x
Breaking News
More () »

National Guard’s 28th Division trains for NATO crisis

The Pennsylvania National Guard held a NATO-sponsored training in Harrisburg Sunday. It’s part of a multi-national exercise, and next month, the soldiers ...
28division

The Pennsylvania National Guard held a NATO-sponsored training in Harrisburg Sunday. It’s part of a multi-national exercise, and next month, the soldiers will travel to France to connect with other NATO allied soldiers.

The training is held at the 28th Infantry Division headquarters in Harrisburg. It’s about planning from all angles in a NATO crisis – in this case, when one nation invades another.

Officers say it’s even more significant with recent events in Ukraine.

“One of the skills that they’re trying to learn is to be able to visualize ourselves, and our units, visualize what we think the enemy is doing,” says Major Andrew O’Connor. “And then visualize the terrain that all that is happening on.”

All of the countries in the exercise are fictional, but the terrain and other details are based on East Africa. Soldiers each focus on different aspects of the crisis and present their plans for managing it, and moving forces on the ground. They use a “sand table” with markers for the enemy and friendly forces, almost like a game of Risk.

Next month, the soldiers will participate in a computer simulation of the battle when they are in France.

“This is one of the first exercises on a large scale that the United States’ Army has done with the French since they came back into NATO,” in 2009, O’Connor says.

“This is significant because we’re working with NATO allies, we are the only US contingent to participate in this exercise,” says Major Cory Angell.

Before You Leave, Check This Out