Photo By Spc. Micheala Maldonado | U.S. Army Arizona National Guard Spc. Cody McGhee, a mortar gunner assistant with 1st...... read more read more
Subscribe
Florence Military Reservation, Ariz. — Arizona Army National Guard mortarmen with 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, honed their skill in a live-fire training exercise at Florence Military Reservation April 10, 2026, in preparation for future platoon level certification.
The mortar platoon maintains readiness through continuous training, focusing on coordination, communication and accuracy. Repetition of drills and synchronization within the gunnery team ensures operational readiness and unit cohesion.
“I am responsible for the discipline, welfare, and the training of my soldiers,” said 1st Lt. Hanna Abel, mortar platoon leader. “We are doing a live-fire exercise on the mortar range, the last step of finishing our qualifications tables.”
Weapons qualification of the individual ensures the soldier’s personal effectiveness within the field and shows their growth and development on their weapon systems.
The platoon must quantify and demonstrate their proficiency through developing their team's coordination and communication with each other as a mortar team. Coordinated teams means a platoon is able to maximize their effectiveness in large scale combat operations.
“[We] conduct live fires in order to maintain our proficiency on our weapon systems,” said Spc. Cody McGhee, a mortar gunnery assistant in 1-158th Infantry Regiment.
Lack of cohesion within the team creates a lack of lethality. No job is too big or too small on these teams. Each soldier holds the life and safety of another in their hands, from unboxing the mortars, passing the round, or hanging the mortar for fire. This is the importance of continuity in qualifications, certification and maintenance? of skills.
“We’re tactically proficient and ready to move forward,” Abel said, “[We’re] lethal as a mortar platoon.” -30-
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2026 20:03 |
| Story ID: | 562542 |
| Location: | FLORENCE, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 1-158th Infantry mortarmen complete live fire shoot, by SPC Micheala Maldonado, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
