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With any
military
mission,
there
are
those
who work
behind
the
scenes
to
ensure
servicemembers
are well
cared
for and
adequately
trained.
Army
Major
David
Williams
is one
such
officer
who has
served
during
Operation
Iraqi
Freedom.
Williams
deployed
to Iraq
in
February
2007 as
the
Multi-National
Corps-Iraq
plans
liaison
officer
and as a
3rd
Infantry
Division
planner.
He
worked
diligently
to not
only
support
U.S.
soldiers
but also
coalition
forces
serving
under
the 3rd
Infantry
Division.
The fact
that
this was
his
second
tour may
have
helped
prepare
him for
the
multiple
tests
that lay
ahead.
He
deployed
six
months
earlier
than
expected
and was
given
less
than a
week's
notice.
“I was
the
deputy
of the
original
team
responsible
for
establishing
the
Division's
headquarters
facility
and life
support
area at
Camp
Victory,”
explained
Williams.
“The
life
support
area was
basically
a camp
of
tents,
trailers,
bathrooms,
support
buildings,
etc. to
support
soldiers
in the
division.”
Soldiers
could
escape,
relax,
and
reenergize
for
short
moments
when
they
entered
the
support
stations
that
Williams
established.
Although
the
morale
of U.S.
soldiers
abroad
rely
heavily
upon
support
stations,
Williams
said his
actions
“benefited
the
coalition
soldiers
more
than the
soldiers
within
the 3rd
ID.” He
recognized
the
long-term
value of
strong
coalition
forces.
Thus, he
pushed
for
additional
safety
equipment
and
technology.
He also
requested
a Post
Exchange
and
other
mechanisms
to
support
the
coalition
soldiers. |
Shortly
following
his
efforts
at Camp
Victory,
he
became
the
director
for the
3rd
Georgian
Brigade's
Command
Post
Exercise,
a
training
exercise
with the
goal of
command
and
control
over
operations
during
mission
execution.
He
planned
and
conducted
the
first
Command
Post
Exercise
in a
former
Russia
Republic.
Being
the
pilot
planner
and
executer
for the
1st and
3rd
Georgian
Brigades'
exercise
was not
an easy
undertaking.
Nevertheless,
he
excelled
by also
setting
up
training
events
for El
Salvadorians,
Kazakhs,
and
Lithuanians.
His most
challenging
task was
“equipping
the
Republic
of
Georgia
Brigades
basically
from
scratch”
to
properly
prepare
them for
combat
in Iraq.
Williams
developed
Command
Post
Exercise
training
scenarios
that the
brigades
would
likely
encounter
as a
battle
space
owning
unit in
Wasit
Province.
His
knowledge
of the
ground
situation
and his
creativity
allowed
him to
develop
meaningful
and
realistic
events.
“I was
responsible
for
designing
their
training
in
Kuwait
and
their
rotation
into
Iraq,”
explained
Williams.
With any
mission
involving
multiple
countries,
planners
must
consider
the
language
factor.
“I
ensured
all
standard
operating
procedures,
report
formats,
and
policies
were
translated
in to
Georgian
to
facilitate
their
successful
integration
upon
arrival
in
Iraq.”
As part
of his
planning
role,
Williams
also
participated
in the
expansion
of
compounds
in two
provinces
–
Karbala
and
Najaf –
to help
facilitate
the
State
Department's
Provincial
Reconstruction
Team's
mission.
For his
multiple
roles
and
accomplishments,
Williams
was
awarded
the
Bronze
Star. |
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