Photo By Quentin Johnson | Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas – As gunnery approaches, tankers and infantrymen are not the only soldiers that will have the opportunity to hone their skills in the field.
Fire support specialists throughout the 2nd Brigade Combat Team “Black Jack,” 1st Cavalry Division, are conducting Fire Support Team Certification at various sites here, Aug. 20 – Sept. 7.
Certification is conducted twice a year to assess the FSS’s proficiency and competency while ensuring their training is validated for gunnery – a series of ranges for armor personnel to become proficient in their skills, according to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Louis Campos, Black Jack’s targeting officer.
Months of planning went into the set up for the certification testing with each Black Jack battalion trained to hold their own certification testing sites, which helps alleviate time issues with all the testing needed, Campos added.
For almost three weeks, 2nd Brigade FIST Soldiers are tested on multiple aspects of their job at the individual and four-man crew levels.
Soldiers are tested for certification in the following: an Army Physical Fitness Test, land navigation, range finder operations, communications, observation point set up, GPS training, almost 24 call-for-fire exercises, a 50-question written test, computer and software training, Campos explained.
“My soldiers trained for these events for months,” said Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Felix, fire support operations noncommissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT. “We conducted hands-on training in the motor pool and field exercises to ensure the crews were prepared for certification.”
“(1-5 soldiers) are exceeding my expectations,” Felix said. “My experienced FSS NCOs have pushed and mentored the new soldiers so they will receive a first-time go on the tests.”
Success has not come without struggles as most FSSs found certain events challenging.
“Most of the soldiers have seen challenges with the written test covering aspects of an FSS’s job,” Felix added. “Newer soldiers did well despite their lack of experience.”
Spc. Nathan Zielinski, a FSS with 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd BCT, said although he has not taken the written test yet, he is not worried.
“We have been prepping for these certifications for months,” he said. “Everything is great thus far and all our people have passed the call for fire exercises.”
Zielinski stated he is very excited about certifying before gunnery. He has high expectations about the tested events and knows the certification is essential for the FSSs to move forward in their training.
“I have learned so much about fire support tasks, crew relations, the essentials of my job and preparations for future deployments – the knowledge is endless,” he said.
As the end of the certification process grows near, soldiers continue to remain competent, train to standard and make positive strides toward being prepared for gunnery, Campos said.
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 09.11.2012 16:27 |
| Story ID: | 94523 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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