Able Company chases the tiger through urban terrain

PABRADE, Lithuania -- The Soldiers moved quietly through the forest, the spongy moss hiding their footsteps. They knew their objective, a little town ahead. It was an enemy stronghold, and it needed to be neutralized. Upon reaching the outskirts of the town, they stopped and conferred with their allies. It was to be a two-pronged attack, rush in, draw the enemy, and clear the town -- building by building. 

This was the scenario that Paratroopers from Able Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, participated in with their Belgian and Lithuanian partners Oct. 12 as part of Exercise Vytis Tiger. 

The objective was to attack and occupy a village that had been used as a training camp by the enemy to build a network of guerrillas hostile to the Lithuanian government. 

Vytis Tiger, or "Chase the Tiger" in English, is a Belgium led international field tactical exercise taking place Oct. 5-18 in Lithuania. While the exercise lasts for a little under two weeks, U.S. forces are involving themselves from Oct. 12-14. 

"This exercise demonstrates how separately, NATO nations have the capability to conduct complex operations, but when those nation's forces combine, their capacity for speed, lethality, and higher complexity increases significantly," said Capt. Anthony Formica, Able Company commander. 

Vytis Tiger is part of the larger month-long Baltic Piranha military exercise, which takes place through the month of October in Lithuania. The exercise works to build readiness and interoperability between various NATO nations, strengthening the alliance. It consists of nearly 1,000 Soldiers from the United States, Lithuania, Belgium and Luxemburg. 

Later this month the Paratroopers will participate in the Strong Shield exercise here in Lithuania, which also falls under the framework of Baltic Piranha. 

Able Company arrived in Lithuania last month to embark on a six-month rotation to train with their Lithuanian partners as part of Atlantic Resolve, a U.S. led effort being conducted in Eastern Europe to demonstrate U.S. commitment to the collective security of NATO and dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region. The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, is the Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, and is capable of projecting forces to conduct a full range of military operations across the United States European, Central and Africa Command areas of responsibility within 18 hours.

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U.S. Army Europe is uniquely positioned in its 51 country area of responsibility to advance American strategic interests in Europe and Eurasia. The relationships we build during more than 1,000 theater security cooperation events in more than 40 countries each year lead directly to support for multinational contingency operations around the world, strengthen regional partnerships and enhance global security.

'Clockspeed dilemma' hobbling Army cyber, but partnerships may be answer

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Frustration with the pace of integrating new technologies within Army cyber can be likened to the "clockspeed dilemma," a term applied recently to the auto industry, said Brig. Gen. Patricia Frost.

The once innovative auto industry has trouble keeping pace with new developments of autonomous vehicles, sensors and information technology gadgets going into their cars. Likewise, the Army has trouble keeping up with new cyber technologies used by adversaries against the United States, she said.

Frost, director of Cyber, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, spoke Oct. 5 at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition.

The Army and the other services within the Department of Defense are hobbled by a slow acquisition system and bureaucracy that hamper the adoption of innovative ideas and new technologies, she said. Adversaries are not as constrained, she warned, and "they are leaping ahead at a speed never seen in modern history."

Raj Shah, director, Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, or DIUx, who spent a decade as an Air Force cyber operator, agreed with Frost's assessment. He said he could provide many examples of technology the Army has yet to adopt because of bureaucracy.

For instance, he said, he recently visited cyber Soldiers in the field, where he observed their intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance feeds running "slow and jerky." He asked the Soldiers about the problem and found they were running Windows XP, an old operating system. The Soldiers weren't allowed to install the latest version because of the slow way in which security concerns were being addressed.

Shawn Wells, chief security strategist at Red Hat, also agreed with Frost and cited his own example of the clockspeed dilemma. As an operator deployed to a combat zone with Marines, he said, source code verification was held up in the accreditation process.

In other words, the enemy might have been using an iPhone for command and control. Soldiers could monitor that. However, if the enemy switched to Android devices, the Soldiers had no way to monitor the traffic because they didn't have accreditation to do so. 

Wells said his company is now working to eliminate that type of problem through a public-private partnership.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, commander, Army Cyber Command and Second Army, said public-private partnerships are critical, because the Army and the Department of Defense can "never keep pace with the innovations going on right now in the tech industry, not in the [science and technology] world and not in the [research, development, testing and engineering] world."

"That's a little bit overstated," he added, "but not too much."

The Army, with a total science and technology budget of $4 billion a year, -- a figure that covers much more than cyber -- would never be able to go it alone when it comes to introducing new cyber technologies, he said. The science and technology budgets of Microsoft, Google, AT&T and Verizon are all much larger than the Army's.

The challenge with public-private partnerships in cyber is the current acquisition system, he said. "It just doesn't work well."

Cardon credited the current secretary of Defense with allowing the Army to use some innovative strategies outside of the current acquisition process to fund cyber projects. They include:

-- DIUx.

-- Defense Digital Service.

-- Stanford Hacking for Defense.

-- The Army's new Rapid Capabilities Office.

-- Hacking the Pentagon Project.

-- Army Cyber Silicone Valley Innovation Project.

According to Cardon, each of these represents a way to conduct a public-private partnership. "But we have to do more," he said.

"Cyber is no longer an intelligence problem or an electronic warfare problem. It's a commander's problem," Cardon concluded.

South Dakota Army Guard flight crews hone life-saving skills

RAPID CITY, S.D. -- Soldiers with Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, South Dakota Army National Guard, conducted a medical evacuation training exercise near Wasta, Oct. 1, to hone their life-saving skills.

The training event put HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter flight crews in realistic combat scenarios with simulated casualties to practice emergency medical care and flight operations.

The Rapid City-based unit provides aerial medevac support to military forces while deployed overseas or during state domestic emergencies and natural disasters.

In order to make the training as realistic as possible, the flight crews of medics, crew chiefs and pilots were not notified of the scenario. They boarded their aircraft not knowing if the mission was a real event or simulated.

"It is important to make the training as close to reality as possible," said Staff Sgt. Adam Max, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the training. "We had two different missions today with three aircraft and multiple simulated injuries involved in each one. A lot goes into making that happen."

The Soldiers simulating the injured used makeup and red-dyed corn syrup to simulate wounds. During the scenario, the Soldiers screamed as though they were in pain and grasped at the medics, pleading for help.

One Soldier simulated a brain injury by stumbling around in a confused state. As the flight crew approached, he ran in fear and the crew was forced to restrain him.

"When we are in a deployment situation, having a Soldier with a brain injury that makes him operate irrationally is a very real possibility," Max said.

Aside from preparing Soldiers for a combat zone, the training also benefits the crews for real-word emergencies here at home.

"Many times we get calls for injured hikers," said Sgt. Courtney Tyrell, crew chief with the 189th. "The local (hospital) helicopters have to land in order to provide care. That isn't always possible in difficult terrain."

The hospital medical evacuation helicopters are not capable of conducting hoist operations. Should the need arise, the crew is ready to help.

"I work as an air EMT at the hospital as well," said Sgt. Rachel Sirignano, flight medic with the 189th. "I get to see both sides, and I think it helps me to stay focused and prepared."

Many times crews from the 189th will work side by side with local emergency response personnel during a medical emergency. To make sure things run smoothly, leadership for the unit will periodically coordinate with local authorities to conduct a joint training operation.

According to Sirignano, due to the nature of medical emergencies, it is essential for the crews to be extremely well prepared.

"I have to tell myself that the crew is all the injured person needs right now," said Sirignano. "You have to stay as calm, cool and collected as you can, so that you don't affect their condition even more by being stressed. You have to put it aside and focus on the patient."

Indiana Aviators provide aircraft support to Tobruq Legacy 16

INDIANAPOLIS - Aviators with Indiana's 38th Combat Aviation Brigade took part in Tobruq Legacy 16, a multinational exercise in Slovakia focused on interoperability and joint operational procedures among the eight participating countries.

The 35 soldiers with Company C, 1st Battalion 137th regiment, known as the assault helicopter company, brought four UH-60 helicopters to the two-week NATO led exercise in September.

"Our mission here was to support Slovak Shield and Tobruq Legacy, a first for the Indiana National Guard." said 1st Sgt. Derick Kuhns, senior noncommissioned officer for the unit out of Shelbyville, Indiana.

Kuhns said that the unit used a wide range of their job specialties to support the exercise.

The contingency representing the unit was comprised of pilots, aircraft mechanics, technical inspectors, logistics personnel, a flight medic, an operation specialist and an air traffic control operator.

Tobruq Legacy 16 consisted of two main training objectives, first, interoperability testing between eight NATO defense allies, utilizing different air defense systems and second, training against live aircraft and simulations in order to test the ability to process engagements and conduct NATO reporting procedures in preparation of follow on exercises.

Approximately 1,200 troops representing the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem, Germany participated in the exercise. That number also included more than 200 U.S. Army soldiers from both active duty units and National Guard.

Maj John Peterson with the 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command said that having both Guardsmen and active duty personnel in this exercise not only supports one of the U.S. Army Europe commander's priorities of using the total Army force, but it allows to fill gaps where the active duty component might not have certain capabilities in theater.

"Here in Europe is crucial that we are utilizing the full capabilities of the U.S. Army inventory," said Peterson who served as the main planner officer for U.S. air defense portion of the exercise.

The Indiana soldiers and aircraft supported the exercise by conducting aerial medical and casualty evacuation training, along with assault training inter-operability.

"We did our own exercise called Medix" said Lt. Col. Ivana Gutzelmig, Slovakia Air Force chief of medical service. She said, the objective of Medix was to train on troop response to incidents, medical response to incidents, MASCAL Training, medical evacuation especially with air assets and command and control in medical field.

The host nation's Air force medical personnel utilized the 38th CAB's Black Hawks to transport patients to a hospital after a simulated mass casualty scenario. This is the first time this type of hands-on training has been done between the two partner nations.

Gutzelmig explained that the medical unit practiced loading litters in and out, practiced loading ambulatory patients into the Black Hawks and also got to experience how it feels inside a helicopter of that size. Additionally, they practiced training with a multinational ambulance crew and multinational cooperation in medical teams, a first for the Slovak forces.

"We trained with approximately 50 to 60 NATO medics." said CPT Evan Edwards, Company C, 1-137th commander. "We flew around and picked up their patients in real time. It was an outstanding training opportunity."

The Indiana, Slovak partnership is part of a National Guard Bureau and U.S. Europe initiative that links states and territories with military members of other countries around the world for the purpose of supporting the security cooperation objectives of the geographic Combatant Commands.

Tobruk Legacy demonstrates the ability to integrate the National Guard into Army Europe operations and directly contributes to the collective defense by providing assurance through presence while sustaining the defensive deterrent capability with NATO allies and partners.

The Indiana unit will also participate in the Slovak Shield exercise following the culmination of Trobuq Legacy 16.

Armed Forces Network Yongsan: End of an era

The American Forces Network (AFN) Korea Headquarters is packing up its belongings and moving to Camp Humphreys after more than 50 years of broadcasting to the men and women of the Armed Forces from Building 1358, Main Post, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan.

The first AFN broadcast went out from Panama and Alaska just before World War II. By the peak of the war in 1945, AFN had about 300 radio stations around the globe. During the early days of the Pusan Perimeter during the Korean War, troops in Korea received radio programming from transmitters that were located in Japan. AFN first moved to Korea in 1950, when the U.N. coalition troops led by U.S. General Douglas MacArthur carried out the amphibious landing at Incheon and set up in Seoul, at the Banto Hotel (the old American Embassy Hotel). But when the Chinese entered Seoul in December 1950, AFN was forced to move to Daegu.

Because of the rapidly changing front lines between the North and South during the war, transmitters and studios had to be set up in mobile vans to ensure continuous broadcasting. Some members of AFN who served during the Korean War gained great popularity. Some of AFN's esteemed alumni include America's Top 40 with Casey Kasem, who served in Korea in 1952 as a DJ and announcer. James E. Dooley, also known as Jim Perry, later became the host of the television shows "Card Sharks" and "Sale of the Century." "Happy Days" creator Garry Marshall joined the U.S. Army in 1956 and was stationed in Korea as a broadcaster and a print journalist for AFN during the Korean War.

When the Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953, AFNs mobile units became buildings with transmitters, and American Forces Korea Network (AFKN) was born. AFKN's first live television newscast aired Jan. 4, 1959. Connie Kang Munnelly worked for AFN at Yongsan in 1958 when it was just one room in the building. "I was a secretary, typing memos for my boss. There were several Koreans working in the building. Everything seemed to shine, and the men in uniform looked so sharp and handsome," she recalled.

AFKN would become a cultural and educational tool for Koreans across the peninsula. Local foreign language "hakwons," or institutes, offered "AFKN English" classes, designed to help Korean students improve their English listening and translation abilities. With the advent of digital television and AFN's efforts to provider better programming to the military community, AFKN disconnected analog over-the-air TV May 1, 2012, making AFN programming available strictly through DOD-authorized personnel through cable service sold through the American Armed Forces Exchange Service (AAFES). "This allowed us to provide better programming and popular syndicated shows to our community," said Hoover.

In the past 60 years at USAG Yongsan, AFN Korea has received numerous accolades, including multiple Keith L. Ware Awards and most recently the Thomas Jefferson first place award in the category of audio spot production in 2015. Many commanders have walked through the halls of AFN Korea to appear on television, have their voices heard on the radio or discuss how AFN can continually improve the quality of life for this community as it has done the past six decades. While the move to Humphreys has been discussed over many years -- Sgt. Simon Mctizic said he received multiple orders to move as the move date continued to shift to the right -- seeing the sign removed from the building will be a surreal experience, said AFN-Pacific, Korea Division Chief Maj. Robert Hoover.

Everything is all set, and the crew at Humphreys has taken over radio operations. "All that will remain in Seoul, really, is the antenna on Namsan Tower. We will work with the 1st Signal Brigade to ensure seamless transmission of broadcasts that will originate in Humphreys," he said. All public service announcements will be prerecorded, and radio interviews can be done telephonically. Television appearances could require a commute, but technology will go far in editing and mitigating any challenges for Yongsan to get its voice heard through AFN. Even activities like the AFN radio donut giveaway, sponsored by the Dragon Hill Lodge, can be done remotely, Hoover said.

AFN will enjoy brand new accommodations and equipment, but all garrisons will benefit from AFN's commitment to improved programming that makes any assignment in Korea home away from home. For example, AFN is currently discussing with AAFES a partnership to provide secure video on demand. "No one will notice that we aren't in Yongsan anymore," said Sgt. 1st Class Tawana Starks, station manager for AFN-Pacific, Korea. As is the case with most facilities at Yongsan, an empty building at the top of the hill will not be empty for very long.

Foreign R&D program helps upgrade DOD shoulder-fired weapon

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The U.S. Army is testing significant improvements to a shoulder-fired weapon used by Soldiers and Special Operations forces as part of a foreign technology program. 

Upgrades to the M3 recoilless rifle, also known as the multi-role anti-armor anti-personnel weapon system, will make it more ergonomic, six pounds lighter and shorter. 

The weapons system is incorporating modern materials to achieve input provided by U.S. Special Operations Command and other services' users, said Renee Bober, Product Manager for the M3E1 at U.S. Army Project Manager Soldier Weapons.

When testing and qualifications are completed in spring 2017, upon type classification scheduled for fall 2017, the system will be available for procurement to all Department of Defense services. The M3E1 fires a high-explosive round to engage light-armored vehicles, bunkers and soft structures. The upgraded weapon is able to fire the existing suite of MAAWS ammunition.

To assist in the project with funding and expertise, the M3E1 team turned to the Army Foreign Comparative Testing Program, said William "Randy" Everett, FCT project manager. The program's mission is to find and evaluate solutions to meet the operational needs of American Service members -- regardless of the origin of the technology.

"We wouldn't have been able to do the project without the support and funding provided by OSD FCT office," Everett said.

The Army Research, Development and Engineering Command's International Cooperation and Exchange Office manages the FCT program for the Army.

Army engineers and weapons experts from Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey; Watervliet Arsenal, New York; and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland began working with the Swedish manufacturer, Saab Bofors Dynamics, for testing and qualifying the next-generation weapon, known as the M3A1. 

"The team combined an improved weapons system with cost savings," Everett said. "They traveled to Sweden so they could observe and validate the vendor's testing instead of duplicating it back in the U.S. It was an innovative solution that saved more than $300,000."

Bober said the upgrades will also include a shot counter. For safety reasons, a weapon should not fire more than its specified limit of rounds. 

"This will give Soldiers better use of the system," she said. "Right now the Soldier is manually recording the number of rounds fired in a notebook provided with each weapon. [The shot counter] will make everything easier and provide traceability. The system will last longer when we know how many rounds go through each weapon."

Under the current system, if a service member does not track each round fired, the M3 must be half-lifed because an accurate count cannot be guaranteed. For example, if a weapon is qualified for 1,000 rounds, a half-life would cut the remaining use to 500.

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OSD's FCT programs support the U.S. warfighter by leveraging mature equipment and technologies from coalition industry to satisfy U.S. defense requirements. Performance measures include accelerating the acquisition process, reducing development costs and providing opportunities for the introduction of innovative and cost-saving technologies into existing defense acquisition programs.

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The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command has the mission to ensure decisive overmatch for unified land operations to empower the Army, the joint warfighter and our nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

Liberating Mosul will be Iraq's biggest fight, OIR spokesman says

WASHINGTON -- The size of Iraq's second-largest city will make the liberation of Mosul from the 

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's two-year grip the largest mission Iraqi security forces have yet undertaken against the enemy, the spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve told Pentagon reporters Wednesday.

Providing an update on the counter-ISIL effort in Iraq and Syria by teleconference from Baghdad, Air Force Col. John L. Dorrian said Mosul's size is on the "order of magnitude larger than the liberation battles in cities such as Ramadi, Fallujah and Sharqat."

With operations and planning along the Tigris River Valley to liberate the city underway, the Iraqi government is working with the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations to plan for people fleeing Mosul when the fighting begins, Dorrian said. The Iraqi government is directing 20 campsites for displaced people and is working with the U.N. and other organizations to pre-position resources to take care of them.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has informed the residents of Mosul by radio address of the pending liberation, and he has asked residents to cooperate with security forces, Dorrian said.

IRAQI FORCES REMOVE ISIL FROM AREA IN EUPHRATES VALLEY

Elsewhere in Iraq, Iraqi forces have attacked ISIL fighters in the Euphrates River Valley on multiple fronts to remove them from the eastern side of the river, north and south of Hit, the colonel said. Within the past few days, the Iraqi forces completed clearance operations along the Euphrates Valley, connecting their northern and southern forward battle lines with about 140 miles of contiguous cleared area between Baghdad and Haditha.

Clearing this area takes pressure off the Iraqi forces to defend multiple fronts in the valley, and it helps to protect Ramadi, Fallujah and Baghdad from ISIL attacks as the battle for Mosul is waged, Dorrian explained.

That operation also increases pressure on ISIL, which has shown significant signs that its supply shortages and the dismantling of its command and control across Iraq are leaving them incapable of stopping the Iraqi forces from advancing.

"Continuing to pressure the enemy along the Euphrates River Valley is very important to the overall security of Iraq," Dorrian said, "and we'll continue a relentless campaign of strikes to keep the enemy on the back foot as the [Iraqi forces continue clearing operations]."

SYRIA FIGHT PROGRESSES, MANBIJ RESIDENTS RETURN

Progress against ISIL forces in Syria also is evident along the Mara line in the north, as NATO ally Turkey and coalition forces continue advise-and-assist missions with local forces. "Since the start of Operation Noble Lance, these partnered forces have liberated 254 square kilometers of ground, to include the people in 37 villages in that area," Dorrian said.

And since Manbij was liberated in mid-August, displaced residents are returning to the city in large numbers. About 70,000 people now reside in Manbij while efforts continue to remove ISIL booby traps and homemade bombs, the colonel told reporters, although 125,000 lived in Manbij before the enemy invaded. More than 3,000 families have benefited from humanitarian aid.

PLANS OUTLINE DEFEATING ISIL DRONES

The Inherent Resolve spokesman said reports show ISIL has used commercial, "off-the shelf" drones for surveillance, and in some cases, to deliver explosives. While not a new ISIL tactic, Dorrian said, the coalition is working the drone issue with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization and the Army, among others.

"To supplement the capabilities already in theater, a system called Drone Defender and additional advanced systems have been sent that are capable of detecting, identifying, tracking and defeating [unmanned aircraft systems] threats," he said.