Idaho National Guard trains with U.S. and Indian special forces | Article

BOISE, Idaho – The U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), along with partners from the Indian Army’s Special Operations Forces and the Idaho National Guard’s 124th Air Support Operations Squadron, participated in the Exercise Vajra Prahar.

The exercise at Orchard Combat Training Center includes and provides enhanced relationships between elite units and focuses on realistic training scenarios that challenge participants in complex environments.

The 124th ASOS provided Indian soldiers with a joint terminal attack leader and close air support instruction to improve interoperability between Indian and U.S. special operations forces.

“We helped build stronger partner force relationships by demonstrating the tactical air control party’s commitment to their success and providing them with valuable training and resources,” said Master Sgt. Douglas K. Brock, a JTAC with 124th ASOS . “In the end, the 124th ASOS demonstrated its ability to work with anyone, anywhere, at any time to achieve mission success by maintaining high levels of readiness while providing a foundation for future training and development opportunities. “

Vajra Prahar is an annual exercise, now in its 15th year, that rotates between U.S. and Indian training sites each year to improve special operators’ ability to work together in varying terrain and climate conditions. It was the first time the exercise was held in Idaho.

“The airspace and training facilities at OCTC were great,” said a member of the 1st SFG(A). “They have given us the opportunity to conduct CH-47 Chinook missions, do live talks on JTAC training, conduct sniper training and conduct direct strikes on multiple urban targets.”

The realistic training environment and integration of participating units’ capabilities promoted tactical improvements and stronger relationships between partner nation militaries, according to 1st Sgt. SFG(A) Soldier.

“By participating in this rigorous training, participants will develop their skills, improve communication and foster the spirit of collaboration that is essential for successful operations in real-world situations,” he said. “Working with our partners across the Indo-Pacific region increases security capacity and interoperability among our militaries.”

The OCTC is a 173,000-acre joint combined arms training area 18 miles south of Boise. It provides world-class training facilities for warfighters from all U.S. militaries and partner nations.