Stepping Into the Unknown

by Pete Smith

Whispers of a new unit

I first started hearing about SFABs in 2017 from a friend who was involved in standing up 1^st SFAB. Through staff and company command time at Ft Carson, I continued to hear about SFABs, especially with 4^th SFAB standing up and working with Logistics Advising Teams during my unit’s field training exercises. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to look following logistics company command and received a recruiting email from (then) LTC Jeremiah O’Conner (6^th BN, 5^th SFAB) about standing up and serving in 5^th SFAB. In January 2020, for family reasons, I decided to interview and look more into this opportunity. After an initial discussion with LTC O’Conner, he said that (then) LTC Dave Rowland, the 1^st Battalion, 5^th SFAB (known as Tiger Battalion) commander, might reach out to me for a follow up interview. I was thinking that I’d hear from him within a few days, but in a matter of hours, my phone rang and LTC Rowland asked if I wanted to conduct the interview right then. At this time there was still discussion of a CENTCOM deployment, but also discussion of regional alignment to the Indo-Pacific region. Despite the uncertainty, I decided to accept the job offer as the plank holder S4 in Tiger Battalion, as we came to be known. I finished my company command and began navigating a PCS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Into the fray

I arrived to JBLM in the middle of June 2020 as Tiger Battalion was preparing to deploy to Thailand on our first advising mission west of the International Date Line (IDL).  It was a huge deal to be the first SFAB unit to deploy into the Pacific. One of the first people I met was (then) MAJ Scott Orr. He quickly put me in touch with his old Special Forces Battalion S4 who was able to give me a crash course on contracting in Thailand. Working on critical life support contracts was a paradigm shift for me as there was not much resident knowledge in 5^th SFAB and the unit was relying on me to have everything in the sustainment warfighting function handled.

 The Thailand mission went off as smoothly as can be said for operating in a COVID-19 environment. I worked very closely with the 11^th Infantry Division (Royal Thai Army) Deputy G4 to coordinate lodging and catering. About halfway through the trip, I had the opportunity to sit with the Logistics Advising Team, the G4 team, and members of the support unit to discuss sustainment of their newly fielded Strykers. This was rewarding to be able to help an ally in the region employ a new capability. The experience set me up with AAR comments as we prepared for a six-month INDOPACIFIC rotation in 2021.

The Full Meal Deal

Preparing for Force Package (FP) 21-1, when the entire battalion plus six other engineer, artillery, and logistics SFAB teams from across the brigade joined us, was again a paradigm shift. The brigade rapidly transitioned from fielding equipment, to activation, to field training culminating at a JRTC rotation in November 2021. Meanwhile, Tiger Battalion was doing all this and preparing for the inaugural deployment into the Pacific. LTC Rowland helped the organization by providing benchmarks for success, even if that was just “staying above the line of embarrassment”. We quickly found out that many tasks that needed to be done were not done or were behind the power curve.

My paradigm continued to shift and expand as we looked at contracting and operational funds in 11 different countries, as well as budgeting and funding to complete the partnered activities the teams were planning for. FP 21-1 also taught me some operational and strategic level lessons about military aircraft priority. Due to the COVID environment, many other exercises and engagements in the Indo-Pacific were scaled back. This meant that there was money and resources to pay for military aircraft. It wasn’t until later during my time in 5^th SFAB that I realized the competitive process to get priority or even space on a military aircraft. I also learned about the detailed planning that goes into contracting and was exposed to the 413^th Contracting Support Brigade’s mission as the theater contracting command.

The battalion headquarters conducted Mission Command out of Mongolia due to limited access elsewhere. I enjoyed the opportunity to observe training and work with the Mongolian Armed Forces to ensure successful training for our Advisors. The headquarters was able to have fun despite being generally confined to the hotel. Some of my fellow staff captains were pranksters. The most memorable time was when they convinced my that I was persona non grata after a misunderstanding I had with one of the Mongolian officers. I was waiting “to talk to (now) COL Rowland” when they jumped out from behind a wall. It was all good fun and COL Rowland even checked in with me after the fact and encouraged me to find a way to prank them back. I was never able to.

Return, Retrain, and Right back out!

After FP 21-1, we entered another training cycle, including a rotation to NTC with 3^rd SFAB to test interoperability between the SFABs. Preparing for FP 22-2 was a lot smoother than the first time around. There was some organizational knowledge, further planning horizons, and integration from brigade staff to help guide planning efforts. For me, FP 22-2 was a lot of the same topics and a chance to refine TTPs and pass off knowledge. The battalion headquarters conducted mission command out of Camp Zama, Japan which gave us better access to our higher headquarters.

The highlight of FP 22-2 was the opportunity to attend Exercise Bersama Warrior with the Malaysian Joint Force Headquarters. This exercise was both joint and combined and afforded me the opportunity to see how some of the joint partners conduct planning and operations. I worked in the Combined Logistics Cell (C4) with officers and NCOs from the Malaysian Army, 8^th TSC, and the Washington Army National Guard. I also had the opportunity to plan with Marines, Air Force, and Navy from both the US and Malaysian Armed Forces. I enjoyed learning the Malaysian perspective and considerations on multinational operations, humanitarian assistance, and supporting combat operations. As an amateur foodie, I enjoyed an open-air seafood market with my Malaysian counterpart. We had the opportunity to select our own fish and then it was prepared for us on the spot.

Uncertainty turns into Experience

Throughout my time in 5^th SFAB, I dealt with a lot of uncertainty, but it was ultimately the most broadening and enlightening assignment that I’ve had so far. My tour with 5^th SFAB gave me opportunities to travel around the Indo-Pacific region and be part of an organization that is affecting the geopolitical climate. I was honored to work with some of the best leaders I’ve had and many talented peers in Tiger Battalion. I strongly recommend service in the SFAB to gain operational experience and contribute to a meaningful mission beyond just readiness.