As part of the Border Defense Corps’ NCO courses, future squad commanders are joining the completion cadets – who are also in the final stretch of their training. Together, they undergo the SKM – the Combined Combat Series.
This involves two weeks packed with training, exams, and drills on all the material they learned during the course, under the battalions – and in our case, Bardelas and Caracal. At the end, they conduct a concluding exercise where all the elements they learned are put into practice together.
In this exercise, the cadets act as platoon commanders, and the NCO course trainees act as commanders. “This is the first time they are operating as full-fledged commanders,” emphasizes the company commander of the course, Major S. “This is the main exercise for both trainings, where they train in open and built-up areas, even under live fire.”
The male and female combat soldiers encountered a variety of capabilities, some familiar and others new. The main takeaway from the SKM is the perspective from which they approach a situation: as commanders, they must understand the missions in depth, be aware of all their implications, lead soldiers behind them, and make decisions in the field – however difficult they may be.
“We practiced combat in orchards, within settlements, and alongside the civilian population, capturing positions, and moving from open to built-up terrain,” describes the company commander. “We emphasized cooperation with additional forces, such as a tank crew that participated in the exercise.”
The climax of the event, as mentioned, came at the end – with a day and night exercise that concluded both trainings: “The combat soldiers received intelligence about terrorists in a village in the area, which was simulated by ‘Little Gaza.’ They were divided into teams, each responsible for a different area they had to hold. Subsequently, they conducted a systematic combat procedure, communicated with us regarding threats, and continued to patrol – all night long. The exercise included three phases: capture, defense, and raid.”
In the first phase, the soldiers had to take control of a critical sector from the terrorists. As part of the defense maneuver, they divided the force into two, practicing control efforts and holding the village – meaning, a response situation and readiness. On the other side: patrols around the village, and its final clearing.
In the third and final phase, the raid, the forces received targets for attack outside and around the village, which they had to capture. In this phase, they were also tested on their ability to quickly transition from a defensive posture to an offensive one.
At the end of the night exercise, they left ‘Little Gaza,’ but the summary was not yet complete. “There, in the desert terrain of Tze’elim, we placed great emphasis on simulating the enemy, using means that mimicked the real scenario – whether in the various facilities, or in the precision and detail of the scenarios,” shares Sergeant D., who recently completed his NCO training in Bardelas.
Here too, the scenario involved terrorists escaping and establishing themselves in a village in the sector. “Their role was to capture the place and clear it,” describes Major S., but this time, it was more complex: “The trainees barely knew where they were going and didn’t receive much prior information. When they arrived, they set up observation and began searches and patrols.”
This time, the role of the female tank crews was to provide fire support for the forces and help them advance along axes. “The trainees managed the communication themselves, directing them according to their operational needs. Thus, they also improved their ability to work in cooperation with additional forces side-by-side, not just infantry.”
“With the tanks’ fire support, we were able to quickly capture the first objective. And divided into squads, we covered each other – allowing us to hold more objectives,” he recalls. They continued in this manner to the next stages. “There was one moment that required precise synchronization from us. The adjacent squad finished their fire support, and we immediately had to move, take positions, and cover them – so they could link up with us. These were critical seconds of high coordination.”
“I entered this exercise a bit stressed,” admits the new NCO. “It was the first time I commanded soldiers, and the precision over these two days really made me feel like I was in a real event. The facility looked realistic, and the fact that we fought together with tanks, under live fire, and in the exact terrain – made the experience very challenging. However, I quickly gained confidence, felt ‘in the zone,’ and now I am ready to receive my soldiers.”