FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – U.S. Army National Guard, active component and Reserve Soldiers from across the country completed a field training exercise that tested their leadership, planning and small-unit tactics using a series of missions.
The Infantry Advanced Leader Course, conducted Feb. 2-3 at the 166th Regiment – Regional Training Institute, placed Soldiers in a series of progressive missions culminating in the isolation and planned capture of a high-value target. The fourth mission of the field training exercise, or FTX, focused on disabling enemy traffic control measures along a key corridor, further degrading the opposing force’s ability to maneuver.
“This mission, which is the fourth out of five, was to disable the traffic control that the enemy has throughout this corridor,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dan Stasny, an instructor for the 11B Advanced Leader Course. “We’ve been systematically eliminating all of the enemy’s advantages.”
Earlier missions targeted enemy communications, air defense capabilities and unmanned aircraft systems, allowing students to experience how deliberate planning and sequencing shape the battlefield. By the fourth mission, the notional enemy had been reduced to a small pocket of resistance surrounding a high-value target, setting conditions for the final operation.
“For most of these Soldiers, this is going to be the first time they’ve been given this much freedom,” said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Thompson, course manager. “During this FTX, we tell them their objective and their resources and let them plan and execute from there. Cadre will step in when needed, but ultimately, it’s up to the students to learn and grow from the decisions they make here.”
Despite harsh winter conditions, Stasny said the students maintained a strong mindset throughout the exercise.
“The students have kept up good attitudes, showing a lot of hustle and a lot of heart in cold temperatures with a foot or more of snow,” he said.
Students said the challenging conditions forced them to adapt quickly and rely on their planning and leadership skills.
“Because of the snow, our original plan wasn’t working the way we expected,” said Staff Sgt. Julian Glasser, a student in the course. “We had to make adjustments on the ground and move quickly to make sure the mission wasn’t compromised.”
As the exercise neared completion, instructors emphasized teamwork and an understanding of leadership responsibilities at higher echelons.
“We hope they continue to work as a team,” Stasny said. “We especially hope that they see how difficult life is for their platoon sergeants, platoon leaders and company commanders back in their units, and all the planning that goes into missions like these.”
Stasny noted that even short missions often require days of preparation, a lesson critical for Soldiers transitioning into leadership roles.
“It’s common for a one-hour mission on the objective to be three days’ worth of planning prior,” he said. “With that appreciation and this new knowledge, these Soldiers can go back to their units and be the bridge between their lower enlisted Soldiers and their superiors.”
The 11B Advanced Leader Course prepares infantry noncommissioned officers to lead teams and squads, sharpening tactical proficiency while reinforcing the leadership skills required at the platoon level.