Forged in the Desert: Dagger Brigade Conducts NTC Rotation

FORT RILEY, Kansas — U.S. Army Soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (2ABCT), 1st Infantry Division, completed a National Training Center (NTC) rotation on Fort Irwin, California, Sept. 6-Oct. 10, 2024.

The 2ABCT, known as the Dagger Brigade, completed a challenging month-long rotation at NTC. They encountered a range of simulated threats and operational challenges designed to test and enhance their readiness, sharpening their lethality and advancing their combat capabilities.

“It’s essential to prepare yourself physically and mentally for the challenges at NTC,” said 1st Sgt. Quitze Garcia, 1st Sgt. for Delta Company, 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), 360th Civil Affairs Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve. “Accept that you will be tested and plan to rise to the occasion. Embrace the difficulties, connect with your team, and choose to be resilient.”

The National Training Center was established in 1981 as a training ground designed to prepare brigade combat teams (BCTs) for the complexities of modern warfare. Fort Irwin's desert terrain, known for its extreme temperatures and rugged landscape, provides a realistic combat environment that exposes units to real-world challenges they might face in an actual deployment.

NTC is designed to push units to their limits, often forcing them into situations where failure is inevitable so that they can learn from mistakes in realistic combat scenarios.

This year, the Dagger Brigade was immersed in scenarios designed to test everything from individual skills to large-scale brigade coordination. This rotation at NTC highlighted training across the range of military operations, from Operations Other Than War to combat scenarios.

“Every battalion had a different PACE [Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency] plan, which often led to losing communications. To overcome this, we had to circulate the battlefield both day and night, which was especially challenging in the desert where everything looks the same,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Teddy Lee, senior paralegal for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2ABCT. “We continually reassessed our communication systems as the battle progressed, focusing on recognizing friendly and enemy forces through established markings.”

The Dagger Brigade focused on countering modern threats, including drone swarms, which demand rapid response and precise detection. Soldiers engaged in simulated battles with these airborne threats, using radar and anti-air systems to detect, track, and neutralize drones, while also honing traditional field tactics.

Each engagement and mission served as an opportunity to assess and adjust tactics, techniques, and procedures, uncovering strengths and areas for further improvement. The challenging environment and high-tempo operations highlighted the need for quick decision-making, adaptability, and collaboration.

“Modern problems simulated by the environment and the scenario really showed the importance of integration and interoperability amongst all units involved,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christian Young, a civil affairs specialist assigned to the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne). “Everyone has something to contribute to the fight and it’s about finding out where you fit into the puzzle.”

The rotation at Fort Irwin sharpened the Dagger Brigade’s skills and adaptability, pushing the unit and individual soldiers to refine their approach to modern warfare. With new insights and strengthened tactics, the brigade returns home prepared to face future missions with the precision and resolve demanded by today’s battlefield.

“Our recent rotation at the National Training Center was a rigorous test of our brigade’s capabilities, particularly in managing our communications and logistics networks. Despite the challenges, we demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability,” said Maj. Katie Baumann, 2ABCT executive officer, adding that she was proud of the progress she saw in the brigade throughout the exercise, and by the end she was looking forward to implementing all they had learned.

“Our goal was to get better every day, both as a staff and individually as experts in our fighting craft. Leaders should jump at any opportunity to attend, whether as an augmentee OC/T, OPFOR, RTU, [observer controller/trainer, opposition force, rotational training unit] or even as a future assignment, because of how much you can develop, professionally and personally, in the high desert,” Baumann stated.

Dagger led the charge for 1ID units at NTC, with the division headquarters, artillery, aviation, and sustainment assets heading for their rotation in the new year, and their sister brigade, Devil, shortly after.

NTC was designed to train and test BCTs, but the training giant is facing a new challenge, training division headquarters elements in large-scale combat operations. First Division will be the second division headquarters to test their skills against the observer/controllers of NTCs Operations Group. The 1 st Armored Division completed their rotation in early 2024 setting the bar for follow-on division rotations.