Photo By Sgt. Clint Stone | The Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Daniel D....... read more read more
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In an era of rapidly evolving military technology, the Utah National Guard's 222nd Field Artillery Regiment, commonly referred to as the “Triple-Deuce," is charting a counter-intuitive course. Recognizing the vulnerabilities inherent in an over-reliance on digital systems in potential large-scale combat operations, the battalion is training its gun crews on manual gunnery techniques, known as degraded gunnery. This strategic pivot marks a conscious effort to move beyond the counter-insurgency operational focus of the past two decades and prepare for a future where sophisticated adversaries may deny the US and its allies technological advantages. The central question for the Triple-Deuce is this:
What happens when the tech goes down? Their answer is a return to fundamental artillery skills, ensuring they can always return fire.
In the last few years, as the pace of technological transformation has accelerated, Army leadership recognized its potential vulnerabilities when it comes to hi-tech warfare. An over reliance on digital systems combined with a near-peer enemy that could have the ability to counteract or degrade those systems could present disastrous outcomes.
One vulnerability to prepare for are electromagnetic pulse attacks. An EMP attack, typically resulting from a high-altitude nuclear detonation, would unleash a powerful electromagnetic pulse that travels at light speed, instantly damaging or destroying unprotected electronic systems. In 1962, the United States detonated a 1.4-megaton nuclear weapon over the Pacific Ocean as part of Operation Fishbowl. This detonation generated an unexpected and powerful electromagnetic pulse, knocking out streetlights in Oahu and damaging telephone communications over 900 miles away.
For the field artillery, this would mean the immediate incapacitation of critical components like digital fire direction centers, aiming systems, GPS, and communication equipment, leading to a severe degradation of precision, speed, and overall operational effectiveness. An attack that degrades our electronic equipment is a threat that makes learning manual techniques and procedures a priority for the Triple-Deuce.
Going Backwards to Go Forward
In the late 1990s, the Army began fielding the M109A6 Paladin howitzer with digital systems built in. This launched the transition of training from manual operations on the guns to using digital, which quickly became the primary focus through the last several decades. Proficiency on these digital systems was prioritized, and units quickly adapted to the new systems. Field artillery units wholly embraced the faster, more streamlined processes that were less prone to human error made possible through technological innovation.
“We've gotten really good over the last 20 years or so at the paladin operations,” said Lt. Col. Jeremy Williams, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery Regiment.
One of the unintended consequences, however, of shifting to completely digital operations, was that many soldiers who came in during the era of digitization received less training on legacy systems and processes. As the battlefield shifts from counter-insurgency to near-peer conflict, leadership understands that expertise on both digital and manual could be crucial for upcoming conflicts.
To make these changes happen, the Triple-Deuce has adopted the motto of “going backwards to go forward” by re-emphasizing core manual gunnery skills that predate the widespread adoption of digital systems.
"If they take out our digital systems... we need to be really good at being able to still return fire," said Williams.
This sentiment is echoed by Capt. Cabe Jensen, commander of Charlie Battery, who emphasizes the necessity of being able to shoot fire missions even if the unit goes completely down electronically due to an EMP. The battalion's primary solution is an intensive focus over the last few years on running manual operations, culminating in this year’s annual training event.
“I wanted to go ‘backwards’ to the 90s of how we used to train artillery,” said Williams. “We looked at our main command post. It was too big, it took a long time to set up and tear down, so the first thing we did was make our command post like it was in the 90s. We dug out all of our old tents from the 90s and early 2000 and I said this is the way I want our tactical operations center. So it's going backwards to train like we used to train. Back to the basics.”
Jensen clarifies the operational shift on the guns themselves: while current systems use digital fire data for rapid, click-based processing, manual gunnery requires voice commands between the gun crew, precise physical measurements done by hand, and the use of traditional aiming instruments.
“My responsibility is putting a bullet on the tray, priming the weapon, and then getting ready to pull tail," said Spc. Tyler Schena, cannon crewmember in Charlie Battery, 222nd Field Artillery. “But where we've been totally degraded, it puts me over on the other side of the gun. Now I'm in charge of the powder, primer, making sure everything's verified, and listening to check coordinates before we send it down range. It's a new experience.”
“We did it last year,” said Williams. ”kind of a similar concept, but we didn't necessarily say ‘hey every gun I want to shoot manual’. This year we have a target and a goal that by 2026 every gun is able to qualify manually."
The "Triple-Deuce's" Unique Edge
While Williams states that the emphasis on manual gunnery is a nationwide priority for all artillery units, the 222nd stands out because of its "heavy focus" and the profound commitment to achieving and maintaining high proficiency. National Guard soldiers have significant limitations to training, in both time and resources. Despite these obstacles, the unit has engaged in a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Jensen attests to the effectiveness of their training, noting it has taken only "maybe a year" of dedicated effort during drill weekends to achieve their current level of manual gunnery proficiency.
Because training on these older systems is time intensive and includes more risk, a crucial element of success is the strong support and trust from leadership.
“We're just glad our leadership trusts us to actually do it,” said Jensen.” I've been in for a long time, and we’ve finally built up that confidence with our leadership to say yes. We had another gun go down yesterday and we called up and said ‘they're gonna shoot this manual’ and they said, ‘yeah you guys got it’. Leadership has definitely been supporting us”.
This support extends all the way to the top of Utah’s leadership. On June 5th, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Daniel Boyack, the Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard paid a visit to Dugway Proving Ground to witness the achievement of the Triple-Deuce in their operations.
In 2018, the 222nd was selected to field The Extended Range Cannon Artillery program as part of the Army’s transformation efforts. While this program ultimately ended up not moving forward, the selection of the unit stands as a testament to their proficiency and unique capabilities.
“If you put high expectations on our battalion they'll meet those expectations,” said Williams, “and if you put them at almost unreal levels they're gonna meet those. There's so much hard work going on out there. They're gonna make it happen”.
“It's just the expectation that Triple-Deuce golden boys are the best there is, and that's what we want to continue,” said williams
The culture of the Deuce draws from many of its unit stories, such as the “Miracle at Gapyeong”, where in 1951 a small battalion of 240 soldiers from the 213th bravely fought off an attack by over 4,000 Chinese and North Korean enemies in the Gapyeong valley without losing a single soldier.
In a contested environment where anything can happen, the Triple-Deuce is continuing its legacy by drawing on its past to prepare for its future.
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2025 11:22 |
| Story ID: | 500138 |
| Location: | DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, UTAH, US |
| Hometown: | ST. GEORGE, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 526 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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