From encrypted communications and battlefield intelligence to mass-casualty scenarios, Gefen Battalion cadets work behind the scenes to compress the realities of a full combat maneuver into a single week.
By David Brummer
Ahead of the Gefen Battalion cadets’ urban warfare week at “Little Gaza,” Second Lieutenant L. was responsible for encrypted communications, Sergeant H. prepared mass-casualty and other casualty scenarios, and Lieutenant A. designed the exercises to reflect the realities of the battlefield.
Between drones taking to the air and soldiers moving through the sand, these budding leaders condensed an entire combat maneuver into just seven days.
Every Gefen cadet looks forward to urban warfare week, held at “Little Gaza” at the beginning of their combat officer training. But weeks before the cadets arrive, dozens of soldiers are already preparing the complex exercise.
Second Lieutenant L., the battalion’s deputy communications officer, is responsible for planning and executing the communications side of the exercise. “We have four companies, all of which need dozens of encrypted radios,” he explains, according to the IDF.
“Every vehicle simulating a tank also has an autonomous communications system, which we maintain and check every day. There are dozens of vehicles that cannot enter a maneuver without communications.”
During the exercise, L. stayed close to the battalion commander while also responding to problems across the companies. “When there was a communications problem, we went into the field, fixed it and kept the exercise moving.”
A key objective is teaching every cadet to handle basic communications problems independently. “Every cadet carries a personal radio and needs to know how to operate within a team and independently,” L. says.
“Eventually, they will all be platoon commanders. They need to be able to rely on themselves.”
Day three was a highlight, with the cadets practicing the coordination of an attack helicopter. “It requires extremely precise communications and professional terminology to guide the pilot to the target.”
Medical scenarios were another major focus. Sergeant H., a company medic, accompanied the exercise in an ambulance and was responsible for creating casualties for the cadets to manage.
“A commander needs to know how to handle a mass-casualty event from both an operational and medical perspective,” she says. “They need to stop bleeding, call medics and request an evacuation vehicle or helicopter when necessary.”
“They are the senior authority on the battlefield and must coordinate everyone else to save lives.”
For Lieutenant A., the battalion intelligence officer, realism also means accurately representing the enemy.
“There are more than 200 cadets here who will eventually spread throughout the IDF and lead combat themselves. They need an understanding of the enemy based on what is actually happening on the battlefield.”
Exercises were therefore designed around urban warfare, incorporating surveillance and even small details intended to make the scenarios realistic. One exercise used a hot coffee kit placed at a suspected observation point to indicate that a building was occupied.
The week concluded with a surprise exercise, conducted with the enemy simulation unit and supported by a civilian company providing pyrotechnics simulating explosions, gunfire and explosive devices.
Behind every military exercise, from a routine drill to an entire week of urban warfare training, are dozens of people planning, supporting and running the scenarios. Their work helps ensure that experienced soldiers arrive on the battlefield better trained, more capable and ready to lead.
