WEST FORT HOOD — The United States Army Operational Test Command hosted its annual Civic Leaders' Day on Wednesday at Robert Gray Army Airfield.

The event was designed to show civilian leaders throughout Central Texas what goes on beyond the gates at the Operational Test Command and how soldiers utilize the equipment the command's directorates had a hand in testing.

The command's activities often get less attention than others on post because of the classified nature of many of its tests. The command tests and assesses military equipment and systems using soldiers to "determine whether the systems are effective, suitable and survivable," according to www.otc.army.mil/OTCHome.

Jim Amato, the command's executive director, said the command is much like the Consumer Reports of the Army.

The highlight of the day was a visit to Fort Hood's Antelope Drop Zone, where soldiers from the 36th Engineer Brigade's 20th Engineer Battalion demonstrated a typical counter-roadside bomb scenario they encountered during their recent deployment to Afghanistan.

The platoon used a combination of surveillance from soldiers hidden in the grass and a Telluride unmanned aerial vehicle to get information on an area suspected to have bombs and enemy fighters before moving in with Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles; a Buffalo, an armored vehicle with a large articulated arm that can reach out and dig for buried bombs; and a remote control robot that can be deployed to search for and detonate explosives.

All the equipment the engineers used was on display later in a West Fort Hood hangar. The static display included everything from military vehicles and aircraft to smartphones.

Fort Hood units that participated in the day, which included providing support, manning displays or conducting demonstrations, were the 20th Engineer Battalion; III Corps; 1st Cavalry Division; 5th Aviation Battalion from Fort Polk, La.; and the Fires, Intelligence Electronic Warfare Test Directorates from Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Sill, Okla.; and Fort Huachuca, Ariz.