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DIYALA, Iraq — The battlefield is a complex place. Having to account for all of the moving pieces and the threats that may hinder those pieces can sometimes be an arduous task.
The job of the tactical operation center for the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division is to understand this battlefield and those elements that go into it in order to succeed in security and stabilization.
For the Soldiers that man this tactical operations center, the mission often differs from other operations centers. Because the battalion is field artillery there are fewer Soldiers available for staffing. This aspect, along with the exchange of one of their FA batteries for an infantry company early on in the unit's deployment, puts an additional twist into the operations field.
"The duel mission requires two separate frames of mind," said the 2-8 Battalion Operations Officer Major Jon Sowards.
The TOC uses these mindsets to oversee three different areas around the Diyala province where howitzers fire from, along with two different combat out posts that are manned by 2-8 Soldiers.
"At any given time we have 13 platoons moving around in our sector. We are also the only battalion that shares boundaries with every other battalion in the brigade," said Sowards.
Specialist Josh Burton, a Fire Directions Coordinator for the TOC, has manned the office for longer than any other lower enlisted for the Battalion. He says his training has prepared him to accomplish his mission under high pressure situations.
"You have to be calm, collective and confident in this job. The TOC has to run smoothly...or nothing else will," said Burton.
Working at the TOC also allows younger Soldiers to gain experience that they may not receive if they were not at the operation center.
"Being here at the TOC, I see more operations and have a better understanding of our battalion; it is a great atmosphere to work in," said Specialist Christopher Strecton.
While gaining experience, these Soldiers are often placed in positions where they must be responsible for extremely serious events. Whether it is synchronizing with explosive ordnance disposal or coordinating a medical evacuation of injured personnel, the Soldiers must be at the top of their game around the clock to ensure safety.
"We are like a safety valve. We get a mission from brigade and we need to make sure all of the pieces are in place to make the mission work. We need to know where everyone and everything is at," said Strecton.
For the Soldiers of the 2-8 the demanding pace that can come from life in the TOC is all too necessary when dealing with the controlled chaos outside the wire. These Soldiers often do not receive the glory for their work but without it, no operation would be possible.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2009 07:18 |
| Story ID: | 32953 |
| Location: | DIYALA PROVINCE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 409 |
| Downloads: | 387 |
This work, Tactical Operation Center keeps the battle going, by SGT Jeremy Pitcher, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
