ANA artillery soldiers train on howitzers

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

02.09.2011

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 101

By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matt Graham
Task Force Currahee Public Affairs

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – It was a pivotal day for the Afghan National Army soldiers from Artillery Battery, 4th Kandak, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 203rd ANA Corps, who took part in an artillery training exercise at Forward Operating Base Sharana Feb. 10.

After months of preparation, the ANA artillery soldiers, along with Currahee troops from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, conducted their first live fire on the D-30 122 mm howitzer.

Although the training is normally held at the ANA Artillery School in Kabul, the artillerymen of 4th Bn., 320th FAR, hosted and conducted the training.

The whole training cycle lasts 90 days. It began in October but was delayed while the ANA soldiers were taught how to read and write so they could better understand the data, explained U.S. Army Master Sgt. David Williams of Fort Campbell, Ky., noncommissioned officer in charge of the training.

After crossing this obstacle, the training continued.

The all-encompassing instruction started with the ANA forward observers identifying the target and sending the necessary targeting information to the fire direction center. The ANA soldiers at the FDC then learned how to process the information and convert it for the cannon crewmembers. The crewmembers then learned how to take the information from the FDC and make the aiming adjustments necessary to accurately hit the target.

Leaders from all levels of the ANA and Task Force Currahee came out to observe the successful live-fire training exercise Feb. 10.

“Before, we didn’t know how to operate these weapons, but since the [Currahee soldiers] arrived we have been able to learn how to fire it and can accurately fire the gun without fear of civilian casualties,” said ANA Col. Abdul Fataa, 4th Kandak, 2nd Inf. Bde., 203rd Corps, operations officer.

“I’m really proud that my soldiers went through this training and now have more skills to use in protecting our country,” said ANA 1st Sgt. Wali Rahman, Artillery Battery first sergeant, 4th Kandak, 2nd Inf. Bde., 203rd Corps.

“This is a great day for our soldiers, our army and Afghanistan,” said Fataa.

Training will continue into the early spring with the ANA artillerymen as they shift their training focus to maintaining readiness.

The ANA’s D-30s will be positioned alongside TF Currahee’s M119 and M777 howitzers by late spring and into early summer throughout Paktika province.

The D-30 first came into production in the 1960s and these particular guns were acquired after the Soviet Union Army left them behind in 1988. The howitzers were serviced, validated and cleared for use.

• Date Taken: 02.09.2011
• Date Posted: 02.14.2011 08:22
• Story ID: 65402
• Location: PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AF