with just a map, compass, protractor and binoculars. If the Soldier fails then he is out,” said Sgt. First Class Fredereck Tobey, a maintenance supervisor with 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. The training has to be tough because a JFOs job is very important. Part of the JFOs responsibility when calling for fire is to conduct a hasty collateral damage estimate. The goal of CDE to limit the amount of damage by pin-pointing the specific target and only hitting that target, said Outlaw. Getting specific coordinates is vital to the JFO because one small mistake can lead to huge consequences either in large amounts of property damage or loss of lives, said Klipfel.
STB promotes senior NCOs
A promotion ceremony was held by 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division to promote five NCOs, March 7. Staff Sgt. Knetsford Thompson and Sgts. 1st Class Michael Lebel, Brian Linley, Michael Powell and Jeremiah Williams.
Warhorse Pride Col. John S. Kolasheski..................2nd BCT Commander Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa............2nd BCT CSM Maj. Kevin Toner...............................................2nd BCT PAO Spc. April York........................................Layout and Design Sgt. Seth Barham............................................................Editor Sgt. Ruth Pagan...............................................................Editor
The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the fairs Office. Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry The Warhorse Pride welcomes articles, commenDivision. The Warhorse Pride is an Army-funded news- tary, and photos from readers. The Warhorse Pride letter authorized under provision of AR 360-1. reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the Contents of The Warhorse Pride are publication. not necessarily the views of, nor endorsed by the, U.S. All issues of the Warhorse Pride can be viewed government, Department of Defense, Department of the online from your home computer at www.facebook. Army or the 4th Infantry Division. All editorial content com/2bct4id of The Warhorse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and Submissions should be emailed to the approved by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Afeditor: seth.barham1@conus.army.mil