Alpha Battery Hot Steel Dragons test Gunnery Readiness

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

01.23.2023

Story by Sgt. Darrell Stembridge 

1st Cavalry Division

The objective of Gunnery is to train, qualify, validate and successfully be able to employ every system as needed by the Command Officer in Charge. Troopers throughout Fort Hood, leave this exercise highly trained, lethal and ready to conduct combat operations anywhere and anytime they are called upon.

"Table XII is our bread and butter," 1st Lt. Daquan Bowman, fire direction officer, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, said.” " Gunnery helps build teams and strengthen the camaraderie from the smallest of teams all the way up to the brigade."

1st Platoon, Alpha Battery and many other Batteries conducted Table XII Gunnery also known as Platoon Live fire, training on their assigned weapons systems to determine if their Fire Direction Officers and Crew members qualify for training certifications.

This training exercise builds trust as well as team cohesion and test their abilities to process fire missions by engaging targets in unique situations, to ensure Crew members of the Battalions are certified and mission ready for future rotations or deployments.

“Our job and what we do supports freedom of maneuver," said 2nd Lt. Steven Gibson, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Fire Direction Officer.” “Gunnery is what a tanker does and maneuvering as a Fire Direction Officer is what I do best."

Mission readiness will always remain a top priority for the Army and its standards. The qualification for Gunnery happens about every 6 months, so having high functioning units such as these field artillery units is very important, but also rewarding to the troopers as their morale builds during certification phases.

Safety measures are taken with extreme caution when conducting training in the military. All companies must first go through their safety checks and balances which is known as "dry runs" first before firing a single live round.

Safety has everything to do with apart of our job," said SPC. Anthony Vargas, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, Fire Direction Specialist." "It is the number one priority for us.

Crew members held several different jobs and positions during their table XII Gunnery exercises. Overall, the Troopers are preparing for long distance fights and keeping the enemy contained in the position troops need them to be.

"I am currently the number one man," said Vargas. "As a fire mission is received, my chief will call out the exact details of the round we will be firing, and my job is to prepare and seat the round properly as I double check with my chief before sending it down range.

"I am currently a section chief," said Sgt. Caleb Tolosa, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, Fire Direction Chief NCO." " My job is to make sure the rounds we use to fire are the right type and that every crew member takes precaution."


"I verify all the information that I receive and send it directly to the gunners," said Sgt. Julian Harmount, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, Fire Control Specialist." They need a chief to lead them to the target and supply accurate fire."

The Troopers are finishing up the gunnery cycle in which they ae proud of all the hard work, long hours, and motivational effort being put into the mission, which will tremendously pay off.

Ironhorse will continue to shift their focus on realistic combined arms training exercise at the National Training Center/Fort Irwin, CA this summer.

• Date Taken: 01.23.2023
• Date Posted: 02.03.2023 15:14
• Story ID: 437086
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US