Army's Top Guns

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Alexander Burnett | Maj. Gen. Richard D. Clarke, the 82nd Airborne Division commanding general, hangs the 2015 Henry A. Knox Award streamer on the Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment’s guidon on March 22, 2016 at Fort Bragg, N.C. The Henry A. Knox award is awarded to a single field artillery battery each year, recognizing it as the most outstanding field artillery battery in the active duty U.S. Army. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alex Burnett/ RELEASED)  

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

03.22.2016

Story by Capt. Joseph Bush 

82nd Airborne Division Artillery

FORT BRAGG, N.C. – When this year’s Best of the Best Competition winners were announced last September, they meant it. After winning best M777A2 section in the 82nd Airborne Division, they can now claim the title of best field artillery battery in the Army.

Charlie Battery 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Artillery, was named the top field artillery battery in the active duty U.S. Army by the Fires Center of Excellence when they were awarded the 2015 Henry A. Knox award for excellence in field artillery last month.

Maj Gen. Richard D. Clarke, the 82nd Abn. Div. commanding general, visited Charlie Battery and the Black Falcons on March 22, 2016 to personally hang the Henry A. Knox Award Streamer on the Battery’s guidon.

Maj. Gen Clarke said, “This award is evidence of the battery and battalion's dedication to excellence.”
Not only did they take home the Best M777A2 section during the 82nd ABN DIVARTY’s ‘Best of the Best’ competition last September, they also produced the 2nd Brigade Combat Team’s Paratrooper of the Year and the Division’s NCO of the year. Through multiple field problems and exercises the Battery maintained their readiness to deploy at moment’s notice as part of the fires element of the Global Response Force.

“It’s overwhelming, and makes me swell up with pride,” said Spc. Jesse G. Yates, a cannon crew member, assigned to Charlie Battery and 2nd BCT Paratrooper of the Year. “I’m really happy I’ve been here with Charlie since day one, and it makes me really proud of the Black Falcons.”

“We are a very lethal battalion. We are a committed, and competencies have increased significantly over the past couple of years,” said Lt. Col Lamm.

Although this award was presented to Charlie Battery, it really belongs to all the Paratroopers of the Black Falcons. “I’m proud of Strike [Charlie Battery] but I’m also proud of every Black Falcon Paratrooper,” said Lt. Col. Chess Lamm the 2-319 AFAR commander. “It’s really a battalion effort because their equipment has to be maintained by Fox Company, their command requirements come from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, and also other 13 Bravos that sometimes have to come from Alpha and Bravo Batteries.

After nearly a decade, the award is back where it belongs, said Maj. Gen. Clarke, “and now that it’s back here we plan to keep it here."

• Date Taken: 03.22.2016
• Date Posted: 03.23.2016 10:13
• Story ID: 193257
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US