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    4th ARB hosts ‘Guns Attack’ Family Day

    4th ARB hosts ‘Guns Attack’ Family Day

    Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Calvert | Family members observe as an AH-64D Apache helicopter conducts gunnery during the...... read more read more

    FORT HOOD, Texas – U.S. Army soldiers are among the most highly trained professionals in the world. Troops undergo extensive instruction to gain and keep their military occupational specialties. However, their spouses are often left with little to no knowledge of what their counterpart actually does.

    In an effort to combat this, the 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, hosted "Guns Attack" Family Day here Jan. 19, an event held to shed light on what a day in the life of a soldier is really like.

    “Today we’ve invited family and members of our adopted school, Trimmier Elementary School, to see what we do day-in and day-out in support of the mission,” said Lt. Col. Henry Perry, 4-227th ARB battalion commander. “Family day is important as it gives spouses a chance to see what their soldier does. It also helps achieve overall balance between family and work.”

    During the event, spouses were transported to Tactical Assembly Area Guns, the Forward Arming and Refueling Point and Crittenberger Multi-Purpose Range where they were able to reunite with their soldiers – many had been in the field for more than 10 days.

    Soldiers had the opportunity to show their families not only their day-to-day job activities, but also a vehicle static display, an interactive exhibit of night vision goggles, and small-arms and crew-served weapons displays, which offered family members the opportunity to learn more about the weapons in a fun and safe environment.

    Family members also had a rare chance to step inside of an AH-64D Apache helicopter while being instructed on the aircraft’s capabilities.

    “It’s great to have the chance to show my family what I do,” said Spc. Jake Fowler, an AH-64D systems repairer with Company D, 4-227th ARB, 1st ACB. “This is the first time my wife and kids have been able to come see me work in this kind of environment.”

    Fowler’s wife, Megan, echoed Jake’s enthusiasm and said she enjoyed the experience and the opportunity to see her husband during 4-227th’s month-long gunnery field exercise.

    “I’m so happy to see my husband,” Megan said. “I’ve been to the hangar where he works before, but it was nothing like this and I didn’t get any insight on what he does there. This has been different though. I now know what he goes through on a daily basis. It’s just great seeing him, as I haven’t seen him in two weeks.”

    As the day progressed, family members even had the chance to call for fire, initiating an Apache’s shoot and call in a close combat attack.

    “It took an entire team effort to make this happen,” noted Perry. “We’ve planned this for more than three months. So far it’s been a big success, and I believe families will leave here with a better understanding of what their soldier does.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.24.2013
    Date Posted: 01.24.2013 16:11
    Story ID: 100978
    Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US

    Web Views: 200
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN