# Ex Joint Thunder



## Dissident (25 Jun 2006)

I want to start by saying that I hope this was not just a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was qualified as such by many, but the training value I got from it was definatly worth going again.

15 MP Coy sent a platoon strenght element (with a higher Coy level HQ) down to the South Dakota National Guard ex Joint Thunder. This ex is held annually and now encompasses NG units from many different states, and this year for the first time, Singapore and Canada were also present.

From my perspective, the ex was larger than BTE 05, much larger. They had a whole company just for fueling! (443th, from Montana, if I remember correctly). 2 different companies of MP's (235th from Colorado and 220th from SD). Chinooks and Blackhawks were flying overhead almost daily. 

+30 role players harrassing us, multiple IED's along the roads, the works. Total immersion in a scenario not unlike Afghanistan or Iraq. You never knew when or where something might happen. The ROE's seemed to be design to let people make misakes and learn from them. All in all, fantastic training.

On top of this, you had "lanes" where you would get rotated to, that were dedicated to specific areas of training, such as the convoy lanes, the MOUT (FIBUA) lane, the NVG night driving lane and more...

Convoy lanes included the use of Miles gear, reaction to IEDs, reaction to small arms fire, ambushes. FIBUA used paintball markers, a very effective tool. 

All of this was conducted under staff that had been overseas and had extensive experience. They were patient and positive in their approach. After our last convoy lanes, lead by Lt Sutton, one of the directing staff approached our Sgt (Forbes) and handed him a knife. Our Sgt was told to cut off the patch off of the staff uniform, as the staff member in question was utterly impressed with our motivation and quick learning. He told us we put his troops to shame. A powerfull moment for all of us.

Not only that, but one MP coy had recently came back from Iraq and one was about to deploy.  Amongst them was a sleu of ex Marines, 82nd airborne, Rangers and a few SF. All were happy and eager to help us and share as much experience as they could. Save for their uniforms and extraordinary amount of resources, they could have been canadians...

I could not, in good concience, fail to mention the Singaporians. Small in stature, but the biggest in heart and skills. They demonstrated time and again the ability to blend seemlessly with our troops. Often thrown in at the last minute, they reacted as if they had always been part of our jeep teams. They were a welcome addition to our fighting force and I am looking forward to further interaction.

I hope next year we will be able to return in greater numbers, maybe with one of our field kitchen and some reg force elements. It is just too good to keep to ourselves.

Let me finish with the 2 most common comments we heard over there:

-Y'all have something hangning from under your truck.
[Oh, that eh!? Thats just the static strap to ground the vehicules]

-Your truck is leaking something.
[Oh, that eh!? Thats just condensation from the A/C unit]
-Y'all GOT A/C?! 

PS: The HMMV, was not what its all cracked up to be. A good vehicule it is, but it is not the end al be all. LCF can only go so far.


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## MPSHIELD (30 Jun 2006)

Hey Joe, 
FYI- The 235th was from South Dakota and the 220th was from Colorado.
Also there was about 30 role players that harassed us, but total there was approx. 100 role players.

I'm glad you had a good time down there. I wish I could have gone to more of the training. At least I got out a bit. I hope the message is passed on from the troops not only as to how much "fun" it was, but the training and the experience that came out of it. We were the only FOB that had a multi National flavor and we were praised as being the best FOB for defense and for that we "played the game" with the different scenarios they sent us such as "protesters" (which I scheduled). We were the only FOB taking the whole scenario seriously that that is the reason the Exercise role player kept coming back to us is because they were boared at the other FOB because the 1 guard would let stranger drive into the area. I think my most memorable time was when approx 50 US soldiers were in PT gear from having showers and we got attack. It was strange seeing all these soldiers in PT gear scrambling for there weapons and helmets and driving in turrets in there hmmv's. Even funnier is when these same soldier ran up the hill to attack the enemy in PT Gear. Well that is what would happen overseas so it is realistic. 

I'm hoping we return next year.  

PS-Do you realize how hard it was to organize that photo! It took me 2 attempt to get everyone together.
Did you have fun on your R and R?


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## Dissident (1 Jul 2006)

MPSHIELD said:
			
		

> PS-Do you realize how hard it was to organize that photo! It took me 2 attempt to get everyone together.
> Did you have fun on your R and R?



Yeah, I was on the HMMV on the left in the picture, we kept seeing people run in from a distance, we were standing there for almost 30 min before we got everyone in the picture. On the first attemp we ended up just getting my sections picture. but hey, it turned out allright.

R and R was great, but next year I want to go to Cabela's!


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