By Maj. Ian Roth, 11th Airborne Division
AULI, India — Angela Hartman is a civilian. She is also part of the team keeping soldiers from 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, ready to train at the high altitudes in India during Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026.
Hartman is the civilian occupational therapist assigned to the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) team for 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. She deployed with the brigade to India to support soldiers during YA26.
Hartman said her role during YA26 centers on helping soldiers adjust mentally to a new training environment as the exercise’s battle rhythm was established, while also supporting the brigade’s injury control mission by addressing musculoskeletal injuries alongside medics.
“A lot of what we do is about mindset, helping soldiers reframe and get ready for what they’re doing here, but we’re also helping out with any musculoskeletal injuries that come up,” Hartman said.
Hartman said supporting soldier morale means helping soldiers connect the training to their own goals and values as they adapt to a demanding schedule in a new environment.
“What can you take from it, or how can you connect it with your values and grow from it,” Hartman said. “That’s a huge opportunity for soldiers, and for me too.”
Hartman said part of her role also includes checking in with soldiers periodically to reinforce resilience strategies introduced before the deployment, helping them manage the physical and mental demands of training at altitude.
“A lot of the resilience skills we teach in garrison, soldiers can call on here, and hopefully checking in with them is also a reminder to use those tools,” Hartman said.
Hartman said her inclusion on the deployment as a civilian, rather than only uniformed H2F personnel, reflects the priority 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team and 11th Airborne Division place on soldier readiness.
“Being included on something like this, as both a civilian and an occupational therapist, shows how seriously the 11th Airborne takes H2F and how bought-in the division is to what we have to offer,” Hartman said.
This is Hartman’s first overseas deployment supporting a bilateral exercise. As soldiers move into the Field Training Exercise portion of YA26, she said her team will continue supporting soldiers through the exercise’s physical and environmental demands.
Since 2004, Yudh Abhyas, a U.S. Army Pacific-sponsored bilateral exercise with the Indian Army, has enhanced combined interoperability and strengthened the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
