Photo By Maj. Richard Dickson | Three Soldiers from Echo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment,...... read more read more
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Last weekend had many Americans looking back in remembrance on the heroic actions of service members on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Men stormed the beaches of France in an unprecedented offensive to liberate Europe from its oppressors. Current American service members were on another beach off the Atlantic Ocean 72 years later, this time conducting training for defensive operations on American soil.
Over 100 soldiers and Marines from the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Camp Lejeune, conducted joint air defense training along the scenic North Carolina coast here Tuesday.
The training provided vital, realistic live-fire exercises that prepares Marines and Soldiers for joint air defense operations at home and abroad.
“The importance of joint training for us is understanding that we’re not ever going to go anywhere by ourselves,” said Capt. Lenny Niedosik, operations officer for 2nd LAAD BN.
“Being able to establish relationships early will help us in the long run if anything does come up.”
The mission of 2nd LAAD is to provide surface-to-air weapons fire, as well as air-based security for Marines conducting ground operations.
Many of the Soldiers from 108th ADA Brigade, including leaders in charge of operations, had never conducted a live-fire with their primary weapon system. The training event, which started June 1 and is scheduled to end June 10, is critical to them understanding the weapon’s capabilities.
1st Lt. Arthur Blue, a Winston-Salem native and platoon leader in Echo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, noted the importance that this training provides to the unit’s readiness.
“We should be able to deploy within 96 hours,” said Blue. “We always have a unit on global response force.”
Echo Battery is the only battery in the 108th ADA Brigade that conducts airborne operations to provide short-range air defense in any environment.
Each branch used different weapon systems during the training event. A small, unmanned aerial vehicle specifically designed for training was used to provide service members the most realistic target. The soldiers and Marines used the time to become acquainted with one another’s systems by listening to subject matter experts and conducting hands-on training.
The event also provided a unique leadership perspective for a cadet from the United States Military Academy at West Point, assigned to 108th ADA Brigade for a few weeks to gain valuable experience before commissioning as an officer in the Army.
Cadet Benjamin Kim, a mechanical engineering major from Seoul, South Korea, is scheduled to commission in May 2017. He realizes the special opportunity this training event provides to gain insight on planning and to acquire lasting leadership traits.
“I learned about the job of a platoon leader, and how he interacts with his platoon sergeant, his noncommissioned officers, and his soldiers,” said Kim. “I was able to see how the platoon leader executes and plans missions.”
The units plan to conduct other joint training events in the future to maintain combat readiness. The partnership is a testament to the understanding of military leaders that all branches must work together to defend America and her allies.
“Without a doubt we’ll find ourselves working with this battery or any of the other short-range air defense Army units if any type of conflict arises,” said Niedosik.
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2016 10:50 |
| Story ID: | 202069 |
| Location: | NC, US |
| Web Views: | 328 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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