Called the Joint Operations Center, it has been the scene of late for many replicated scenarios of live action on the ground in Iraq to train III Corps personnel who are preparing to deploy.
"Basically, everything that would support corps level operations in a deployed theater was replicated here the last two weeks during mission rehearsal exercises," said Col. Jim Howard, chief of operations of the G3 section for III Corps.
Howard said there are more than 100 workstations in the center behind which officers and senior enlisted go through battle drills.
The room is a nerve center that can be used for training or for real world applications in case something happened in the continental United States or in theater that the commanding general would need to act on.
During an exercise Tuesday, the center received a report of a downed aircraft. Two aircraft were flying a mission when one had mechanical problems and had to land in a desert location.
The pilot's wingman flew circles above the site and kept an eye on things.
The flow of information to the operations center made everybody aware of what was happening on the ground. That way staff could collaborate, pool their joint knowledge and decide what to do to bring the situation to a successful conclusion.
Howard listed the possible conclusions.
"How are we going to pick up the pilot? How are we going to secure the aircraft? Are we going to recover the aircraft and bring it back for repair?"
Howard said some of the scenarios in the rehearsal exercises are more serious situations. Others are routine.
Capt. Eric McKinney with the G3 section said he was preparing for his third deployment to Iraq.
"I work the air cell so I'm responsible for knowing where our air folks are - plus our medivac assets and our air weapons team - so if any incidents happen we want to get the air ambulances launched on time to support the soldiers in the field," he said.
He said if any complications or involvements crop up, they want to be able to get air assets to the troops straight away.
McKinney said when they get to Iraq they will work in a Joint Operations Center that looks virtually like the one they are rehearsing in.
"Part of the beauty of this training environment is that it builds relationships, so I will be working with a lot of the same people," McKinney said. "Over there I will know exactly who I need to go see by section and name and get the information quickly and timely so the command can make its decisions in a timely fashion, too."
McKinney said he would be able to hit the ground running.
Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Coic said he's on his first deployment to Iraq.
"I work for the G4/G6 where we are responsible for installing, maintaining and operating the communications infrastructure," Coic said. "We make it possible for reliable communications so the command can talk to subordinate commands and to staff."
Coic said some of the other battle drills have been scenarios for IED attacks, lost communications, loss of power and personnel recovery.
"The way they run them here is very realistic," he said. "You pay attention and learn."
McKinney said the training is invaluable.
"They do a great job of putting this together," McKinney said. "There is very small gap between exercise and reality."
