YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER, Wash. — The Raven Focus training exercise, currently ongoing at the Yakima Training Center, is designed to transition the 81st Stryker Brigade into a mobile brigade combat team, as stated by Lt. Col. Nathan Davis, commander of the 1-357th Brigade Support Battalion located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
“We are here in support of Raven Focus which is a brigade annual training exercise for the 81st Stryker Brigade, based in Seattle, Washington,” said Davis.
With over 2,200 Soldiers participating, the exercise focuses on enhancing the brigade’s capabilities to respond to near-peer threats and adapt its tactics in an evolving combat landscape.
Staff Sgt. Dalton Pullum, a mortarman with the 1-161st Stryker Brigade from Spokane, emphasized the relevance of training methods refined during the exercise. “I think this is good training in preparation for near peer fighting,’ he remarked. “It’s been great having the night vision, thermal imaging and artillery units train against the counter battery. The war in Ukraine has highlighted the importance of mobility and adaptability in combat, which we are integrating into our tactics right now.”
The Army’s ongoing transformation aims to deliver trained, cohesive, and lethal combat teams prepared to meet future challenges, particularly those found in complex operational environments.
Capt. Paul Martin, an observer coach trainer with the 189th Combined Arms Training Brigade, noted the significance of the training being conducted. “The Soldiers are here conducting battle drills while being observed and advised by the 85th U.S. Army Reserve Support Command’s OC/Ts, who provide valuable feedback to improve their performance during missions,” Martin explained.
The exercise included participation from all three Army components—active duty, National Guard, and Reserve—demonstrating a comprehensive training approach. Soldiers engaged in various scenarios, including a mass casualty exercise at Badger Gap, which allowed medical personnel to practice essential skills in a simulated combat environment.
In this scenario, Soldiers were tasked with effectively triaging casualties. According to Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Trejo, a combat medic with the 189th CATB, managing such situations is critical. “They sort mass casualties in order of precedence. Who must go in first for care and who has the best chance of survival. We have seen a lot of multi-system injuries,
“Lots of bleeding and amputations due to an explosion. These casualties would be evacuated to the next level of care.”
Providing essential direct patient care was Lt. Col. Sean Guevara, a field surgeon with the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team. “I’m a pediatrician in civilian life in the tri-city area, but I’m also trained in advanced trauma lifesaving. Our mission here in role 2 medical care is to stabilize the patients’ injuries, return them to duty, or evacuate them to a higher level of care,” Guevara explained, drawing upon his previous deployment experiences in Iraq and Poland.
The logistics of the exercise also involved extensive vehicle recovery operations. Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Shaffer, maintenance motor sergeant of the 1-356th Logistics Support Battalion at JBLM, pointed out the urgency of these operations. “It’s important we get there quickly because of the size of the training area. If you break down 15 or 20 miles out, a Soldier could be in the heat for a long time,”
Shaffer reflects on his vast experience, having served 20 years of active duty and in the U.S. Army Reserve, including three combat deployments with the 25th Infantry Division. He expressed a commitment to mentorship, stating, “I feel like I have experience that can help the next generation of Soldiers succeed.”
The Raven Focus training exercise exemplifies the Army’s commitment to readiness, adapting techniques and methodologies to prepare Soldiers for the complexities of modern warfare while fostering collaboration among different Army components.
This comprehensive training environment at Yakima is essential, as Soldiers hone their skills and prepare to face future challenges collectively.
image source from：army
