The 7th Chemical Company of the 83rd Chemical Battalion waited in the deepening dusk of Feb. 24 for a platoon of its sister company, the 51st Chemical Company, to drive by. Beyond a turn they had blockaded the road with a fallen tree, and they waited to attack a convoy of six vehicles. For the purpose of the 51st Chem’s external evaluation, they were to play the opposing force at the Digital Multi-Purpose Battle Action Complex in Peason Ridge from Feb. 22-26.
For the 1st Platoon of the 51st, this was to be a reconnaissance mission along a specific loop. The 51st Chem’s main job in theater is to perform reconnaissance for chemical, biological and nuclear contamination and perform decontamination. The week-long exeval allowed the 83rd Chem Bn to evaluate the 51st in these duties as well as other support tasks. During engagements, observer/controllers would watch engagements as they unfolded and determine who had been injured and killed during the exercise.
“We had demonstrations at the gate of civilian local nationals wanting to meet us,” said Capt. Peter Zappola of the 51st. “We had local people getting sick and wanting medical assistance and food. We responded to various other tasks not related to our core tasks as chemical recon and decon. We had indirect fire last night for example.”
In the evening of Feb. 22, the 51st set up its forward operating base in the DMPBAC, moving all its operations into the complex. Throughout DMPBAC are cameras with both visible light and infrared capabilities. These cameras recorded the 51st Soldiers performing their tasks, and video technicians edited the footage for an after action review, detailing the company’s strengths and weaknesses.
“This is a series of tasks,” said Zappola. “Did the person in charge issue this? Did all the vehicles maintain proper spacing? You go through a checklist. In the end, you add them all up to see how you did on that mission.”
The 51st’s reconnaissance mission took them on a loop through DMPBAC. Originally the mission was set for 4:30 p.m., but snow delayed the missions throughout the day. The resulting darkness provided good cover for the OPFOR as they laid in wait for the convoy.
The attack location was at an intersection along the route. The barricade, placed beyond a curve in the road, was preceded by a road leading off of the planned route. In case the front vehicle decided to run over or around the log, the OPFOR would set off fireworks to simulate an improvised explosive device, taking out the front vehicle. Once stopped, either by barricade or IED, a second IED placed in a car beside the road would go off once the six-vehicle convoy compressed enough that the last vehicle was even with the bomb. The OPFOR failed to fully consider the third option open to the 51st.
Without seeing the barricade past the curve in the road, the front vehicle diverted from its route onto the other road. In the darkness, gunners on top of the HMMWVs could not distinguish the OPFOR waiting within the trees and continued. Sgt. Jamie Chavis was among the OPFOR.
“When they made that turn, I knew that was going to happen,” said Chavis. “The observer/controller will see it and stop it, but they went through there, right on top of me, so I was trying not to make any movement.”
Once the last vehicle passed the vehicle-borne IED, the fireworks went off and the engagement began. Immediately, due to the IED, the last vehicle was out of the engagement. After that, the OPFOR took out gunners with pneumatic gunfire and vehicles with assumed explosives.
“They were somewhat careless,” said Chavis. “This is a practice scenario, but at the same time, you never know what’s out there in the woods, especially at night.”
Capt. Adrian Veseth-Nelson, an intelligence officer working to make the OPFOR attacks as realistic and up-to-date as possible based on current threats, took into perspective the difficulties the OPFOR would put upon the company being evaluated.
“This battalion must put pride aside and say, ‘You know what, they got me and I learned a lesson from this,’” said Veseth-Nelson. “If people learned a lesson here that could help keep them alive later, that’s what’s really important.”
