FORT CARSON, Colo. — 4th Infantry Division Soldiers just completed testing a new command post structure as part of the Army’s effort to modernize the division headquarters.
“Command Post Infrastructure Integration (CPI2) is the new command post for the division and it replaces the legacy tentage and all of the vehicles and large footprint that a division had before for their main command post,” said Maj. Jordan Funderburk, Plans Officer at the Ironhorse Division.
During the test, CPI2 systems are being evaluated on the time it takes for a division headquarters to emplace, displace, operate and move its command post to support unit missions.
The design of CPI2 enables a division headquarters to be scalable, modular, and agile while reducing the physical area required of tactical operations.
“The CPI2 system does drastically reduce the teardown of the equipment — the former being the large tent where everyone would congregate to one location,” said Maj. Christopher Sullivan, another 4th ID Plans Officer.
CPI2 equipment for a division headquarters come with two variants of workspace shelters, the Mission Command Platform (MCP) and the Command Post Support Vehicle (CPSV), mounted on the Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV).
The Ironhorse division headquarters conducted a series of tactical movements with the CPI2 equipment, requiring them to take the system out of operation, move to a new location, and re-establish operations.
“Getting these reps in [repetitions of setting up, tearing down, and moving] has helped us develop our tactics, techniques and procedures to make this setup faster and safer,” said Sgt. Maj. Michael Bass, Division Engineer Sergeant Major for the Ivy Division.
Besides tactical movements, the division used components of CPI2 such as the Secure Wireless Mesh Remote Endpoint (SWMRE) and millimeter waveform (mmW).
“From a communications standpoint, keeping the servers and the Command Post Support Vehicle (CPSV) in a warm start means that we can have the network up as soon as we drop the trailer,” said Cpl. Jonathan Knowles, a 4th ID communications and information technology Soldier.
“These new shelters definitely help enhance my job,” added Knowles. “(CPI2) gives me the power to focus on and isolate an issue to a single thing, which in turn helps the user, get back to work in the fight. It enables me to get in and out really quickly.”
By CPT Demetrius L. Spencer, Test Officer, Mission Command Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command
Please for the love of all things holy, make a Battalion Aid Station version of these. One of the biggest issues is our inability to maintain Capability and Capacity while also maintaining even a modicum of Mobility. Current paradigm is high mobility but bare minimal care under a cameo net vs high level of care in a cumbersome tent but almost no mobility.
Minimal Care vs Too Slow. Neither are a good choice.
A version of this Command Post built to be a future Battalion Aid Station with U-Haul style ramps instead of stairs, built in ECU, power generator, Trauma tables with overhead X-ray, Portable Ultrasound, O2 generation, large Blood fridge and point of care labs (I-Stat or equivalent) would be a medical game changer. It would basically put much of a Role 2s level of capability into the Battalion and bridge the gap of capability vs mobility. Plus the MTV that pulls it can hold all the class VIII back-stock to resupply the aid station or double as a CASEVAC vehicle in extremis.
Yes, that TOC-extension canvas crap off the back of a M-577 needs to go to a museum. I’m with you on trailer-izing the BAS, whether the prime mover is wheel or track. Make the trailer rugged as F, to be dragged over any terrain. The trailer should be 4-wheeled to facilitate rapid set-up/re-hitching, etc – in my experience, far easier than dealing with a 2 wheel trailer and it’s “tippiness”, etc.
The body could be a detachable container, but should have Expando-style pop-outs to allow two TX / operating tables. It would be nice if it could be water tight (to survive fording or amphibious landing), and air-tight (without duct-tape prep), but that might be hard to achieve with pop-outs.
If it was up when those 101 mph winds came that’s impressive!