National Guard troops train to avoid pitfalls faced by forces in Ukraine conflict

One of the most striking images from the early weeks of Russia's invasion of Ukraine was the motionless, miles-long column of Russian military vehicles outside Kyiv. Faced with stronger resistance than they had anticipated, troops were stranded for days as their food and fuel ran low. That stark example inspired U.S. Army readiness experts as they put together this summer's National Guard training exercises.

Mid-July weather in Louisiana — where the two-week training is taking place — is nothing like winter in Ukraine, but the commanders are applying the same principles. One trainee scenario, which has been used in past exercises but gains some resonance from the supply shortages seen in Ukraine, forces troops to figure out how to continuously get water to soldiers in the sweltering heat and thick humidity. 

Brig. Gen. David Gardner, the commanding general of the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, told CBS News the challenge of distributing something as low tech as water can be unforgiving, with many variables at play. A soldier can only carry about a gallon at a time and may consume two to three gallons a day in the heat, which means the unit has to solve the problem of ensuring soldiers have enough water to drink, even though they can't each carry all that they'll need.