AZCRT Gears Up for Copperhead X

August 30–31, 2025

The Arizona Community Response Team (AZCRT) is proud to announce our participation in Copperhead X, a premier national MilSim event hosted by American Milsim, held at the Playas Training Center in Playas, New Mexico on August 30–31, 2025.

This immersive, scenario-driven training opportunity is one of the most realistic tactical simulations in the country—bringing together hundreds of participants from across the nation for two days of mission-focused exercises, communications drills, team movement, and urban operations.

🏙️ Why Copperhead X?

The Playas Training Center is unlike any other—it’s a full-scale mock town, built for real-world tactical training. With structures, alleyways, and vehicles throughout, it offers AZCRT an unparalleled environment to refine:

  • Radio communications and interoperability (Anytone D878, Yaesu FTM-300, D578)
  • Team tactics under stress
  • Situational awareness using ATAK
  • Leadership under fire
  • Fitness, endurance, and gear integration

📡 Radios, ATAK, and Real-World Tools

AZCRT will be deploying our field-tested radio platforms including:

  • Anytone D878 handhelds
  • Yaesu FTM-300 mobile rigs
  • Anytone D578 for command-level comms

We will also integrate ATAK (Android Team Awareness Kit) during operations to reinforce team coordination, location tracking, and rapid response — ensuring our volunteers get hands-on experience with tools we use during real-world deployments.

🧭 What This Means for AZCRT

This is more than a training weekend. It’s a chance to put AZCRT’s principles into action: community readiness, leadership development, and operational discipline. Attending Copperhead X also reinforces our commitment to volunteer excellence, and we will return with new lessons, improved communication standards, and deeper camaraderie.

🗓️ Prep and Planning

Leading up to the event, AZCRT members will undergo specialized training in:

  • Radio protocols
  • Urban movement drills
  • ATAK setup and team tracking
  • Gear loadout and sustainment planning

Copperhead IX Documentary from 2024…

Stay tuned to our Training Calendar and Operations Page for prep dates, gear checklists, and coordination updates.

AZCRT is mission-ready. Copperhead X will sharpen our edge and strengthen our team. Whether you’re in logistics, medical, comms, or ops—we’ve got a role for you. Let’s represent Arizona strong.

🔗 Interested in volunteering or supporting our training effort? Contact us here.

Inside the TOC:

How AZCRT Uses Radios and ATAK for Emergency Response

When emergencies strike, communication is everything—and that’s where our Tactical Operations Centers (TOCs) come into play. Whether we’re supporting a planned training event or responding to a real-world incident, the AZCRT TOC acts as the hub for coordination, information flow, and field team support.

Our volunteers rely on dependable tools to stay connected in the chaos. That’s why we equip our teams with powerful, field-tested radios such as:

📸 Anytone D878 Handheld
Compact, rugged, and versatile, the D878 is our go-to field radio. With dual-band analog and DMR capability, GPS tracking, and long battery life, it keeps our members in touch during missions, trainings, and deployments.

📸 Anytone D578 Mobile
The D578 brings the DMR power of the D878 into a mobile form factor, ideal for vehicles and command posts. With its cross-band repeater capability and crystal-clear digital voice, it’s a crucial link between handhelds in the field and the TOC.

📸 Yaesu FTM-300DR
This dual-band analog/digital radio shines in our mobile TOC units. With APRS support, GPS tracking, and rock-solid performance, it provides wide-area comms support and integrates seamlessly with our incident maps and tracking tools.

But radios are just part of the system.

We also leverage ATAK (Android Team Awareness Kit)—a powerful, military-grade mapping and coordination platform. ATAK allows our teams to:

  • Share real-time positions
  • Track assets
  • Exchange mission-critical updates
  • Mark hazards, objectives, and points of interest

Whether it’s a routine training or an emergency deployment, ATAK transforms our communications infrastructure into a fully integrated operational network.

Why It Matters
In emergencies, time is short and information is limited. With the right tools, training, and coordination, AZCRT can respond faster, communicate clearer, and support our communities more effectively.

Stay tuned as we continue building out our communications capabilities—and don’t miss our upcoming field training on mobile TOC setups and radio/ATAK integration.

Introducing the AZCRT Time Tracking App

Introducing the AZCRT Time Tracking App: Accountability Made Simple

At AZCRT, every hour of volunteer service counts—literally. That’s why we’re excited to roll out the AZCRT Time Tracking Application, a streamlined tool designed to log and manage member participation across trainings, deployments, meetings, and more.

Built on a modern SharePoint and Power Apps framework, the Time Tracking App makes it easy for members to:

  • Clock in and out during training sessions or activations
  • Log attendance by scanning QR codes or selecting from scheduled events
  • Track hours by category—training, operations, planning, and beyond
  • Generate reports for individual recognition, grant reporting, and team accountability

This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about recognizing the time, energy, and dedication our volunteers contribute every day. The app helps leadership identify strengths, allocate resources, and ensure every member’s efforts are visible and valued.

Whether you’re in the field or in the classroom, your time matters. And now, we’ve got a smarter way to track it.