Ceiba, Puerto Rico, March 2024. The Landing Support Company under Combat Logistics Regiment-45 recently launched a groundbreaking initiative, titled "Corporals of Culebra," which showcased a significant commitment to cultivating wargaming expertise among non-commissioned officers. This initiative served as a model of innovation, focusing on teaching the tactical, operational, and strategic aspects of warfare simulation. Participants engaged deeply with warfighting concepts, scenario planning, and the rigorous evaluation of force planning outcomes through thoughtfully designed wargames, promoting a thorough exploration and educational experience.

Agileon Co-Founders, Roy Nanku and Avi Schneier, were specifically requested to serve as evaluators and advisors for the project, leveraging their extensive industry experience to enhance the campaign. Their involvement underscored the critical importance of fostering leadership and creativity at every organizational level, reinforcing the idea that innovation knows no bounds. Roy Nanku commented on the initiative, stating, “Together, we raised the bar for innovation and leadership, demonstrating its impact across all echelons. This journey not only delivered significant achievements but also laid a solid foundation for future growth and development.”

Through the Landing Support Company, Agileon collaborated with the reserve component of the Department of Defense across most service branches in Puerto Rico. Agileon’s role was to evaluate and advise on a comprehensive exercise aimed at traditional leadership training. The troops were able to draw from Agileon’s rich background in academia, industry, and previous engagements in government and military partnerships during the training evolution. This training, essential for service members' career progression and promotion eligibility, included a unique culminating event—a large-scale logistical and administrative operation simulating a humanitarian crisis, marking a first in such training exercises.

Spanning a demanding four-day journey that included a round trip from mainland Puerto Rico to Culebra over a weekend, the exercise focused on five critical aspects introduced by Agileon: Readiness, Lethality, Adaptability, Survivability, and Interoperability. It was inspiring to observe troops and leaders at all levels planning, executing, and reflecting on these dimensions, which proved central to their success. The successful adoption of these aspects underscored the profound impact of partnerships between the service branches and industry in propelling talent and capabilities.

The initiative also addressed the underrecognition of Puerto Rican reserve component troops by active duty counterparts, which often resulted in their capabilities being overlooked when selecting personnel for global response and deployment. Agileon’s efforts aimed to spotlight these troops, sharing their stories and accomplishments to ensure they continue to receive the recognition and consideration they rightly deserve.

Media Source(s): Roy Nanku, Agileon & United States Marine Corps photos by Sgt. Emely Gonzalez