Participants in the Regimental Ser­geant Major 1/18 course at the Offic­ers Training School in Vatuwaqa had a field day exercise at Nabukavesi, outside of Suva, on Wednesday.

The Tactical Exercise Without Troops (TEWTs) is part of military training for of­ficers whereby they simulate an operational situation and are tested on how they apply their tactical knowledge and operational procedure without deploying any resources.

For the participants of the 1/18 RSMs course, the exercise was both exciting and challenging as they got to experience and ‘feel’ what their commanders do when plan­ning and preparing a tactical operation.

Officer Training School commanding offic­er and senior instructor Major Manono Tove said that the aim of the ‘Attack TEWTs’ was for the trainees to be aware of how his com­manding officer planned his battalion tacti­cal operations using the four phases of war.

And secondly for them to understand their roles and responsibilities as battalion RSMs or CSM’s during a tactical operation.

During this operational phase of the course, participants were grouped into threes and given a scenario that simulates enemy po­sitions and they are tested on how they are able to prepare orders to manoeuvre their units, plan and coordinate fire support and also integrate their supporting systems.

Course team leader Warrant Officer Class One Silivenusi Vutikalulu said that TEWTs exercise was aimed for future RSM’s to be tactically and operationally orientated.

Most importantly to return to their units and be able to read and deduct the intent and plan of their commanders during any tacti­cal or operational situation.

Top: Warrant Officer Class 2 Waqabaca shares his battle plan during an exercise at Nabukavesi . Inset: WO2 Varea enjoys a light moment with his comrades. during the Regimental Sergeant Major 1/18 course on May 9, 2018. Photo: RFMF Media Cell

He said that this was very important be­cause RSM’s were the link between com­manders and their troops.

Source: RFMF Media Cell