A Bas L'Avion: Down with the plane

Photo By Pfc. Gabrielle Scibetta | A soldier of Alpha Battery, 3rd battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, 197th Field Artillery Brigade, unloads rockets for the High Mobility Rocket System, at the designated ammo point, at Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center, Mich., July 19. HIMARS is a multiple-launch rocket system that is mounted on a medium tactical vehicle and holds six rockets. The battery is one of many participating in the almost three-week annual training, where they will conduct scenario based training to include live-fire exercises, logistical operations and counter-ied training, collaboratively known as eXportable Combat Training Capability. (Photo by Pfc. Gabrielle Scibetta, 114th Public Affairs Detachment, New Hampshire National Guard)  

CONCORD, NH, UNITED STATES

07.21.2014

Story by Sgt. Courtney Rorick 

114th Public Affairs Detachment

GRAYLING, M.I. - In preparation for a training mission to the Middle East in the very near future, soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, 197th Field Artillery Brigade, participated in their Annual Training, incorporating eXportable Combat Training Capability missions at Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center. Known throughout the Army as XCTC, this training incorporates a variety of skills essential to survival for soldiers, and is a battlefield simulation for National Guard units used to better measure their combat readiness.

For nearly three weeks, this High Mobility Artillery Rocket System unit, from the New Hampshire Army National Guard, ate, slept and trained in a field environment operating as they would in a deployed location.

“It’s extremely important the HiMARS battalion, the rocket battalion, is capable of surviving on the battlefield so it can conduct it’s rocket artillery mission,” said Lt. Col. Sean Bennett, commander, 3rd battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, 197th Field Artillery Brigade. “Here at JMTC we’ve done multiple lanes including counter-ied lanes and tactical convoy lanes so we can move to other locations, survive, then provide accurate and timely fires.”

Today, both Alpha and Bravo Battery would partake in a brigade-wide Time on Target mission where all unit components of the 197th, including units from five different states, would step up to their firing points and conduct fires missions with less than a minute lapse between each launch.

For 3rd battalion, with little time between now and their overseas mission, learning these skills and practicing their military occupational specialties, for both new and veteran soldiers of the unit, is a crucial aspect to being one hundred percent mission capable.

“Every time we get a chance to go out in the field and train and actually utilize our MOS’s, or our basic soldier skills, it helps us to prepare for any contingency that would arise,” said Bennett. “In this case, the survivability piece associated with our artillery mission.”

He added rocket artillery is all about shoot, move and communicate, comparing it to his prior time serving as an enlisted soldier in a cannon unit.

The unit is comprised of three elements: Alpha Battery, Bravo Battery, and Headquarters Headquarters Battery, with more than 300 soldiers.

“This is my first AT and it’s actually really exciting,” said Pvt. First Class Dillon Timothy, multiple launch rocket system crew member of the unit. “This has been a really great experience; I’ve received a lot of great training from the lanes and classes."

He went on to add how this experience has far surpassed his prior expectations, not only in the Guard but in the Army as a whole and how he’s looking forward to their training mission.

“Today I sent a text message to my wife, it’s my birthday,” said Bennett with a smile on his face. “I said ‘what a birthday present, to be out here with the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Brigade, be able to observe fires from our launchers and see the great things they can do to protect our nation in a time of need.’”

Proudly, Bennett added his non-commissioned and commissioned officers are making his job easy.

“I’m extremely proud of what everyone is doing in the battalion. I’m very fortunate to be the commander of the 3/197th and to have the support of the ncos and officers in the unit. I’m just one individual and they’re the ones who make it happen.”

• Date Taken: 07.21.2014
• Date Posted: 07.21.2014 11:27
• Story ID: 136749
• Location: CONCORD, NH, US