Wisconsin Signal Soldiers Train in Complex Communication Environments

Why It Matters

The training boosts both domestic emergency response and federal warfighter readiness, while early NGC2 adoption gives the Guard a technological edge in future contested environments.

Key Takeaways

• 100+ Guard signal soldiers trained at Camp Douglas
• Exercise emphasized civilian public‑safety radio interoperability
• Legacy Warfighter Information Network systems refreshed for federal missions
• Early testing of NGC2 Starshield terminals accelerates modernization
• Goal to expand exercise statewide, enhancing signal community

Pulse Analysis

The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s annual signal exercise reflects a broader trend of integrating tactical communications with civilian infrastructure. By immersing over a hundred signal specialists in trunked land‑mobile radio scenarios, the Guard ensures seamless interoperability with police, fire, and emergency management agencies during natural disasters or civil disturbances. This dual‑track approach—balancing state‑focused public‑safety coordination with federal warfighter requirements—addresses the increasing demand for resilient, multi‑domain networks that can survive contested or degraded environments.

A centerpiece of the 2026 drill was the early fielding of Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) Starshield terminals. These platforms shift the signal soldier’s role from merely transmitting data to actively shaping commanders’ decision cycles, a concept known as "decision dominance." By experimenting with NGC2 before its official Army rollout, Wisconsin’s signal community can identify integration challenges, refine operating procedures, and develop doctrine that treats data as ammunition. This proactive stance aligns with the Army’s "transformation in contact" strategy, which prioritizes rapid, data‑driven command in both high‑intensity conflict and gray‑zone operations.

Looking ahead, the exercise’s ambition to become a statewide event could create a hub for signal expertise across National Guard and Reserve units. Such collaboration accelerates the diffusion of modern communication standards, reduces training redundancies, and cultivates a talent pipeline versed in both legacy systems and emerging technologies. For defense contractors and technology firms, the Guard’s early adoption of NGC2 offers a testing ground for innovative hardware and software solutions, potentially shaping the next wave of battlefield communications. Ultimately, the Wisconsin signal exercise underscores how localized training can drive national readiness and influence the future of military networking.

Wisconsin Signal Soldiers train in Complex Communication Environments

By Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman · February 9, 2026

1. U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Rowley, senior command post node instructor for the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin Army National Guard, instructs signal specialists to use CPN equipment to establish a secure network in austere environments during a combined signal exercise at Camp Douglas in Central Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2026. The annual exercise, hosted by the 32nd IBCT S6, included more than 100 signal Soldiers from multiple major subordinate commands and focused on the complex communications environments they are likely to encounter during state emergencies and future wars. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

2. U.S. Army Spc. Jack Kemp, a network communication systems specialist assigned to the 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, Wisconsin Army National Guard, trains 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team signal specialists to operate a satellite transportable terminal during a combined signal exercise at Camp Douglas in Central Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2026. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

3. U.S. Army Pfc. Preston Boyd, an information technology specialist with the 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry Regiment, Wisconsin Army National Guard, connects to a command post node switcher during a combined signal exercise at Camp Douglas in Central Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2026. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

4. U.S. Army signal specialists assigned to the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin Army National Guard, operate a satellite transportable terminal during a combined signal exercise at Camp Douglas in Central Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2026. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

5. U.S. Army signal specialists assigned to the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin Army National Guard, set up Mounted Mission Command equipment used to provide live command and control information in austere environments during a combined signal exercise at Camp Douglas in Central Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2026. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

6. U.S. Army Sgt. Zander Fluhr, a network communication systems specialist with the 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, Wisconsin Army National Guard, interfaces with a command post node during a combined signal exercise at Camp Douglas in Central Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2026. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

7. U.S. Army Pfc. Adrian Fifield and Spc. Elias Vang, signal support systems specialists assigned to the 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, Wisconsin Army National Guard, interface with a command post node during a combined signal exercise at Camp Douglas in Central Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2026. (Object in foreground obscured for OPSEC) (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

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Article

CAMP DOUGLAS, Wis. – More than 100 Wisconsin Army National Guardsmen assigned to multiple major subordinate commands gathered at Camp Douglas Jan. 31 for a combined signal exercise hosted by the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team S6.

Training for the Signal Corps Soldiers focused on the complex communications environments they are likely to encounter.

A top priority was the Wisconsin National Guard Quick Reaction Force (NGRF) mission. Soldiers dove into the specific communication requirements for domestic operations, gaining hands‑on experience with trunked land‑mobile radio systems to ensure seamless interoperability with civilian public‑safety agencies during a crisis.

“This training tackles readiness on several critical fronts,” stated Maj. Jamison Clark, the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team S6 officer in charge. “We’re sharpening our NGRF skills by integrating with civilian public‑safety networks for our state mission, while sustaining mastery of legacy systems for our federal requirements.”

The additional emphasis on legacy Warfighter Information Network‑Tactical systems—such as Battalion Command Post Nodes, Command Post of the Future software, and satellite transportable terminals—bolstered perishable skills, ensuring readiness for the 32nd’s federal mission.

Looking to the future, the exercise prepared attending Soldiers for a profound change in Signal Corps operations – the shift to Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2).

The initiative is a core component of the Army’s “transformation in contact” strategy, recognizing that modernization must occur even as units remain engaged in competition and conflict.

“All of this prepares us for the coming leap to NGC2 and our future as a Mobile Brigade Combat Team,” Clark said. “It’s about being ready now and staying ready for what’s next.”

According to Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dan Clay, the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s data‑operations warrant officer, the evolution is driven by the understanding that NGC2 is not just new equipment but a fundamental shift in mindset. Its primary goal is to achieve “decision dominance” – the ability for commanders to see, decide, and act faster than any adversary, especially in environments where communications are denied, degraded, intermittent, or limited.

“This new paradigm, in which data is the new ammunition, elevates the signal Soldier from a system operator to a decision enabler,” Clay said. “While other units are reading PowerPoint slides about the future, we’re already building it.”

Clay believes that Wisconsin’s decision to acquire NGC2 Starshield terminals well before the equipment is fielded will provide an invaluable opportunity to surmount any problems that may arise.

“By the time everyone else gets the gear, our Soldiers will have written the book on how to fight and win with it,” he stated.

Master Sgt. Adam Collins, 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team S6 section chief, was instrumental in organizing the two‑day training course. According to Collins, planning the annual event begins as soon as the previous iteration ends. After‑action reports submitted by attending Soldiers are vital to ensuring training is tailored to the needs of each military occupational specialty within the Signal Corps.

“Dedicated training opportunities are not readily available to signal Soldiers,” Collins said. “Training is tied directly to the performance of our real‑world mission.”

The combined signal exercise allowed attending Soldiers to focus on training without the pressures of real‑world scenarios and provided opportunities for networking among signal specialists from multiple major subordinate commands.

Collins added that the hope is to see the exercise grow into a statewide event, attracting participants from other National Guard or Reserve units in the region while continuing to focus on the development, modernization, and enhancement of Wisconsin’s signal community.