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First IBCT may be ready in December

by Ann Zeterstrom

FORT LEWIS, Wash. (Army News Service, March 6, 2001) -- Fort Lewis, the place the Army chief of staff calls the 'Cradle of Transformation' may be watching its first Initial Brigade Combat Team take its first steps sooner than expected.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki announced in a press conference Feb. 21, that 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, may be operationally ready minus one battalion in December.

"We think by Dec. 2, we will have had the IBCT -- two battalions, less the third, operationally tested," Shinseki said. "We will have a good feel about the formal (Initial Operation Capabilities) in May, but we will have pretty good confidence in our capabilities by December."

December isn't soon enough.

Army officials have said on numerous occasions that if an IBCT were operationally capable after the events on Sept. 11 it would have been one of the first on the ground in Afghanistan.

"9-11 has raised the additional interest in us looking into ways to accelerate the transformation process," Shinseki said. "I am not sure what those opportunities are, but we continue to press."

Although December is the goal for the IBCT the decision will not be made hastily.

There are a number of conditions that have to be met before the unit can be certified IOC," said Lt. Col. Mick Nicholson, a strategist on Shinseki's staff.

"The vehicle has to be certified and the brigade has to be evaluated by the [Forces Command] commander," he said.

Nicholson explained that a vehicle certification process normally takes years, but since several military forces have already fielded the basic platform, the time is compressed.

The first external demonstration of the IBCT's capabilities will be Millennium Challenge 2002 at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., an experiment to test concepts and refine emerging doctrine, officials said. It will also allow the military to better focus its efforts on developing the Objective Force.

"This is an important event for Transformation," Nicholson said. "The Army has been transforming for two years. This gives us a chance to showcase the IBCT in the joint arena and experiment with other forces."

The XVIII Airborne Corps will act as the Joint Task Force in the experiment with the 82nd Airborne Division as the Army Component Command. The IBCT will act as an early entry force.

Experiment officials say that lessons learned during MC '02 will help the Army more effectively and efficiently work with the other services.

Transformation is not an option, rather a necessity for the Army being able to function as an equal partner in the joint force of tomorrow.

(Editor's note: Ann Zeterstrom is a member of the Transformation Public Affairs Office, Fort Lewis, Wash.)