Photo By Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Smith | The new range at Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad opened Oct. 20....... read more read more
By Pfc. Nathaniel Smith
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs
BAGHDAD, Iraq – In a small corner of Forward Operating Base Falcon, there was dry land behind a dump not being used for anything.
On a base that had been in use since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, other units saw no use for it, leaving it alone for years.
Where other units could see nothing, the 610th "Phoenix" Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, Kan., saw an opportunity to provide a much needed service to the Soldiers of Task Force Dragon, constructing a fully functional range where the troops can test-fire their weapons and conduct alternate qualification on paper targets.
Capt. Allen Hill, the 610th BSB's logistics officer from Powder Springs, Ga., was one of the key figures in the construction of the range, coordinating to have supplies and equipment necessary for the project, which lasted about 5 months from late May until late October.
Hill said the value of the range helped him when bringing all the pieces together.
"We made our point noted that this is important for the entire FOB and the entire brigade," he said. "Soldiers have to have effective weapons. This gives Soldiers the ability to re-zero and confirm his zero. He knows his weapon works when he needs it to.
"The collective mindset among every battalion in the brigade was that this is something that is needed."
Maj. CJ King, the executive officer of the 610th BSB from Rolla, Mo., felt the range was his unit's chance to make a lasting impact on FOB Falcon.
"I guess everybody makes their contribution; this is ours," he said. "A lot of guys are doing a lot of great things. We could have come here and sat on our hands and said this is as good as the FOB's going to get. We definitely want to leave the FOB better than we found it.
"This is one quick way to increase the value. It's going to make it better for these guys who go outside the wire."
While the importance of the site was not lost on anybody, there were still significant challenges in the way, such as finding the right location, getting the dirt necessary for a firing berm, and the actual construction of the range, which involved the laying down of approximately 1,500 lbs. of gravel.
Hill, who had no prior experience with a project such as this, felt all of the unit's hard work has paid off.
"I've seen the range at Liberty and other places," he said. "I think this is one of the best ranges in the area."
King said the range is as good as it gets in Iraq.
"This is as close to a to-standard firing range as you're going to get," he said. "This is comparable to Fort Riley right now."
While the 610th BSB could sit back on its haunches and admire its handiwork, King added that the 'Phoenix' has no such intentions.
"We want to improve on that thing. Right now it's stationary targets," he said. "Every day we're here is one more opportunity to make it better."
| Date Taken: | 10.29.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 10.29.2007 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 13404 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 341 |
| Downloads: | 313 |
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