Stryker Brigade completes operational evaluation.

The certification process for the Army's Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs) moved forward with the successful completion of Exercise Arrowhead Lightning II at Fort Polk, Louisiana, in May.

For the exercise, soldiers of the 3d Brigade, 2d Infantry Division--the Army's first SBCT--deployed to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk from the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California, where they had participated in Arrowhead Lightning I in April. At Fort Polk, they operated against an unconventional enemy, including terrorist and sniper attacks, over forested terrain. The two phases of Arrowhead Lightning demonstrated the ability of the SBCT to deploy over long distances by rail, air, and sea, conduct early-entry operations, and undertake missions against conventional and unconventional opponents in a variety of terrains.

The SBCT, based at Fort Lewis, Washington, moved from Fort Irwin to Fort Polk by railroad, C-17 and C-130 transports, fast sealift ship, and logistics support vessel. The SBCT is the first unit to conduct maneuvers consecutively at the NTC and the JRTC.

The two phases of Arrowhead Lightning and the deployments from Port Lewis to Fort Irwin to Fort Polk constitute the operational evaluation of the SBCT, designed to lead to certification of the SBCT's initial operational capability. The commander of the Army Forces Command will submit a report on the exercise's results to the Secretary of Defense, who then will certify to Congress that "the design of the SBCT is operationally effective and suitable." The evaluation process is required by Public Law 107-107, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2002, which says that "procurement of SBCTs beyond the first three SBCTs is limited and deployment of the SBCT outside the United States is prohibited (without a Secretary of Defense waiver) until 30 days after the date his report is received by Congress." The Army plans to field six SBCTs.