Communication shows its importance during Operation Rolling Thunder

Photo By Sgt. Austin Long | Marines with Charlie Battery, Gun 2, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, fire off a 155mm round to a target located by forward observers during Operation Rolling Thunder at Fort Bragg, N.C. Oct. 18. The reason for the field operation was to practice basic fundamentals in a larger and new environment so Marines were able to gain knowledge and experience in a deployment mindset.  

FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

10.23.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Austin Long 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - On a cold, dimly lit night with crickets chirping and cicadas singing in the background, Marines sit around in the dark talking about family, wives, girlfriends, anything to keep them awake and their minds off the cooling chill that has set in. Then all of a sudden a bursting noise pierced the night. The gun chief cries out, “Fire mission” and other voices respond with, “Fire mission.”

The beginning call-to-arms was repeated time and time again by artillery Marines with 1st and 3rd Battalions with 10th Marine Regiment, at Army Base Fort Bragg, N.C., while conducting their bi-annual training during Operation Rolling Thunder Oct. 10-26.
During the operation the Marines practiced firing on designated targets, convoy movements, small and large scale operating procedures, and basic fundamentals.

While the gun lines make the biggest boom, they aren’t the only ones who make a fire mission possible.

Staff Sgt. John Struve, a wire chief with Headquarters Battery, 10th Marine Regiment, broke down each section of artillery by relating them to parts of the body. The fire direction center is the brain, controlling the actions of the gun line and deciding what information is important. Communication is the nerves of the brain, sending orders to the limbs on what to do and how to react. Before the FDC is able to decide what needs to be processed, it has to see with its eyes, the forward observers. To make sure what the eyes are seeing is accurate, the nerves, or survey teams, have to verify that what the eyes are seeing is real.

The survey teams use known grid locations to ensure accuracy of rounds being called in by the forward observers. The forward observers call in targets to the FDC. From there, the FDC decides what battery to use based on target size, location and type. The battery FDC then relays to the gun line which gun is shooting what type of round and size of charge to use. Then it’s up to the gun crew to ensure accurate and precise round(s) on target.

Captain Stephen Wodrich, battery commander for Charlie Battery, said Fort Bragg allows the regiment to operate in larger sizes, for both convoy movements and fire missions. It also offers more impact zones for the guns to fire on.

The field operation is broken down into phases: battery, battalion and regimental. Based on the phase, the deciding factor for fire missions and movements is dependent on what phase the regiment is in.

The key to making sure all of this is a smooth and timely transfer of information is up to the communication units. Basically, “Without comm, you’re not talking,” said Struve.

Communication doesn’t stop at radio waves and computers. It’s also important that it occurs between the different elements.
Gunnery Sgt. Joshua Brown, the battery gunnery sergeant with Charlie Battery, gave an example of how the different elements work together to gain maximized results from the two-week field operation.

“Last time we were at (Fort) Bragg, the FDC didn’t know what the gun chiefs were looking at on their monitors and the (gun) chiefs didn’t know what type of information the FDC received whenever deciding all the details of a fire mission. So, the two (elements) gave each other a class on what type of information was being seen. This helped both sides (the FDC and gun chiefs) better understand what type of information to look for and provide to ensure accuracy and maximum effectiveness on target(s).”

A battery covers its own internal logistics and security to a certain degree, said Brown. This helps the batteries continue their shoot and move effectively.

Operation Rolling Thunder isn’t only about pulling Marines away from Lejeune and making them train for 14 days in a new environment. It also builds camaraderie among all the Marines involved.

Corporal Nicolas Wedig, a section chief with gun two, Charlie battery, said going to the field brings the Marines closer and allows them to know the strengths and weaknesses of each Marine. This will benefit them whenever they deploy in the future and help things run more smoothly.

This was gun two’s first field operation together as a team. All the Marines are pulling together to become one, added Wedig. It brings training as close to a real deployment as possible for the Marines by allowing a new environment for the Marines to adapt to, which causes them to fall back and rely on their fundamentals.
While out in the field, the Marines were visited by Brig. Gen. James Lukeman, the commanding general of 2nd Marine Division, on Oct. 18.

Lukeman said, “Operation Rolling Thunder helps serve as a validation tool for the regiment. It also allows the regiment to work on changing the way batteries operate. Bragg allows more room for movements and different types of fire missions, something that the size of Lejeune does not.”

• Date Taken: 10.23.2012
• Date Posted: 10.23.2012 10:21
• Story ID: 96604
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US