Fort Bliss Monitor

Civilians on battlefield help prepare Soldiers for Iraq

Spc. Steve Baack
Monitor Staff

A 116th Brigade Combat Team medic applies a field dressing to the shoulder of Iraqi reporter, Salima Tahir, who was caught in the line of fire during a riot/mass casualty scenario.

Approximately 300 civilians are helping Soldiers become better prepared to deal with locals, police, government officials, hostages, victims and religious leaders once they deploy to Iraq by participating in role playing during training simulations.

Soldiers from the Idaho National Guard’s 116th Brigade Combat Team are scheduled to train for five nine-day training rotations at Biggs Army Airfield, McGregor Range and Doña Ana Range Complex. SMI Global Mission Support, a company based in Chantilly, Va., has been hiring El Pasoans to populate the training scenarios.
“We’re really pleased at the quality of civilians,” said Lt. Col. Doug Lobdell, Opposing Force commander.

“They’re always good,” Lobdell later added, immediately after witnessing a riot/mass-casualty scenario. “We occasionally get a technical glitch but I’m so pleased at how they’re getting into it.”

Lobdell said he judges how well the civilians are performing by the reactions of the Soldiers. “When I talk to Soldiers later, they say they were scared, confused or resolute because the situation was so intense.”

Training rotations include search and cordon, riot control, mass-casualty exercises, search and clear, reaction to civil disturbance, vehicle searches and convoy operations.

Soldiers from the 116th BCT detain an injured, yet unwilling civilian, following a suicide-bomber attack at the gate.

The group of civilians includes retired servicemembers, veterans and people who just want to be a part of preparing Soldiers to go to war. Though they are paid for their work they all provide their own transportation, pay for meals and work long hours in the desert. “We’re trying to help as much as we can,” said Fabiana Ogaz, an El Paso resident who’s lived in the Middle East. “We’re trying to make it as real as we can so we can prepare them for it.”

Ogaz emphasized that although the Soldiers are learning real-world skills during this training, things will still be much different in Iraq. “It’s another language, another culture – it’s going to be different,” she said.

In one scenario, rioting civilians approached the gate because they had not received the electricity they were promised. While some were only yelling at the Soldiers, others carried rifles and knives. The Soldiers were charged with trying to diffuse the situation peacefully, but the mob would not back down. To make things worse, a suicide bomber in a van killed and injured many of the rioting locals at the gate – turning the riot scenario into a mass-casualty exercise.

Civilians, angered that they still do not have electricity, start a riot at the front gate as part of the scenario.

While some were still rioting, Soldiers had to treat the wounded and transport the dead amid the chaos. During the whole scenario, as in every scenario, observer-controllers evaluated the Soldiers’ every move. “What I’m doing here is judging them on how they’re evacuating them and triaging them according to their injuries,” said Sgt. 1st Class Toni Joneson, from the 2nd of the 361st. “With the evacuation process they’re doing very well. What I’m waiting for is for the Soldiers to pick up the casualties in a five-ton and take them to the [troop medical clinic].”

Once the medics treated the wounded and called for support to transport the dead and wounded, the scenario came to an end. And though the situation was not a positive one, everyone there knows it’s a necessary part of the training.

“It’s a good thing because we prepare them to see how things turn out: things can stay peaceful or a riot can start,” said George Williams, a civilian casualty and Army veteran. Williams said the Soldiers can get rough from time to time, but that “I would hesitate myself if someone approached me wanting water. It’s going to be a hard task they have to do when they leave for Iraq, but they’re getting the best training they’re going to get.”



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	August 19, 2004

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	Civilians on battlefield help prepare Soldiers for Iraq Spc. Steve Baack Monitor Staff A 116th Brigade Combat Team medic applies a field dressing to the shoulder of Iraqi reporter, Salima Tahir, who was caught in the line of fire during a riot/mass casualty scenario. Approximately 300 civilians are helping Soldiers become better prepared to deal with locals, police, government officials, hostages, victims and religious leaders once they deploy to Iraq by participating in role playing during training simulations. Soldiers from the Idaho National Guard’s 116th Brigade Combat Team are scheduled to train for five nine-day training rotations at Biggs Army Airfield, McGregor Range and Doña Ana Range Complex. SMI Global Mission Support, a company based in Chantilly, Va., has been hiring El Pasoans to populate the training scenarios. “We’re really pleased at the quality of civilians,” said Lt. Col. Doug Lobdell, Opposing Force commander. “They’re always good,” Lobdell later added, immediately after witnessing a riot/mass-casualty scenario. “We occasionally get a technical glitch but I’m so pleased at how they’re getting into it.” Lobdell said he judges how well the civilians are performing by the reactions of the Soldiers. “When I talk to Soldiers later, they say they were scared, confused or resolute because the situation was so intense.” Training rotations include search and cordon, riot control, mass-casualty exercises, search and clear, reaction to civil disturbance, vehicle searches and convoy operations. Soldiers from the 116th BCT detain an injured, yet unwilling civilian, following a suicide-bomber attack at the gate. The group of civilians includes retired servicemembers, veterans and people who just want to be a part of preparing Soldiers to go to war. Though they are paid for their work they all provide their own transportation, pay for meals and work long hours in the desert. “We’re trying to help as much as we can,” said Fabiana Ogaz, an El Paso resident who’s lived in the Middle East. “We’re trying to make it as real as we can so we can prepare them for it.” Ogaz emphasized that although the Soldiers are learning real-world skills during this training, things will still be much different in Iraq. “It’s another language, another culture – it’s going to be different,” she said. In one scenario, rioting civilians approached the gate because they had not received the electricity they were promised. While some were only yelling at the Soldiers, others carried rifles and knives. The Soldiers were charged with trying to diffuse the situation peacefully, but the mob would not back down. To make things worse, a suicide bomber in a van killed and injured many of the rioting locals at the gate – turning the riot scenario into a mass-casualty exercise. Civilians, angered that they still do not have electricity, start a riot at the front gate as part of the scenario. While some were still rioting, Soldiers had to treat the wounded and transport the dead amid the chaos. During the whole scenario, as in every scenario, observer-controllers evaluated the Soldiers’ every move. “What I’m doing here is judging them on how they’re evacuating them and triaging them according to their injuries,” said Sgt. 1st Class Toni Joneson, from the 2nd of the 361st. “With the evacuation process they’re doing very well. What I’m waiting for is for the Soldiers to pick up the casualties in a five-ton and take them to the [troop medical clinic].” Once the medics treated the wounded and called for support to transport the dead and wounded, the scenario came to an end. And though the situation was not a positive one, everyone there knows it’s a necessary part of the training. “It’s a good thing because we prepare them to see how things turn out: things can stay peaceful or a riot can start,” said George Williams, a civilian casualty and Army veteran. Williams said the Soldiers can get rough from time to time, but that “I would hesitate myself if someone approached me wanting water. It’s going to be a hard task they have to do when they leave for Iraq, but they’re getting the best training they’re going to get.”