Soldiers Load Avenger Air Defense System onto Army Watercraft System for Forager 21

Photo By Sgt. Olivia Lauer | Soldiers of the 97th Transportation Company, 7th Sustainment Brigade, and civilian contract workers load an Avenger Air Defense System assigned to 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment onto an Army Watercraft System in support of exercise Forager 21 on July 28, 2021, Naval Station Guam. Exercise Forager 21 is a U.S. Army Pacific exercise designed to test and refine the Theater Army’s ability to flow landpower forces into the theater, execute command and control of those forces, and effectively employ them in support of our allies, partners, and national security objectives in the region. (Photo by Army Spc. Olivia Lauer)  

GUAM

07.28.2021

Story by Spc. Olivia Lauer 

196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

SANTA RITA, Guam -- Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment transported their Avenger Air Defense Systems, and other military vehicles, around the world in order to take part in exercise Forager 21 on July 28, 2021, Guam. With the help of civilian contractors and Soldiers assigned to the 7th Transportation Brigade, the vehicles were loaded onto an Army Watercraft System headed for Tinian.

The Avenger Air Defense System is a surface-to-air missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units. Once deployed to the island, Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment will conduct strategic deployment and joint training alongside 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

Ohio Army National Guard 2nd Lt. Susan Fisher, Battalion Unit Movement Officer for the 1-174th, has been in charge of coordinating and tracking the unit's supplies and vehicles as they travel over 7,000 miles around the world.

“There have been a lot of obstacles to overcome,” said Fisher. “A lot of overlapping timelines that get shifted from the left and right constantly. Through it all, I’ve been really grateful to have soldiers at my disposal who are absolute rockstars.”

When Fisher joined the unit in April 2021, planning for Forager 21 had already begun. It was eye opening for her realizing how critical logistics can be within the planning of any operation, she said. Without the help of multiple units from around the U.S. and Guam, transportation of their Avengers for Forager 21 would not have been possible.

“It's stressful but good to see all that planning and all the work that we’ve put into it finally coming to light and actually working,'' said Ohio Army National Guard Spc. Saraea Mauch, a supply specialist for the 1-174th. “Being able to interact with all these different units, that we normally don’t get to do, has been really awesome.”

Exercising military mobility processes and agreements ensures our troops and equipment can deploy across the Indo-Pacific region without delay for exercises in peacetime or supplying reinforcements in an emerging crisis or contingency. As Forager 21 comes to an end in the middle of August 2021, the steps are already in motion to transport the 1-174th supplies and vehicles back to Ohio.

“It won’t be satisfying,” said Fisher. “Until I get the last piece of equipment back to Ohio safely.”

Exercise Forager 21 is a U.S. Army Pacific exercise designed to test and refine the Theater Army’s ability to flow land power forces into the theater, execute command and control of those forces, and effectively employ them in support of our allies, partners, and national security objectives in the region.

• Date Taken: 07.28.2021
• Date Posted: 08.08.2021 18:04
• Story ID: 402581
• Location: GU