July 05, 2024

Army Special Operations Insights: Training for Large Scale Combat at NTC Pt 1 (Ep. 1)

30 minutes

In this debut episode of Off the Radar the Special Operations Training Detachment podcast. We discuss the value proposition of Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) training Large Scale Conflict Operations (LSCO) in support of Conventional Forces.

CPT Weston Rich interviews MSG Steven Connor to discuss how training at the National Training Center (NTC) and other Combat Training Centers (CTCs) prepares ARSOF units for LSCO and for operations across the full spectrum of operations.

About the Host:

CPT Weston Rich is a member of SOF Plans at the NTC and former member of Burro Team, the Special Operations Training Detachment OC/T Team at NTC. Prior to his time at NTC, Weston served as a Detachment Commander with 1st SFG (A) and as an Infantry Officer with 3-509th IN (ABN)/4/25 ID (now part of 2/11 ABN DIV). Following his time at NTC, Weston will attend Carnegie Mellon University with a follow-on assignment to Army Futures Command.

Topics covered during this episode:

-Is ARSOF prepared for the next conflict?

-How does ARSOF train for the next conflict?

-Describe what a NTC is/isn’t.

-Role of an observer, coach, trainer.

-Describe key differences and similarities between LSCO and COIN.

-What can ARSOF get at NTC they can’t get elsewhere?

There is no other training environment that has this dynamic, challenging, and near real-world as the National Training Center.

In the next episode we will take a deeper look at incorporating real world lessons learned from current conflicts, success at NTC, and more.

Please like, subscribe, comment and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at [email protected].

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds