So we've been doing our Command Post Exercise-Sustainment (CPX-S) this past week. The CPX-S is an exercise where the 364th is acting as if it were in theater. We were given a situational brief (Called an OPORD), and were let loose to play our hand at crisis control. As the CASOPS OIC, I've not been that busy because we haven't had any casualties (although 29 people have been hospitalized for food poisoning. This only becomes my issue if they spend 24 hours in the hospital, and, so far, they haven't). However, the OC/Ts (Observer/Controller-Trainers--the people running the exercise, and creating the scenarios from a room with a computer which they manipulate) have told me to be on the lookout for a mass casualty event--an event in which 3 or more Soldiers or 5 or more Civilians are injured in a single incident. Think of the Chinook crash of a few weeks ago when 29 Sailors died. That got a lot of press, and due to the nature of those incidents, a lot more planning and careful execution have to take place because the spotlight is on the element in command.
A lot of people are freaking out because, as of right now, the 364th isn't doing that well. This is normal though. 70% of the unit is like me IE not organic to the 364th. We haven't been working together, and for many of us, this is a new mission. Also, this is the time to make mistakes! Nothing is on the line yet! On top of that, we will spend about a month shadowing the unit we are replacing so that we can see how they do the job, and then they will spend about two weeks after we relieve them shadowing us to correct us if we make mistakes. What does this mean? The Army does everything it can to ensure success. The Army is absolutely pestiferous in many respects, but it does everything it can to ensure that any element is ready to do its job when the time comes. This is the reason why even though I haven't gone overseas yet, and won't for bit, I have been gone since April 15.
Lastly, the guys in G-6 (the IT/Kurt/Mr. LaDuke of the Army) hooked me up with my own hotspot. I was complaining about the mercurial internet connectivity here in West Texas, and one of the sergeants overheard. He asked me if I wanted my own hot spot. He pulled out a brand new Verizon internet card, and BOOM, connectivity. Gravy.
Whenever you use "IE" in capital letters like that, I get confused because I think it must be an Army acronym. Don't people normally write it "i.e."? Is "IE" the Latin form?
ReplyDeleteThe 29 people with food poisoning are part of the mock exercise, right? I got a little nervous when I first saw that!
Speaking of exercise, you've been doing so much of it lately, I would be interested to see you tracking your runs on here. I know I have seen other blogs that have a little button on the side that details the author's run time and miles. I would do the same thing if I could find a blog app that tracked how many classes I showed up for at the Y. ;)
P.S. Keep blogging, honey! This is so informative for all the people who love and miss you. Plus, this will give you an excellent journal of your deployment by the time you finally come home!
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