The 18th Field Artillery Brigade conducts its annual field training exercise

Photo By Sgt. Erin Conway | Soldiers assigned to the 18th Field Artillery Brigade listen to a redeployment brief at the end of brigade FTX April 21, 2023 on Fort Bragg. The FTX lasted 10 days from April 13 to April 23, 2023.  

UNITED STATES

04.28.2023

Story by Sgt. Erin Conway 

18th Field Artillery Brigade

FORT BRAGG, N.C. – The 18th Field Artillery Brigade conducted an annual field training exercise (FTX) April 13 through 23, 2023, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with multiple supporting units from the XVIII Airborne Corps. 

For over one week, more than 400 Steel Soldiers engaged in real-world training in an operational environment. This included chemical training, decontamination training, radar training, medical training and different scenario injects to keep the brigade on its toes.

“The Steel Brigade remains ready and lethal because of training like this,” said Col. Jonathan Harvey, the 18th FAB commander. “We train year-round, and brigade field training exercises are a great way to evaluate that training in a large-scale, operational environment. We build upon what we have, while improving where we need to.”

This training environment enabled the Steel Brigade to enhance its interoperability by working with other units such the 16th Military Police Brigade, 20th Engineer Brigade, 7th Transportation Brigade - Expeditionary, the 82nd Airborne Division, the 21st Chemical Company, and the 44th Medical Brigade. This gave the brigade an opportunity to identify any shortcomings in any internal systems and procedures.

“I look at the brigade FTX as a way to give the brigade a chance to identify the things we need to focus on in order to better ourselves,” said 18th FAB Command Sgt. Maj. David Cutshall. “Being able to identify the problems, develop tactics, techniques and procedures, and to refine our standard operating procedures and rehearse; it only helps us in the future.”

The FTX encompassed various training activities, including mass casualty training, sling load operations, tactical operations, medical evacuation training, weapons range time, and practicing moving operations at a moment's notice. 

For 1st Sgt. James Pfahlert and Capt. Beau Carter, the new Headquarters and Headquarters Battery command team, this was their first time in the field with the Brigade. “The Steel Soldiers got up and got after it every day,” said Pfahlert. “It was great to see their motivation, tactical knowledge, and capabilities. I look forward to getting better each day.”

The 188th Brigade Support Battalion spent the week focused on ensuring supplies like food, ammunition, and water made it out to the Soldiers. The brigade support battalion also provided showers and coordinated food trucks and AAFES out in the field. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Quail, commander of 188th Brigade Support Battalion, emphasized that the FTX was an opportunity to take their training to the next level.

"It helped everyone understand the coordination in our mission essential tasks," said Quail. "We were able to visualize everything we talk about for the rest of the year."

The 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, also known as the Thunderbolts, leveraged the FTX to expand their training. Within the last year, the Thunderbolts have redeployed, went to the National Training Center, and now participated in this FTX. Consistent training like this demonstrated from every Soldier across the Steel Brigade enables the 18th FAB to retain the lethality and readiness.

"Whenever you go into a field training exercise, you should always leave out better than you went in," Cutshall said. "For this brigade FTX, we are definitely going out better than we came in."

• Date Taken: 04.28.2023
• Date Posted: 05.02.2023 10:59
• Story ID: 443811
• Location: US