FLEX 2013

As a part of Detachment 415 GMC, we had the opportunity to go on a weekend long trip from 26-28 Sep 2013. Flex stands for Field Leadership Exercise which takes place at the Combat Readiness Training Center at Volk Field in Tomah, Wisconsin. Other detachments, such as 410, 925, and 930 also joined the weekend trip and made it more of an experience. Certain POC came along but their role wasn’t necessarily the same role as the GMC.

When we first got there, we were directed towards our rooms, ready to wake up early the next day for a PT session. All cadets were woken up by loud banging and yelling from POC by 0515 and had 15 minutes to get changed into PTU’s and out to the parking lot for the morning warrior run. After the 2.0 mile run, light calisthenics were completed and breakfast was finally served at 0630. After breakfast, the instructions were to change into our BDU’s and bring along any appropriate gear since it was supposed to rain. MRE’s were soon handed out to almost every cadet and we were sent out on buses, some convoys, to our next location.

There were five flights within FLEX, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. Each flight got assigned different stations per every hour and twenty minutes and then rotating would occur. The five stations that were provided were EST/WST, MOUT, SERE/SABV, and ECP. EST/WST is Emergency Support Team/Weapons System Trainer, MOUT is Military Operations in Urban Terrain, SERE/SABC is Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape/Self-Aid Buddy Care, and ECP is Entry Control Point. Each station was equally as intense but most would say that the interactions with the “terrorists” (POC), was the most intense and educational. Going around to each station was an incredible and unreal learning experience that we thought we’d never learn. It was a lot of information to take in at once from the experienced POC, but it was knowledge that we won’t forget! We got to go through the motions of what the professionals actually do and we felt honored to learn those tactics and accomplish them in safe way.

At 1700 the flights came back to dinner discussing all the crazy stories from each of the stations, while also getting ready for Night Flex “NITEX”. Depending on which flight a cadet was in, they were sent out from 2000-2220 and either returned around 2145 or 0010. NITEX was a mission that dealt with many hostiles invading a US base and taking over. During this process, many Americans working the base were injured and each flight with their medic, had to heal them all while the other cadets kept the civilians that were fully armed, out of the base. It was an intense play out and also extremely fun to act out. Many said that it did feel real at the time because they got so involved.  It’s definitely something that every GMC should experience.

By 0720 on Sunday, everyone was up and ready to start packing and cleaning their bedrooms. Breakfast was served at the Dining Facility (DFAC) at 0730 and after that, it was time to head home. Overall, FLEX is an incredible leadership opportunity for any GMC that’s looking to grow as a leader. If cadets are planning on pursuing Field Training and being commissioned, FLEX is a great experience and educational yet fun field trip to go on. Thank you POC!

-Cadet Hubert