S.C. National Guard Air defense unit stresses importance of validation process

Photo By Sgt. David Erskine | U.S. Army Soldiers in the 2-263rd Air Defense Artillery and 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, South Carolina Army National Guard, conduct validation training at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, from Dec. 27, 2017 to Jan. 14, 2018. The validation training culminated with a live fire event where Soldiers engaged outlaw drones with the Avenger weapon system and shoulder mounted stinger missiles during both day and night fire operations.  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

02.12.2018

Story by Maj. Karla Frey 

263rd Army Air Missile Defense Command

The South Carolina Army National Guard’s 263rd Army Air Missile Defense Command has routinely deployed Soldiers to defend the skies over the homeland and overseas. For these missions, the unit always stresses the importance of the validation process, where commanders test their unit’s readiness.

In early January through February 2018, the 263rd AAMDC mobilized nearly 300 Soldiers for year-long deployments to protect the skies over the National Capitol Region and also in support of operations overseas with U.S. Army Europe. The validation process to prepare these Soldier for these missions took place in Texas.

“Fort Bliss provides a training venue that allows for the airspace necessary to replicate the multiple track of scenarios the unit might see in their theater of operations,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Timothy Sheriff, Commander, 263rd AAMDC.

The 263rd AAMDC validation included a live fire event where Soldiers engaged outlaw drones with the Avenger weapons system and shoulder mounted stinger missiles during both day and night fire operations.

U.S. Army Maj. Brian D. Dimond, an air defense coordinator in the 263rd AAMDC said the goal is to conduct training led by First Army and 263d AAMDC to ensure current tactics, techniques, procedures are implemented within the respective theaters.

“The combination of these efforts provides mobilizing Soldiers with a training environment and experience that is so accurate to their real-world mission, that the only significant difference is the training venue,” added Dimond.

The 263d AAMDC maintains a FORSCOM-directed Training Readiness Authority role for all Army National Guard Air Defense units. They have a team of officers with extensive real-world mission experience who plan, coordinate and execute pre-mobilization and post-mobilization training.

“As with any other mission set, the training is always evolving and expanding based on improvements and changes in capability,” said Sheriff. “Our Soldiers are trained to be at the cutting edge of operations in the air defense community and bring a wealth of professionalism to the missions they support.”

• Date Taken: 02.12.2018
• Date Posted: 02.13.2018 15:19
• Story ID: 265915
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US