Specialist’s knowledge sought as battery trainer

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Spc. Joseph Cantu is presently serving as a Tactical Control Assistant (TCA) in Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion 2nd Air Defense Artillery. The Fort Sill, Okla.-based missile defense unit deployed recently to Turkey to help provide defense capabilities for Turkish citizens and other Allies nearby. (Photo by U.S. Army 1st Lt. Lenora Earley, 3rd Battalion 2nd Air Defense Artillery Public Affairs)  

1, TURKEY

09.08.2013

Courtesy Story

10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command

ADANA, Turkey - With the recent movement of personnel in Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion 2nd Air Defense Artillery, the task for Air and Missile Defense (AMD) training has been taken over by Spc. Joseph Cantu, a Tactical Control Assistant (TCA) for Bravo Battery’s Engagement Control Station (ECS) Crew 4. When Fire Control Platoon Leader 1st Lt. Mary Jocelyn moved from Battery Tactical Control Officer (TCO) to Battalion Tactical Director (TD) in the Information Coordination Central (ICC), a few select individuals were required to fill the void. Cantu was an obvious choice as the “Battery trainer.”

Although there is no such MTOE slot in a Patriot Battery, the Battery trainer is an unofficial position crucial to a Battery’s development of AMD operations. The Battery trainer serves as the subject matter expert for all everything related to fire control, and Cantu’s extensive knowledge made him a prime candidate for the role.

Cantu has always had a knack for teaching, and he has taught numerous air defense classes to fellow soldiers during his time as a TCA. “I feel like knowledge is useless if you don’t have the ability to pass it on to someone,” he said. “Training has always been a secondary task for me, something I do on my off time. Now it’s a primary task for me. I like teaching.”

Cantu had been doing some training with the Battery’s TCAs and TCOs when the Battery first arrived in Gaziantep early in 2013, but now he shoulders the responsibility to continue AMD training for the Battery’s 14Es and TCOs. He created a variety of Patriot classes that he will present throughout the deployment. Most recently, however, his role as the Battery trainer has taken a more urgent tone as he must train a brand new TCO.

With Jocelyn’s move to ICC, the Battery was left short one TCO. 1st Lt. James Palsgrove was called from the S3 section to take Jocelyn’s place as a TCO, a position he has yet to experience in his Army career. The move has been a stroke of good luck for Palsgrove, who needs to serve in his military occupational specialty (MOS) as a 14A to be competitive for advancement in his Army career.

“The learning curve of a new TCO has been a very high demand [for me], but the thought of moving on to the next step, receiving my crew and going forward as a team, means the best part is yet to come, and we’re just getting started!,” Palsgrove said.
Training a brand new TCO is a challenge for any trainer, but the Battery’s circumstances make this case even more challenging. Since Jocelyn left the Battery to become a TD, Bravo Battery essentially lost a crew, which required the remaining crews to spend more time on shift. Palsgrove’s certification is a high priority to ensure the ECS shift rotations once again run smoothly. Despite the challenge, Cantu finds the reward.

“It’s a rare opportunity to sculpt a TCO to the standards you believe he should hold,” Cantu said of training Palsgrove.

In addition to teaching, Cantu also loves to learn. He aspires to extend his Patriot knowledge to learning downrange operations. He enjoys spending time with the Battery Hot Crews, who are responsible for maintaining the Launching Stations.

Cantu would like to take his passion for teaching further in his career. His goal is to become a Patriot tactics instructor and warrant officer in the future.

• Date Taken: 09.08.2013
• Date Posted: 09.08.2013 14:06
• Story ID: 113278
• Location: 1, TR