JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – When Spc. Jeffrey Richardson “went into the field,” his wife, Shawnda, didn’t know exactly what he and his fellow field artillerymen were doing; all she knew was that he would be gone for days.
That changed when she and more than 170 family members from 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment “Vikings,” 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, got a glimpse inside the world of the “King of the Battle,” Aug. 31, as they watched a battalion live-fire demonstration on training grounds here.
“Today we’re not going to tell you what we do in the field; we’re going to show you,” said Lt. Col. Terrence Braley, the battalion commander, to the families of his soldiers.
From an observation point, Braley narrated each volley of artillery rounds fired from the battalion’s M777 155mm howitzers.
Families witnessed the giant smoke clouds caused by high-explosive and smoke rounds, the light of the illumination rounds and the signaling and screening capabilities of the white phosphorus rounds.
After seeing the show from far away, the families moved down to get a closer look at the gun line, where the sections raced to put steel on target.
“It makes it more real to see the actual guns and see them actually do a … mission,” said Shawnda.
For Staff Sgt. Michael Palma, a section chief with Battery C, the family day gave him a chance to show, not tell, his wife Valerie, his job.
“I think it’s a great experience for her to see firsthand what goes on,” he said.
After more than a week of per-certifications, battalion missions, and counter-improvised explosive device training, the live-fire demonstration was the final event of the field exercise and the field artillerymen were ready to see their families again.
“More than anything I was just happy to see them after nine days of being gone,” said Jeffrey, referring to his wife and their 2-year-old son, Parker.
Shawnda shared the same feelings.
“No matter how many days he’s gone, it’s just butterflies in my stomach when I’m getting ready to see him again,” said Shawnda. “Like that first date.”
Overall, the day strengthened the bond between “Viking” families and their soldiers through shared experiences and a better understanding of what life is like for their artillerymen.
| Date Taken: |
08.31.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
09.07.2011 14:59 |
| Story ID: |
76594 |
| Location: |
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: |
91 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, ‘Viking’ family day strengthens bonds, by Kimberly Hackbarth, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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