Panther Strike exercise evolves, challenges MI Soldiers taking part

By Army Sgt. Whitney Houston

128th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah - Panther Strike, a military intelligence training exercise that began more than a decade ago as a battalion-sized exercise, has evolved since then into a an event with close to 700 military intelligence soldiers, trainers and professionals participating from 14 states, Guam, Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, making it one of the largest exercise of its kind in the U.S.

From the beginning stages of planning for this year’s exercise, hosted by the Utah Army National Guard’s 142nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 300th Military Intelligence Brigade, the goal has been to expand the size and scope to make it into the one of the premier MI training events, said Army Lt. Col. Joseph Green, commander of the 142nd MI Bn.

 To accomplish that, planners shifted the focus of the exercise from a relatively small exercise focused on human intelligence gathering, to a large-scale, multi-discipline exercise that incorporates human intelligence, signals intelligence, counterintelligence, and imagery intelligence, all acting at the same time in a real-world, deployment-based scenario, to prepare MI Soldiers for the kinds of missions they face when deployed., said Green.

 Incorporating that into a single, cohesive has its difficulties including the creation of an opposition force, fully fleshed out with roles that military intelligence Soldiers can collect information about, analyze, and then act on.

“All of that is a very complex kind of thing to try to draw up and manage and so creating a (training) insurgency that can be (used) by all those different disciplines has been difficult,” said Green.

 Despite the inherent difficulties with creating a training scenario beneficial to all MI disciplines, Panther Strike leadership and planners maintained high expectations for the exercise’s current and future roles.

“We have a big vision for the exercise to be a mechanism to train our Soldiers to be mobilization-ready and prepared in their collective military intelligence tasks,” said Green. “That’s what I think we’ve achieved with this version of Panther Strike, and from here on out the brigade is intent on keeping the same kind of blueprint, still moving it around to its battalions, but keeping it at this level.”

That’s a big change from previous Panther Strike exercises.

“In previous years, there was more of an emphasis on Warrior Tasks and battle drills than you see in Panther Strike 2012,” said Army Capt. Timothy Kelley, plans and operations officer with the 142nd MI Bn. and the lead planner for this year’s exercise. “We really wanted to make this an intelligence-centered exercise.”

Soldiers spent the first week of the exercise training on equipment and tactics unique to their specialties.  During the second week, the Soldiers moved to a forward operating base on Camp Williams and training transitioned from the classroom setting to a hands-on scenario in which Soldiers could put to use their skills—and the prior week’s training— into practice.

 The result was a much more engaging exercise for those participating.

“Panther Strike was awesome,” said Army Pfc. Keiyonna Lighten, an intelligence analyst with Company B, 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion. “Anytime we have exercises that combine a lot of experience from different groups and different intelligence professionals from across the country, it’s going to contribute to your success and your development as a Soldier.”

Kelley, and those involved in planning and putting Panther Strike together, worked hard to create a training environment that is intelligence-centric, that revolves around the skills, equipment, and knowledge that Soldiers of all intelligence fields would benefit from.

“By making Panther Strike more of an intelligence exercise, we’ve gotten a lot of attention from within the intelligence community, and a lot of support,” he said. “For example, Intelligence and Security Command has a lot of resources and assets that we have been able to tap into and coordinate for this exercise. A lot of our training teams that came out are INSCOM teams, or are from INSCOM units, which brings a level of legitimacy to the exercise.”

Camp Williams itself has even benefited from Panther Strike, and those physical improvements will trickle down to all MI Soldiers who come to Utah to train. One such resource created to enhance the training experience of Panther Strike participants is a detainee holding area connected to the training FOB on the camp.

“They’re being used in Afghanistan, and for this exercise we were able to get some to Utah, emplaced and operational, for Panther Strike,” said Kelley. “They will stay here and remain an asset for the intelligence courses that the 640th Regional Training Institute conducts throughout the year,” he said.

 And preparations are already underway for next year’s exercise.

“I think next year’s Panther Strike audience will have a fantastic experience as well,” Kelley said.

Wyoming Guard supports Utah during major earthquake exercise

By Army National Guard Capt. Tim Lockwood

Wyoming National Guard

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (4/20/12) – Members of the Wyoming National Guard supported their neighbors in Utah recently as they helped them train and prepare for potential natural disasters, specifically those that could affect the Salt Lake City area.

The Guard members are spending three days participating in Utah Shakeout, a large scale, multi-agency disaster exercise in Utah.

Local, state and federal agencies simulated a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hitting the Wasatch Valley area April 19, which included the metropolitan Salt Lake City area. A disaster of that magnitude has the potential to leave nearly 86,000 people displaced if it were to actually occur.

"This exercise for us is about the state of Wyoming helping out its neighbors to the west," said Army Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner, adjutant general of the Wyoming National Guard. "We know that Salt Lake City sits on a significant fault and we're told it's only a matter of time until it goes – not if, but when."

 Organizations, schools and individuals across Utah simulated everything from setting up shelters to taking cover during the earthquake. As part of the exercise, Wyoming's Joint Task Force Cowboy, the T71 Joint Incident Site Communications Capability, and 84th Civil Support Team, all deployed in an effort to support exercise operations.

Task Force Cowboy and the JISCC are based at Camp Williams, Utah for the exercise and have been providing support for emergency operations of civilian authorities and Utah National Guard members by helping with the processing and tasking of additional military units that are flowing into the area.

"A devastating earthquake in this area is a real possibility," said Col. Shelley Campbell, the commander of JTF Cowboy. "This training exercise is providing our Guard members valuable insight into assisting a large scale, multi-agency disaster exercise.

"We need to be prepared to respond and support our neighbors in their time of need," she said. "We are here to help civilian authorities practice in saving lives and mitigating damage."

The JTF and JISCC are performing joint reception staging and onward integration, functions. That means the task force is welcoming units from others states such as Idaho and Colorado as they arrive. The JTF then provides situational and priority information briefings to each force package before providing them their assignments for assisting local authorities.

"This is good training for our Joint Task Force, which we know we will be utilizing in the event of a disaster in Wyoming or neighboring states," Reiner said. "They are doing great. They are receiving a lot of good training and there is a lot of communication going on up and down the line, which is absolutely key."

Reiner added the key to a synchronized response is common understanding of the situation.

"There is focus on maintaining a common operating picture, which means every civilian, every emergency responder, every Soldier and Airman should see and know the same information as everyone else," he said.

The 84th CST is providing a different type of assistance to the communities of Utah affected by the simulated quake. They are supporting areas southeast of Salt Lake City with search and rescue efforts and the identification and mitigation of hazardous materials.

In addition, personnel with the Wyoming Joint Force Headquarters Joint Operations Center have been supporting the exercise from Cheyenne. They provide the support necessary for the deployed Wyoming Guard members in the areas of personnel tracking, logistics and information.

According to exercise organizers, the main goal of the Utah Shakeout is to get residents prepared for major earthquakes and help government agencies, private organizations and emergency personnel coordinate how to handle a disaster recovery.