Infantry Insider - Issue 1, Volume 12

[SGT (Ret) T. Cummings]

Infantry Insider - Issue 1, Volume 12

Global Defence News - Dateline 17th June, 2016

ENBODY AIRFIELD, Erzikistan - Personnel of the 506th IR are continuing their deployment plans of stabilising the country and rescuing former government officials from the Erzikistanian Republic.

“Mission-Specific” Operations are still the norm for the 506th IR, who are nearing the end of their second month of deployment in the region of Erzikistan.

Their 6 month long training cycle that has taken place in various terrain types through individual or combined Field Training Exercises (FTX) has brought them thus far into their current deployment. Their exercises evolved around combatting conventional forces in mobile warfare. Their tactics involved 'Overwhelming the enemy through superior firepower and high level coordination of mixed supporting assets, to allow infantry units to seize and hold ground'.


2 members of Delta Company, Aviation Element enjoy a brief break during an FTX

Aside from the good of it all, the lack of Asymmetrical Warfare preparation, during the 506th IR’s stand-down period before deployment, has had drastic effects on the deployment’s early stages. The post-Operation Red Hammer mindset continued on with the 506th IR, during the stand-down period, as well as with some US Military officials who became convinced that subsequent combat deployments would be similar to the Red Hammer combat style. This ideal has brought on criticism by global military officials with one official stating “The US military’s preparations to global conflicts are void of anything relating to irregular warfare and civilian well being. Their belief in large scale conventional engagements are of the past, the focus of today’s armies is that of mitigating hostile militants that burden global peace and stability”.


A squad of the 506th IR conduct site exploitation after a simulated FTX

'mainstreamed conventional classed warfare'

True is the fact that the lack of Counter Insurgency exercises conducted by the US Military has hampered early efforts in Erzikistan, and has allowed the militants to exploit it early on in the deployment. 'The lack of actual feasible preparation for this deployment has minimised their effectiveness on the battlefield early on'.

'The entirety of the 506th IR has lacked certain knowledge and understanding of dealing with Counter Insurgency from the beginning of their deployment. Operation Red Hammer was mainstreamed conventional classed warfare. Though the RPLA and Red Guard possessed technologically inferior equipment, their utilisation or combined arms assets such as motorised, mechanised, aviation and logistical units, mixed with higher level command and control allowed them to be a formidable force to be reckoned with on the battlefield'.

Though in spite of the recent shortcomings the 506th IR has noted that it is adapting to this change of warfare, and has been procuring documentation to help the soldiers to better understand their foes strengths and weaknesses. And how to combat them in an effective manner both in and out of engagements, through the effective use of humanitarian aid and assured local protection to alter the public's perception.

Olivia Brown - Global Defence News, Erzikistan

**This news report is a work of fiction to support the 506th ARMA gameplay**

[Heikinheimo]

Those must be some civilian contractor mechanics or some airfield staff, because i have never even seen a rotary aviator with a flight suit in delta company. We're rocking the multicam just like everyone else.