MINNESOTA
The 34th Infantry Division Transforms in Contact By MAJ Tommy Miller Minnesota National Guard | OCT. 17, 2024
The Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division was selected to execute the Chief of Staff of the Army’s initiative, Transforma- tion in Contact (TIC), during its deployment to the Middle East as part of Operation Spartan Shield. TIC represents the first phase in the Army’s Continuous Transformation Concept and is arguably the most significant organizational change the Army has undertaken since the end of the Cold War. The initiative was designed to rapidly modernize a deployed unit, and the 34th Infantry Division became one of the most advanced units in the U.S. Army through the integration of cutting-edge communications equipment. The equipment provided to the 34th Infantry Division is part of an Integrated Tactical Network (ITN). This network supplements the division’s frequency modulation (FM) capabilities and enhances redundancy within its communications framework. The ITN’s innovative design includes a mesh network system that adds ITN-capable radios and modifies equipment connections to improve communication efficiency. Similar to how a cell phone seamlessly switches from Wi-Fi to a mobile network, these radios enable ground leaders to strategically deploy repeater-type equipment across the battlefield. The ITN radios automatically retransmit signals via themselves and other connected equipment. Additionally, while soldiers communicate through the radios, the ITN transmits their location to leadership, creating a common operating picture and providing a real-time view of the battlefield. Receiving and training on this new equipment was a significant logistical and operational effort. The Headquarters Battalion man- aged the shipment and reception of equipment and organized training sessions at Camp Arifijan. By conducting this training during Operation Spartan Shield, the division conserved financial resources and time for itself, the National Guard Bureau (NGB), and Head- quarters, Department of the Army (HQDA). The deployment offered a captive and readily available audience of soldiers, enabling the unit to conduct extensive classroom instruction followed by a staff exercise as a capstone event. In addition to modernizing equipment, the 34th Infantry Division was tasked with testing the dispersion of its main command post. Typically static and consolidated while commanding Operation Spartan Shield, the division headquarters experimented with dispers- ing across Camps Arifijan and Buehring in Kuwait at various times during the deployment. At one point, the division operated from 14 separate command post nodes to conduct daily operations. While dispersed, the division carried out a low-overhead exercise focused on the division’s targeting process, ensuring the headquarters maintained its operational readiness. The 34th Infantry Division’s staff demonstrated exceptional diligence and flexibility in modernizing the command-and-control war- fighting function while successfully executing the mission of Operation Spartan Shield. Their teamwork and adaptability exemplify why the Minnesota National Guard was chosen for this transformative initiative.
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