The 101st Airborne Division is wrapping up a two week training simulation for its headquarters staff. The exercise is the final preparation before deployments to Afghanistan later this year and involves forces from each of the services and at least seven countries.
In a windowless room, more than 50 military officers and civilians wear headsets as they stare into multiple computer monitors. Here they create scenarios like an Afghan child who is killed when he runs in front of a U.S. led convoy. At another site, the commanding generals must decide how to respond.
Jim Derdall is the one in charge of pulling the strings behind the curtain.
“We got to think like Afghans. We got to think like insurgents. We got to think like Taliban. We got to think like cross the border partners. We got to think like the international community. We got to think like everybody, everywhere, all around.”
As part of the exercise, 80 military officers representing other nations are at Fort Campbell, including leaders from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Also training on the post are leaders of brigades from France and Poland which will be under the 101st Airborne’s command.
Computer battle simulations played out this week are focused on building trust in the Afghan government.
The 101st headquarters last deployed to Afghanistan in 2008. At the time, Lt. Col. Daniel Morgan, the division’s chief of operations, says rooting out bad actors wasn’t the priority it is now.
“We’re looking at a lot more corruption and trying to eliminate the corruption in the district level and provincial levels as well, so we’re trying to identify those in the simulations.”
The scenarios testing the division’s readiness this week also include corruption within the Afghan army itself. Morgan says confidence in the government and military will be a key benchmark for measuring success in Afghanistan.
The headquarters exercise at Fort Campbell has brought in more than a thousand outside military and government officials. They come from the State Department, FBI, and DEA and will work with the 101st Airborne on the ground in Afghanistan.
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