AAR A/1-7 CO FTX | Operation Green Fields | 20SEP26 | 1930z - 2130z

[Dread.M]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT​

A/1-7 CO FTX | Operation Green Fields
Date: 20SEP26
Time (Zulu): 19:30-21:30
Server: Training Server 1
GM:
Major Dread.M
Major Rodahl.S

Attendance:
Major Dread.M
Major Rodahl.S
Specialist Jonez.M
Warrant Officer 1 Coner.J
Warrant Officer 1 Bloggins.R
Specialist Studs.J
Corporal Spice.M
Specialist Sawyer.H
Second Lieutenant Mobius.T
Staff Sergeant Crowley.T
Private First Class Helton.S
Corporal Harrel.R
Corporal Fougere.J
Staff Sergeant McAllen.J
Specialist Pepper.A
Specialist Leon.J
Specialist Juenemann.D
Specialist Facklam.E
Sergeant Reddick.A
Sergeant Giordano.C
Corporal Garrick.S
Corporal Chisum.J
Corporal Brown.G
Second Lieutenant Mackey.A
Specialist Dellow.J
Corporal Lamb.J
Private First Class Gonzalez.J
Sergeant Howe.T
Specialist Riley.K
Corporal Flint.J
Private Briggs.B
Private Lasso.J
Second Lieutenant Carr.W
Sergeant Bosley.B
Sergeant Bolte.D
Private First Class Boyle.M
Private First Class Hollywood.C
Master Sergeant Mazinski.H
Corporal Yota.G
Corporal Winters.R
Specialist Whaley.H
Corporal Weather.J
Corporal Johnsen.M
Corporal Grey.T
Private First Class Neubauer.P
Second Lieutenant Mackey.A

If you were in attendance and your name doesn't appear on this list please contact your CoC.

Training Objectives:

• Company Air Assault
  • Staging – completed with high proficiency demonstrated during Phase 1
  • Boarding - completed with high proficiency demonstrated during Phase 1
  • Landing – completed with high proficiency demonstrated at the transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2
  • Pickup – completed with low proficiency at the transition from Phase 4 to Phase 5

Key take aways:

• The company is showing preparedness. It quickly conducts PCCs and PCIs, organizing, and staging exceeding Commander's expectations.
• Aviation is prepped and ready prior to staging. They performed a difficult approach and tight LZ for the number of aircraft.
• Pickup is the strongest area for improvement.
  • The plan was briefed that there would only be one Company pickup.
  • Company would need 4 airframes for both the insertion and pickup. That task was not carried out, creating confusion on the pickup.
  • Ground personnel need to have their chalks set prior to calling in the request, so when landing occurs airframes aren't stranded on the deck.
  • In the event loading is delayed the flight leader need to be empowered to conduct go arounds so that the airframes don't sit on the deck.
• SOSRA
  • The company is competent at obscuring and assaulting. This was demonstrated on OBJ 1 and again at a choke point in OBJ 2.
  • The company can improve on reducing and suppressing obstacles on a more consistent basis.

Operational Execution

• Phase 1
  • The company has quickly improved from the first operation in the campaign to this operation. Units were equipped, organized, and ready to step off prior to the given timeline. They overcame some technical difficulties with leadership connectivity. Stand in PIONEER-5 demonstrated their ability to adapt to the situation and prevent it from negatively impacting mission goals.
• Phase 2
  • The objective was in the open on the far side of a military crest with multiple patrols. The platoon did establish the best possible SBF position with the given terrain, but they skylined themselves toward the OBJ prior to being ready to assault.
    • A leaders' recon would have been appropriate to establish the objective and set each elements approach prior to committing to the assault.
  • The Objective was cleared. Issues with objects set as destructible not detonating, and issues with the AI constantly popping flares in low light settings.
• Phase 3
  • Movement off OBJ 1 was clunky with the platoon split on two sides of a gradual ridge with enough distance between elements that mutual support would have been difficult.
  • The transition from Phase 3 to Phase 4 should have had Company intervention and direction
• Phase 4
  • OBJ 2 was urban terrain with multiple choke points and difficult security concerns.
  • As the Company Commander I should have recognized the challenge the platoon had and given a clear execution plan to accomplish the objective. It was left up to the platoon's prerogative, and that was a failure on the Company Commander. This made the objective very clunky that built confusion within the elements.
  • This also gave the appearance of freedom of movement for attached elements. That was not the intent. This resulted in the attached element moving into a pre-called CAS fire mission. The lack of communication from the element to higher and CTAB not functioning between Warhorse units and Archangel units made it impossible for CHAOS to call off the strikes.
• Phase 5
  • Notes are covered in the Training Goals key take aways for pickup.

Action Items/Notes:

• Company Staff to provide more direction when attached elements aren't integrated.
• Company Staff issue real-time direction when the platoon and attachments become bogged down without micromanaging leadership.
• Company Staff should facilitate a meeting with attachments and infantry platoon.
• Company Staff should ask questions during the brief to ensure clarity of intent and concept of operations.
• Lots of issue with AI control and movement. Testing on settings post updates needs to be done.
• Several examples of outstanding performance of individual troopers and small unit leaders throughout the operation.

 

[Weather.J]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT
​

Element Callsign: Pioneer-7 / Helios-2
Element Leader:
Corporal Weather.J
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Corporal Weather.J
Corporal Winters.R
Staff Sergeant McAllen.J
Corporal Johnsen.M
Corporal Yota.G

Pros:

• Great local chat etiquette on Buffalo 3 (Pioneer-4)
• The formation flying in look great on the map
• Only 2 MASCAS
• Medical members were able to fully integrate into the squads

Cons:

• When Medics are intricate into the squads there is no need for the CLS role. SL needs to be better on tasking for the BRFL role like getting more ammo or AT.
• Seems to be lack of situational awareness
• The contact seemed sporadic and did not feel like a company +element we were fighting.
• No need to forgo when an plan was made beforehand. This caused some confusion at the start of the operation.

 

[Spice.M]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT
​

Element Callsign: Buffalo - 1 / Flight Lead

Element Leader:
Corporal Spice, Marvin

7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:

Warrant Officer 1 Coner, Jesse
Warrant Officer 1 Bloggins, Roy
Corporal Spice, Marvin
Specialist Jonez, Matt
Specialist Sawyer, Huley
Specialist Studs, Jack

Pros:

• Fun Operation
• Enjoyed the Split Operations after insert
• Good Formation
• Good Comms
• Chill Flight Operations
• Good amount of workload
• Good Missions
• Challenging
• Rotation of Pilot's to ease workload off a single crew

Cons:

• Hard to understand what the status of the Operation was at the end
• Rotor Strike in a tight LZ
• NVG with Map issues
• Need pads for every bird in use
• Four airframes held in AO while pick-up was happening and it created a risk
• NVG's with CAS is really difficult
• Pilots need to ensure that the Airframe is fully off before stepping out, causing a Rotor Strike on base
• Need to load another Airframe with supplies in case of loss of Airframe

 

[Bolte.D]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT​

Element Callsign: Helios-1
Element Leader: Sergeant Bolte.D
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Private First Class Boyle.M
Private Briggs.B
Corporal Flint.J
Private First Class Neubauer.P
Master Sergeant Mazinski.H

Pros:

• Had the numbers to split into Alpha Bravo teams to oversee the PLT and the needs for Helios FM and also our demolition tasking.
• Secured 1x POW
• Great squad work and communication. Distribution of work all around felt even and good timing for request.
• Took the chance to act as a security and blocking element to secure PLT movement through the town.

Cons:

• The call for fires didn't seem to be utilized because of mod issues leading to element leads not being in game on time to help coordinate and plan net to be utilized and how to go about the calls.
• Light work outside objective one and even then objective one was just 1x radar and 1x AA vehicle.
• Integration seemed to be on the OPORD/WARNO but just didn't get utilized that way.
• OPORD left Helios off the planning for boarding plan.
• Tried taking initiative to help PLT clear town by adding pressure from the South and screen for QRF that was reported as 50 pax accounted coming from South West MSR into Seahaven. Was called back saying it was intervening with the PLT movement marked on map, but PLT movement was never marked nor indicated the direction in to which was to be cleared.
• Typhoon took advantage across the river and put accurate suppression onto Bravo team operating Mortars to pin them down since the PLT was moving East to West which thus gave LOS onto PLT movement.
• Felt very sloppy and uncharacteristic of our capabilities to the mission leading to lots of uncertainty as far as tasking and mission achievement and end goal state.
• Birds flew in under accurate bracketing IDF to final PZ and not waved off or relocated to alternative PZ to break contact.
• Warhorse faction breaks the ability to simply place arsenal resupply pack on the ground unlike the Helios faction.
• Danger close within 25M of friendlies of a type 3 gun run by Raven.
• C4 blocks weren't sticking to placement on top of entities thus making them hover in the air off the object being destroyed.

 

[Howe.T]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT
​

Element Callsign: Pionner-3
Element Leader:
Sergeant Howe.T
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Private First Class Gonzalez.J
Private First Class Helton.S
Corporal Fougere.J
Specialist McKinley.K
Corporal Grey.T
Corporal Chisum.J
Corporal Brown.G
Specialist Whaley.H
Private Chandler.A

Pros:

• Intersquad communication was top notch. Both Alpha and Bravo provided amazing work and completed tasks efficient and effectively.
• Squad to squad communication was clear and assistance / support was not asked but given when needed.
• Having a CLS / Medical support was critical to keep Pioneer 3 moving.
• Pioneer 3 not once had another squad or element mingled in or step on top of each other.

Cons:

• Miscommunication and "frago" caused confusion on movement.
• Engagement of enemy personal over top of another squad and additionally of danger close 203 without communication to said squad on objective.
• Contact was light and sporadic at times. One particular incidence P3 was less than 15m from one contact and was not engaged even with enemy contact staring right as us.

 

[Bosley.B]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT

​

Element Callsign: Pioneer-1
Element Leader:
Sergeant Bosley.B
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Corporal Harrel.R
Corporal Garrick.S
Specialist Juenemann.D
Private Lasso.J
Specialist Leon.J
Specialist Riley.K
Private First Class Hollywood.C
Staff Sergeant McAllen.J

Pros:

• Great intersquad comms, Good radio discipline as well as echoing orders ​
• Near perfect CQB when tasked with clearing the buildings on the second objective​
• Good spacing ​
• Great fireteam lead initiative as a SL I didn't have to worry about micromanaging my fireteams and could focus on putting us into the most advantageous positions to achieve the overall mission goal.​
• All troopers had fun ​
• Only took one Red tag the entire operation​
• During phase 4, pioneer 1 was tasked with holding security on the western side of the town and when Pioneer 4 experienced a MASCAS. Pioneer 1 assumed they're blocking position to allow Pioneer 7 to aid all injured troopers as well as eliminate multiple enemy foot soldiers as well as enemy armor and vehicles, which would've more than likely would have caused a MASCAS to Pioneer 3 if they were able to cross the bridge. Which would have caused the entire mission to stagnate. The initiative and and composure from the entire squad was something truly remarkable ​

Cons

• Pioneer 1's tasking seemed a bit disjointed from what was written in the opord as well as the warnord to what was actually executed, caused for confusion for myself as well as my team leads.
• Alot of "Frago" especially on the first OBJ when we were supposed to be the assaulting element and then got changed to SBF then back to assault and back to SBF and then back again to assault in a matter of 10 mikes. Confusion on the fact that in the opord we were supposed to be the tip of the spear on movement to contact but were then changed on the fly to be the 3rd element into the OBJ
• Map markers felt very clustered and cumbersome, I know they were there for fire missions and CAS but would be beneficial for troopers and team leads if there was a way we could hide what they don't need to see so they don't become overwhelmed with the number of markers and get confused or lose sight of their main OBJ
• Keeping comms more minimal when in the airspace to keep from distracting the pilots

 

[Giordano.C]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT
​

Element Callsign: Pioneer - 5
Element Leader: Sergeant Giordano.C
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:

Pros:

• Was honored to receive the call to take on the PSG roll in a Company FTX.
• Major appreciation for all the leadership and troopers reacting positively to any commands from Phase 1 to Phase 3 that was given by myself
• Worked well with aviation assets for reinsert and resupply with rolling and tight LZ/PZs
• ACE reports sent up mostly before needing to be asked for
• Individual leadership across maneuver and support elements was at an all-time high and was a significant factor in the overall success of the objective
• Secured and handed off 2x POW's

Cons:

• Regardless of the last-minute decision, preparation for the FTX on my end was poor and caused some levels of confusion down to the trooper level based on in game decisions from myself.
• Disassociated personally from the main effort's multiple times throughout the night.
• Movement to Phase 2 (OBJ Isaac), was indeed a bit sloppy and "rushed" by my decision making. Multiple maneuvers teams making contact early, often, and sporadically gave me the thought that we were dealing with a larger enemy patrol count than there actually was. For clarification, due to the early contact within 100m of LZ, the decision to drop the Raid setup was to take the initiative and push through with the loss of the element of surprise. Essentially moving into a platoon assault and willingly giving up the northern security. A leader's recon would have been a major asset to perform to possibly prevent the MASCAS on P-4, however the early contact heightened the risks of being stationary.

 

[Reddick.A]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT
​

Element Callsign: Pioneer - 5
Element Leader: Sergeant Reddick.A
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Second Lieutenant Mackey.A
Corporal Masnec.G
Corporal Lamb.J
Specialist Pepper.A
Specialist Dellow.J
Specialist Facklam.E

Pros:

• Excellent communication throughout the operation between SLs and PL/PSG.
• During MASCAS events, section troopers adapted exceptionally well when separated, successfully linking up with other sections to maintain momentum and stay in the fight.
• The initial drop-off at the LZ was textbook.

Cons:

• Pioneer 4 suffered an initial MASCAS event at the SBF position overlooking OBJ Isaac. While attempting to dig in upon arrival, enemy elements compromised the position and opened fire, forcing the section to initiate the SBF prematurely from an exposed location with minimal cover.
• A second MASCAS event occurred when Pioneer 4 moved to establish a blocking position near Water Mill Cafe. This was caused by a miscommunication regarding the southern sector of OBJ Albert, which I incorrectly understood to have been cleared by Pioneer 1 and Pioneer 3 elements.(Having a 7 integrated directly within the section during both MASCAS events was vital to maintaining combat effectiveness.)
• After securing OBJ Albert and moving to the PZ, Buffalo 3 remained on the deck for several minutes, exposing the aircraft and personnel as a stationary target.

 

[Rutkowski.P]

S1 Locked.

 

[Carr.W]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
ALPHA COMPANY 1-7
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT
​

Element Callsign: Pioneer-6
Element Leader: Second Lieutenant Carr.W
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element: None.

Mission outcome: Success.
Training outcome: mixed.

Intent: Conduct an air assault to seize the town of Seahaven in order to prepare for follow on operations on the island.

Phase 1: insert via air
Phase 2: Raid enemy anti aircraft emlacement
Phase 3: Movement to contact to the south side of Seahaven
Phase 4: Clear Seahaven
Phase 5: Consolidate and move to new ORP via air

Actuals:

Phase 1: our PSG was unable to attend and SGT.Giordano answered the call to take Pioneer 5. At step off, I was unable to connect to the server for 15 minutes. Giordano assumed command of Pioneer and led the staging and step off successfully, pioneer was airborne ahead of schedule. The landing went off well. Movement to ORP was successful.

Phase 2: With me still out of the game, Giordano began to emplace the three raid elements. Unfortunately pioneer 4 (white team SBF) Was seen skylining and suffered a mass casualty. Giordano did his best to re task elements to support Pioneer-4s weakened position. Some back and forth with tasking led to some confusion by the squads. I was able to insert with a fireteam of Pioneer-4 and we made our way to the SBF position. Pioneer was able to reduce the enemy and assault through the objective. Det was set by Helios-1A and on my approval over radio was fired.

5 set up a hasty LZ on the objective, and we attempted to consolidate, but the enemy was already coming at us from the west with QRF. With Pioener split up over 400 meters, I designated a link up point to the north (more accurately a rally point) which all elements then headed towards under continual enemy pressure.

Phase 3: Movement to Contact. Once security had been marginally set at the LU, I sent the squads towards Seahaven. The order of march was FRAGOed I believe due to current positioning observed on the common operational picture. This frago may have done more harm than good as squad leaders were anticipating certain tasking during this phase which changed.

2LT Mobius was with me at this point and able to run CAS tasking on several reported threats, including an enemy Typhoon to the north east, on the path towards eastern Seahaven.

While difficult, the movement was made, and Pioneer reached Holiday Park and proceeded to clear it. Detonation targets were identified and Helios-1A was assigned them. After clearing holiday park, enemy began emerging from Seahaven proper to the west, including several technicals and 12-20 dismounts. We began addressing that direction and I tasked Pioneer 3 with moving to an assault position in the north east with Pioneer 1 as a base of fire in the center intersection. Pioneer 4 remained near Holiday park with a vantage on northern Seahaven.

Phase 4: Clear Seahaven. Contact was heavy from the town. Pioneer 3 began their assault from north east to south west along the south half of seahaven (south of the river). They had to clear from house to house. Pioneer 1 kept their foothold in the center intersection but dealt with a lot of contact. Pioneer 4 came in to support them. At some point Helios 1A moved to the south west of the town and set up an indirect fire position (transitioning to Helios 1B tasking). They took heavy contact and were forced to move into the town into a sector that had not been cleared and was at the business end of Pioneer 1 and Pioneer 3. Helios holed up in a house.

Once Pioneer 3 made it to Pioneer 1 and 4's position, they worked their way behind them while pioneer 4 moved north to secure the bridge to the far side of the objective. Pioneer 3 continued to clear south west.

Finally, we were ready to move to the north side of Seahaven. Helios moved to a security positon to the west of Seahaven over a footbridge that they identified. Pioneer 3 and 1 Bounded across the bridge to the north side of OBJ. Pioneer 3 cleared north and Pioneer 1 held the bridgehead. Once Pioneer 3 was complete, they and Pioneer 1 cleared north east to the final quadrant of the objective, with Pioneer 4 in support from the south.

Phase 5: Consolidation. The pickup call was made. The pac count was sent over the radio. However, rather than 4 birds, only 3 birds arrived. As a result, while chalk 1 and chalk 2 were able to lift within 30 seconds, the birds ended up coming back around in order to fill the gunner and cries chief seats for the packs still on the ground. While I was on 61, I did not understand what was happening, and despite my efforts to get the birds waved off, they sat on the deck for 2-4 minutes until all packs (but myself) were finally lifted. A 4th bird appeared and grabbed me.

We then lifted to the follow on ORP.

Sustains:

SGT Giordano displayed extreme excellence in taking on not only the PSG role with no notice but the PL role for the first two phases of the mission.
Pioneer maneuver elements displayed innovation and aggression in achieving objectives given to them, despite the frago-ed nature.
Squads communicated with each other well, and provided mutual support whenever possible.


Improves/action items:

Prioritize leaders recon (even though it takes time)
Have better accountability for leadership elements prior to FTX (will you attend, will you not attend?)
Return to form of last FTX with early planning and early meetings between platoon leaders, element leaders. It just makes it so much better.
Airframes only take troopers in passenger seats. 11 pax maximum in a Blackhawk. 39 pax pickup request means 4 Blackhawks (44 seats) not 3 Blackhawks (33 seats plus 6 crew seats)
Airframes "go around" when called by a chalk leader, ground tactical commander (6), 5, etc. help us help you.

Thank you to company for the mission and the GM tasking.

Carr
2LT

 

[Kenton.W]

S1 Operations Processed.