CDT Mulholland travels to Fort Bragg, NC for CTLT training

August 20, 2014

From July 10 to August 1, I attended Cadet Troop Leadership Training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  My sponsor, LT Giancarlo Simmons, was an assistant squadron fire support officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1^st Battalion, 319^th Field Artillery Regiment.  LT Simmons, along with the other fire supporters assigned to HHB, 1/319, supported 5^th squadron of the 73^rd cavalry regiment.  Our unit was in the 82^nd Airborne Division’s 3^rd Brigade Combat Team.

I enjoyed my time at CTLT, and feel it was very effective training.  I had the opportunity, on a daily basis, to see the work environment inside the Headquarters Battery.  This gave me insight into what day-to-day life was like in garrison, in the Army.  It involved,
for LT Simmons, significant effort spent towards developing concepts of the operation for future training events.  I was able to sit-in on two training meetings, one at the squadron level, and one at the battery level.  Both were insightful.
During my time with 1/319, my sponsor jumped twice.  I was able to watch all of the preparation that goes into airborne operations.  The first of the two jumps involved a follow-on mission conducted by Bravo Troop, 5/73 cavalry.  I was able to shadow a platoon leader in bravo troop for the mission, which I greatly enjoyed.

The platoon’s mission was an area reconnaissance.  The platoon took contact about one hour after crossing their line of departure, and subsequently executed a platoon attack.  It was great to watch how a real Army unit conducted such a mission.
I went with the fire supporters attached to Charlie Troop, 5/73 cavalry, on a two-day mortar call-for-fire FTX during my last week with the unit.  This was great, as it allowed me to observe fire support Soldiers call in fire missions for a mortar section.  I learned a great deal about how to call for fire, as well as about the technology used by fire supporters to facilitate more accurate fire missions.  I was trained on how to use a dagger GPS and a vector, and was familiarized with a LLDR.  Prior to this FTX, I had gone with my unit to the Forward Observer Training Simulator, and was able to call in simulated fire missions.  Thus, this FTX helped bridge what I had learned in the simulator to a real life situation.  I was also fortunate enough to hang about fifteen 60 mm mortar rounds.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have attended CTLT.  I think it is one of the best summer training programs provided by Cadet Command.  It gave me first-hand knowledge of what life is like as an active duty Army officer.  I was able to observe the dynamics of a real Army unit, and how 2^nd Lieutenants fit into that puzzle.  I would highly recommend applying for CTLT to all ML IIIs.