Photo By Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh | National Guardsmen from the 121st Field Artillery Regiment conduct a live fire...... read more read more
June 21, 2021 (CAMP RIPLEY, Minnesota — The Milwaukee-based 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery, which consists of Alpha Battery, Bravo Battery, the 108th Forward Support Company, and its Headquarters Battery arrived at Camp Ripley, Minnesota for Annual Training (AT), June 18, 2021.
The Battalion is designated as “Dark Skies” by the U.S. Army Center of Military History and specializes in the use of the high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) to provide precise rocket and missile fires on enemy positions and targets of significance.
During their AT period, the unit certified HIMARS crews, completed weapons qualification and hand-grenade qualification.
“Our crews have to go through different tables for certification,” said Staff Sgt. Dustin Richards, HIMARS Truck Chief with A Battery 121st FA. “If the round goes down range and lands where it’s supposed to, and all radio chatter is done correctly, then that counts as a certification and a correct fire mission.”
The 121st FA arrived at Camp Ripley after a 10-hour drive spanning over two days. Following their arrival, they traveled downrange to set up tents for the week.
This year, the training is unique because it is the first experience the soldiers have had at Camp Ripley. The unit normally travels to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, where they are more familiar with the layout.
“Everyone’s at square one trying to figure out where everything goes and where everything is,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Renow, Assistant Battalion Operations NCO for 121st FA. “Here, we have to bust out the map and figure out where we are going.”
The change in training location places different challenges on the soldiers, forcing the team to determine overnight rest stops, plans for refueling and offers a chance to complete drivers training. Renow explained that coming here has forced them to go back to the basic level of planning.
For one soldier, Sgt. Macy Brogan from Bravo Battery, who has served with the 121st FA for almost four years, experience her first time as a gunner and a launcher for the HIMARS.
“This was my first time shooting live rockets,” said Brogan. “It was unique and an awesome experience.”
She described the feeling right before she fired as exciting.
“Feeling my stomach drop as I’m about to hit fire, I call up one one shot and my head slams against the door.”
Disciplined and conscious of uniform and safety standards, Brogan was wearing a helmet to protect her head.
“I was like, oh my goodness,” she continued. “That’s what it feels like to shoot a rocket?!”
And just like that, Brogan was ready to fire again.
“That was awesome,” she said.
Brogan graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with two bachelors’ in science: one for biology and one for psychology in May 2021. While she made friends in college, she believes that those in her unit will be lifelong friends.
“Being a female in field artillery is new, but that doesn’t faze anyone at all,” said Brogan. “It feels like home no matter where you go in the 121.”
| Date Taken: | 06.21.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.09.2021 10:38 |
| Story ID: | 400612 |
| Location: | LITTLE FALLS, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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