Photo By Sgt. Karla Elliott | Soldiers with 6th Battalion, 37th field Artillery Regiment are undergoing Chemical,...... read more read more
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By Pvt. Choi Jung-hwan
CAMP CASEY, South Korea – Soldiers with 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment engaged in the annual “Rocket Stakes” to stay “On the Minute,” on Camp Casey Jan. 31-Feb. 10.
“Rocket Stakes is training in which each section is evaluated on their fundamental war-fighting skills,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan King, B Battery, 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th Fires Brigade.
Key tasks included conducting fire mission processing of the full Multiple Launch Rocket System family of munitions; establishing and maintaining communications; conducting Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear operations; handling ammunition; and reacting to contact.
The first two days of Rocket Stakes included Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services, tactical moves, a ruck march, and a written test. During the following three days, each unit engaged in different events. In the first event, platoon operation centers were evaluated on their fire mission processing, ammunition management between two reload points, and battle tracking. On the second event, ammo section soldiers were evaluated on administrative, practical upload and download. Finally, the third event evaluated launcher crews on masking data, reloading operations, processing a fire mission, followed by CBRN operations during fire-mission processing.
“The training is to certify crews for wartime operations,” said King, a Lawton, Okla., native. “This is the kind of training that will ensure our skills and ready our crews. Since the soldiers were very well prepared, there was not much difficulty in preparing or conducting exercises.”
Athens, Ga., native, Pvt. Steve D. Ransom, with B Btry., 6-37th FA, said he felt confident in the training.
“I felt very comfortable with the exercises since we spent the last two weeks mainly focusing on preparation and training for this event,” he said. “Our crew is really well tied together and prepared that even when there was a sudden change in schedule, we were good to go.”
Ransom added, “Not only did this event evaluate the skills and readiness of crews, but it also was a great opportunity to learn a lot of new techniques and skills that would well prepare us for real combat situations.”
But soldiers left the competition with more than confidence and knowledge about their jobs.
“[Members of] the winning section were awarded with the Army Achievement Medal, a three-day weekend pass, and the battalion coin,” said Maj. Raymond Johnson, Jr., the 6-37th FA battalion operations officer. “This kind of competition gives soldiers a morale boost and helps bring new members and crews together as a team.”
Richmond, Va., native, Johnson concluded, “All and all, the whole purpose of this evaluation was to train, to build spirit-de-corps, and to be ready to ‘Fight Tonight.’”
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.14.2011 21:50 |
| Story ID: | 65436 |
| Location: | CAMP CASEY, BUSAN GWANG'YEOGSI [PUSAN-KWANGYOKSHI], KR |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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