Talisman Saber: Joint US-Australian Exercise
Dropping in and destroying enemy ground forces is the specialty
of the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. Based at
Fort Richardson, Alaska, the unit is playing a pivotal role this
week in Talisman Saber '05, a combined joint exercise with
Australian forces.
Talisman Saber is a month-long biennial exercise that integrates
US and Australian sea, land, and air forces in joint maneuvers. The
goal of this outback endeavor is to develop combat effectiveness,
and command and control cohesion, while enhancing regional
stability and security, officials said. About 17,000 people are
participating in the exercise, with the U.S. contributing 11,000
troops and Australia providing 6,000.
"Shoalwater Bay is Australia's pre-eminent military training
facility for the orchestra of war involving land, sea, air and
airborne units involved in joint operations," Australian Army Lt.
Col. Richard Filewood, director of the Combined Exercise Control
Group, said.
The 1st Battalion, 501st PIR, is a quick-strike unit that
deploys around the world under short notice conditions as an
airborne infantry force. The unit can penetrate deep into enemy
territory, seize terrain, defeat enemy forces and destroy critical
infrastructure. The battalion is the first element of one of the
Army's newest formations, the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne),
25th Infantry Division. About 600 soldiers from the 501st PIR flew
in for Talisman Saber.
Departing from its home base near Anchorage, Alaska, the
battalion traveled nearly 4,500 miles in Air Force C-17 jet
transports. They safely parachuted during darkness onto a drop zone
at the 667,182-acre Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Australia's
Great Barrier Reef. The battalion arrived on the ground at 0130
June 19 and will remain "down under" until early July.
"Our unit is now involved in tactical maneuvers with the
Australian forces in a forward advance," said Capt. Travis Rudge, a
platoon leader with the battalion. Rudge, who is responsible for
the unit's logistical needs, said his troops will engage the
opposing force in a mock battle.
"We have an extensive training program that centers on physical
fitness, marksmanship, medical training and battle drills," he
said. "Much of our tactical training is geared towards winning the
war against terrorism. The battle drills include urban fighting,
Brazilian Ju Jitsu hand-to-hand combat training, tactical vehicle
movements, detecting, and reacting to (improvised explosive
devices), and perimeter security."
The 501st mission supported Operation Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan last year. Spc. William D'Hondt, a veteran with the
unit, said the unit's realistic training beforehand -- similar to
what they're doing in Australia -- was essential to success in the
hilly Afghan territory.
"Combat skills acquired through that deployment and the intense
scenarios developed for Talisman Saber both contribute to the
realism of the training and are being shared with Australian
forces," he said. "The most important thing I can teach the younger
soldiers is to train like you fight. Most of the guys in the Army
now are going to see combat, and they need to treat training like a
real-world situation every time they can."
Maj. Steve Patin, 501st executive officer, also emphasized the
importance of plausible battle play in the exercise. "Short of the
outstanding performance and professionalism of our junior soldiers,
realistic joint and combined training is the most important factor
in our ability to fulfill our mission and win the global war on
terrorism."
(ANN salutes Navy Lt. Cmdr. Keith Taylor and Lt. j.g. Kris
Hooper, both assigned to the Combined Joint Information Bureau for
Talisman Saber '05.)