WEBVTT 00:02.720 --> 00:04.776 When I was younger , I never thought 00:04.776 --> 00:06.831 I'd be sitting here doing any of the 00:06.831 --> 00:08.998 stuff that we were doing . It's one of 00:08.998 --> 00:11.053 those things you probably have heard 00:11.053 --> 00:13.276 before . People said , I never believed 00:13.276 --> 00:15.553 I'd be doing this in my wildest dreams . 00:15.553 --> 00:16.553 And here I am 00:48.750 --> 00:51.220 For Justified Accords 2026 , I'm the 00:51.220 --> 00:53.939 battery commander for our unit over 00:53.939 --> 00:56.540 here , the 101st Field Artillery . I'm 00:56.540 --> 00:58.540 responsible for everything that our 00:58.540 --> 01:00.540 unit does and does not do . I'm the 01:00.540 --> 01:02.873 leader . I work with our first sergeant , 01:02.873 --> 01:05.900 and we plan and execute , make the . 01:06.169 --> 01:08.225 Mission . One of the first things we 01:08.225 --> 01:10.447 did when we arrived here , put down our 01:10.447 --> 01:12.391 gear and got the lay of the land , 01:12.391 --> 01:14.558 inventoried the gear , and then we got 01:14.558 --> 01:16.725 to meet the Kenyans , which was pretty 01:16.725 --> 01:18.780 fun . And right from there we jumped 01:18.780 --> 01:18.580 right into business . We started 01:18.580 --> 01:20.779 calibrating the howitzers so that way 01:20.779 --> 01:22.723 we'll be ready to start moving and 01:22.723 --> 01:24.946 operating and shooting them . Of course 01:24.946 --> 01:26.849 we're all just acclimating to the 01:26.849 --> 01:29.089 weather . It was hot here , still hot . 01:32.959 --> 01:35.126 All right , so on the guns we're gonna 01:35.126 --> 01:37.292 be doing rehearsal for table 5 . We're 01:37.292 --> 01:39.070 gonna have MSC involved . Great 01:39.070 --> 01:40.515 thoughts you don't have . 01:43.260 --> 01:45.316 Once we got the guns calibrated , we 01:45.316 --> 01:47.660 went right into the actions that we 01:47.660 --> 01:51.389 need to to safely fire . In the 01:51.389 --> 01:54.029 army we have certain gates or 01:54.370 --> 01:56.537 checkmarks you have to hit in order to 01:56.537 --> 01:58.759 be a certified battery . For us we call 01:58.759 --> 02:00.981 that table 5 , which realistically is a 02:00.981 --> 02:02.092 dry fire exercise . 02:08.190 --> 02:10.357 You go through all the little bits and 02:10.357 --> 02:12.523 pieces that you need to do to in order 02:12.523 --> 02:14.134 to shoot a howitzer safely . 02:30.410 --> 02:33.850 2 , aiming point identified . Whether 02:33.850 --> 02:36.017 that be moving the gun into position , 02:36.017 --> 02:37.961 make sure it's aiming in the right 02:37.961 --> 02:39.961 direction , and even processing dry 02:39.961 --> 02:41.961 fire emissions . Pretty much you're 02:41.961 --> 02:44.183 doing everything that you would need to 02:44.183 --> 02:46.128 do to fire a howitzer , even up to 02:46.128 --> 02:48.350 pulling the trigger , but since there's 02:48.350 --> 02:48.199 no round , it doesn't go boom 02:54.339 --> 02:56.639 7 in the rear , standby , fires . 02:58.619 --> 03:00.397 4 clear . One round fired . Ros 03:00.397 --> 03:02.619 complete . When you simulate it and you 03:02.619 --> 03:04.619 go through it , this practice makes 03:04.619 --> 03:03.330 perfect . 03:09.399 --> 03:12.559 In our battery we have two people , the 03:12.559 --> 03:14.800 gunnery sergeant and master gunnery 03:14.800 --> 03:18.580 sergeant . Their specific job is to be 03:18.580 --> 03:20.691 the subject matter experts to help us 03:20.691 --> 03:23.119 out with all things artillery . Bubbles 03:23.119 --> 03:25.341 are very delicate because of the way it 03:25.341 --> 03:27.880 is . So you see , it's not , it's out , 03:27.979 --> 03:30.090 it's out . They worked a lot with the 03:30.090 --> 03:32.146 Kenyans as well . They came ahead of 03:32.146 --> 03:34.035 time to help out and get a lot of 03:34.035 --> 03:36.035 things situated , but while we were 03:36.035 --> 03:38.201 here , They were with the Kenyans just 03:38.201 --> 03:40.312 as much as us communicating things we 03:40.312 --> 03:42.479 would do for the guns to them and vice 03:42.479 --> 03:44.701 versa . They were able to communicate , 03:44.701 --> 03:46.868 hey , the Kenyans think that this area 03:46.868 --> 03:49.035 to fire is better because of the grass 03:49.035 --> 03:51.257 is smaller here . It would be easier to 03:51.257 --> 03:53.035 move around , and we're able to 03:53.035 --> 03:55.146 communicate back and forth , not only 03:55.146 --> 03:57.146 just with us but through the things 03:57.146 --> 03:56.800 that they were learning . They were 03:56.800 --> 03:58.744 received from their subject matter 03:58.744 --> 04:00.967 expertise level , which opened our eyes 04:00.967 --> 04:03.022 to other options that we could use . 04:06.350 --> 04:08.239 Put a dressing on you . Hold it . 04:09.169 --> 04:11.336 There's no there's no puncture wound . 04:12.179 --> 04:14.401 No puncture wound . All right , so hold 04:14.401 --> 04:15.957 that , hold that dressing . 04:20.449 --> 04:22.505 So recently we've been training with 04:22.505 --> 04:24.616 the Kenyan military on Casavac . It's 04:24.616 --> 04:26.968 our casualty evacuation , which is in 04:26.968 --> 04:29.190 the events of a soldier going down with 04:29.190 --> 04:32.109 some sort of injury . We are practicing 04:32.289 --> 04:34.122 taking them out of the field and 04:34.122 --> 04:36.345 bringing them back to a higher level of 04:36.345 --> 04:38.400 care , which is our role one here on 04:38.400 --> 04:40.233 base . My name is Sergeant Casey 04:40.233 --> 04:42.345 Battles . I am the lead medic here at 04:42.345 --> 04:44.400 the Roll one . Then he'll be stabled 04:44.400 --> 04:46.567 for transport , and we'll get him over 04:46.567 --> 04:48.345 there . You want a so watch . I 04:48.345 --> 04:50.233 reassessed the tourniquet like 30 04:50.233 --> 04:53.850 seconds ago . I forgot . What do you 04:53.850 --> 04:56.369 need ? a big boy . Yeah , you can see . 04:58.079 --> 05:00.799 My specific role is I am a line medic . 05:00.880 --> 05:03.239 I am the senior line medic here , so 05:03.239 --> 05:05.461 anytime there's any sort of live firing 05:05.461 --> 05:07.829 event or anything that is some sort of 05:07.829 --> 05:10.051 training that could result in some sort 05:10.051 --> 05:12.273 of injury , whether that be the weather 05:12.273 --> 05:14.496 or the cannons themselves , I'm usually 05:14.496 --> 05:16.718 out there checking in on the soldiers , 05:16.718 --> 05:20.369 making sure they're safe . Speaking to 05:20.369 --> 05:22.649 the the austere environment that's not 05:22.649 --> 05:24.482 typically something that you can 05:24.482 --> 05:26.538 replicate in the United States too , 05:26.538 --> 05:28.649 too much . You're always close enough 05:28.649 --> 05:30.593 to , you know , a level one trauma 05:30.593 --> 05:32.427 center , for example , or , or a 05:32.427 --> 05:34.649 booming metropolitan . So being able to 05:34.649 --> 05:36.593 actually be in this environment to 05:36.593 --> 05:36.570 understand what that looks and feels 05:36.570 --> 05:38.679 like on a day to day basis , how to 05:38.679 --> 05:40.568 operationalize that at a role one 05:40.568 --> 05:42.623 capacity and how to sort of layer in 05:42.623 --> 05:44.568 your medical planning , difference 05:44.568 --> 05:46.679 between malaria and not like that's , 05:46.679 --> 05:48.735 it's not a stubbed toe , it's not an 05:48.735 --> 05:50.846 ear infection , it's not like a . One 05:50.846 --> 05:53.123 root canal or something , it's malaria . 05:53.123 --> 05:54.957 So take the , take one . I'm the 05:54.957 --> 05:57.200 organic provider to the 101 FA . I 05:57.200 --> 06:00.160 oversee our medics and operationalize 06:00.160 --> 06:02.079 our Role One , which serves as a 06:02.079 --> 06:04.023 battalion aid station or the first 06:04.023 --> 06:06.399 touch point for medical care for any 06:06.399 --> 06:08.566 casualty that may come in off the line 06:08.566 --> 06:11.160 or anyone here on our FOB who has an 06:11.160 --> 06:13.382 injury or an ailment . They come during 06:13.382 --> 06:14.382 sick call hours . 06:24.450 --> 06:26.783 Driving out to the range and setting up . 06:27.540 --> 06:30.019 As with many commanders before me , 06:30.140 --> 06:32.196 your biggest fear is of getting that 06:32.196 --> 06:34.140 first round out and making sure it 06:34.140 --> 06:35.140 lands safely . 06:40.559 --> 06:42.615 All the safety that you go through , 06:42.615 --> 06:44.726 make sure that first round lands in a 06:44.726 --> 06:46.559 safe spot . It's a little bit of 06:46.559 --> 06:48.837 anxiety . I had confidence in our team . 06:48.837 --> 06:51.160 I knew we would be all right . And once 06:51.160 --> 06:54.109 we got out there , we got the guns laid , 06:54.320 --> 06:56.376 pointing in the direction we need to 06:56.376 --> 06:59.339 forward . Good 07:00.029 --> 07:02.769 untrailed , pop it in reverse a little 07:02.769 --> 07:05.529 bit . Stop . 07:06.500 --> 07:09.100 Repair the left , left . For 07:13.850 --> 07:14.850 Yeah . 07:22.320 --> 07:24.376 We got all the data from the forward 07:24.376 --> 07:26.209 observers on the hill . The fire 07:26.209 --> 07:27.987 direction center went ahead and 07:27.987 --> 07:30.429 processed the mission . And pulled the 07:30.429 --> 07:32.829 lever . The gun went off . As soon as 07:32.829 --> 07:35.309 we heard that term round observe safe , 07:35.390 --> 07:37.750 which means that everything was good . 07:38.940 --> 07:40.884 That fear , that anxiety turned to 07:40.884 --> 07:41.884 excitement . 08:23.859 --> 08:26.470 Direct fire is a lot of fun to just be 08:26.470 --> 08:29.549 honest . HPD . 08:33.098 --> 08:35.042 Shelley Chi UPD charge 5 better be 08:35.042 --> 08:36.820 verified . We have to point the 08:36.820 --> 08:38.931 howitzer at something specifically in 08:38.931 --> 08:41.198 front of us , let's say an enemy . We 08:41.648 --> 08:43.926 aim on the sights on the gun and shoot . 08:45.760 --> 08:49.710 Verify . The 08:49.710 --> 08:52.390 most interesting thing for me was 08:52.390 --> 08:56.030 direct fire . We got to just fire by 08:56.030 --> 08:58.349 our command . We weren't waiting for 08:58.349 --> 09:00.516 anything . It was more exciting , more 09:00.516 --> 09:02.609 thrilling , and fast paced . 09:12.580 --> 09:14.802 Think about Gettysburg in the Civil War 09:14.802 --> 09:17.024 when you had all those cannons lined up 09:17.024 --> 09:16.950 and they just shoot at what they could 09:16.950 --> 09:18.950 see in front of them . Very similar 09:18.950 --> 09:22.590 idea . And we had a little bit of a 09:22.590 --> 09:24.423 friendly competition between the 09:24.423 --> 09:26.479 Kenyans . There was a rock formation 09:26.479 --> 09:28.701 out on the range that we all targeted , 09:28.701 --> 09:31.349 and we decided to see which team could 09:31.349 --> 09:34.030 actually hit that rock the most . Doing 09:34.030 --> 09:36.141 the competitions with the Kenyans was 09:36.141 --> 09:38.469 interesting because we got to see how 09:38.469 --> 09:40.580 fast they went and how different they 09:40.580 --> 09:43.789 did things versus how fast we went . 09:47.640 --> 09:49.640 It's pretty close , but it ended up 09:49.640 --> 09:51.770 tying , so I think that was fair . 09:53.010 --> 09:54.640 Flight over . 09:58.349 --> 10:02.020 Fire when ready . Request Max Ord . 10:02.809 --> 10:04.865 A forward observer is somebody who's 10:04.865 --> 10:07.031 attached to the infantry . They go out 10:07.031 --> 10:09.859 into the fields on patrols and we spot 10:09.859 --> 10:11.915 artillery rounds . We call in mortar 10:11.915 --> 10:14.450 rounds for and support of platoon 10:14.450 --> 10:17.260 leaders . Intent with the mission . 10:17.619 --> 10:19.452 Once you learn that as a forward 10:19.452 --> 10:21.675 observer that you're in charge of where 10:21.675 --> 10:23.786 that round is landing , so you are in 10:23.786 --> 10:25.619 charge of whatever that round is 10:25.619 --> 10:27.841 impacting in a training scenario that's 10:27.841 --> 10:29.952 very important , but even in a combat 10:29.952 --> 10:29.789 scenario it's almost even more 10:29.789 --> 10:32.380 important . There it is . 10:35.239 --> 10:37.809 You're worried about the safety of your 10:37.809 --> 10:40.090 friendlies and of any civilians that 10:40.090 --> 10:42.312 could be in the area at first it can be 10:42.312 --> 10:44.369 exciting , but once that excitement 10:44.369 --> 10:46.425 kind of wears off , you know , we're 10:46.425 --> 10:48.536 doing our job . It's , it's a serious 10:48.536 --> 10:47.940 thing . 10:53.000 --> 10:56.929 The favorite thing I've done here 10:56.929 --> 11:00.890 in Kenya was the suppression of enemy 11:00.890 --> 11:02.779 air defense missions . I think on 11:02.779 --> 11:04.779 today's battlefield that's becoming 11:04.779 --> 11:06.834 more and more important , so working 11:06.834 --> 11:08.946 with aircraft in conjunction with the 11:08.946 --> 11:11.057 artillery at the same . Time was very 11:11.057 --> 11:13.223 exciting . We will shoot our howitzers 11:13.223 --> 11:15.057 to notionally suppress enemy air 11:15.057 --> 11:17.279 defense assets , and at the same time , 11:17.279 --> 11:19.279 the Kenyan Defense Forces will have 11:19.279 --> 11:21.223 aircraft come in , helicopters and 11:21.223 --> 11:23.585 fighter jets drop ordnance to simulate 11:23.885 --> 11:25.329 suppression on a target . 11:34.020 --> 11:35.798 At the same time , after that's 11:35.798 --> 11:38.020 complete , the Kenyan Rangers are going 11:38.020 --> 11:41.099 to assault the objective . the 11:45.669 --> 11:46.049 22 . 12:15.710 --> 12:17.989 It's where we get to see all the little 12:17.989 --> 12:21.590 pieces that we work hard for get into 12:21.590 --> 12:23.701 the bigger picture . It's not all the 12:23.701 --> 12:25.979 time you get to see the bigger picture , 12:25.979 --> 12:28.090 and once you get to see it , a lot of 12:28.090 --> 12:30.257 the stuff that we do that may not make 12:30.257 --> 12:32.423 sense in the moment makes more sense . 12:47.440 --> 12:49.607 One of the best ways to grow is to get 12:49.607 --> 12:51.607 into an uncomfortable situation and 12:51.607 --> 12:55.250 learn from it . And the amount of 12:55.250 --> 12:58.780 ability that I saw people to adapt onto 12:58.780 --> 13:01.419 an austere environment , overcome 13:01.419 --> 13:03.197 challenges , and get the rounds 13:03.197 --> 13:04.940 downrange , it was amazing . 13:09.460 --> 13:11.460 I knew the team that I was going to 13:11.460 --> 13:13.627 come with get an opportunity for us to 13:13.919 --> 13:15.975 You know , show everybody what we're 13:15.975 --> 13:19.340 capable of and just the opportunity to 13:19.880 --> 13:22.102 see the culture , see the people , meet 13:22.102 --> 13:24.158 with the people . I know some of our 13:24.158 --> 13:26.158 senior NCOs have been here multiple 13:26.158 --> 13:27.880 times and they already had the 13:27.880 --> 13:30.102 connection . So just to get to meet all 13:30.102 --> 13:32.102 the people that they already talked 13:32.102 --> 13:34.213 about like Major Oteattu , was just , 13:34.213 --> 13:36.269 it was super exciting . I think it's 13:36.269 --> 13:38.436 very important for somebody like me to 13:38.436 --> 13:38.000 come and train with the Kenyans in 13:38.000 --> 13:39.611 another country , in another 13:39.611 --> 13:42.530 environment . It gives you more of an 13:42.530 --> 13:45.530 outlook and see how they work 13:45.530 --> 13:48.510 differently . It gives you input and I . 13:48.520 --> 13:50.742 Things to take back when you go home to 13:50.742 --> 13:52.631 see how you can grow . The Kenyan 13:52.631 --> 13:54.631 Defense Forces were amazing to work 13:54.631 --> 13:56.464 with , and I got to see a lot of 13:56.464 --> 13:59.419 soldiers step up and shine . And go 13:59.799 --> 14:02.400 make great friendships with our partner 14:02.400 --> 14:04.960 forces , the Kenyan Defense Forces . 14:05.640 --> 14:07.918 have been nothing but hospitable to us . 14:08.599 --> 14:10.710 That's something I think we need more 14:10.710 --> 14:10.440 of in the world . 14:24.950 --> 14:27.500 The profession of arms is always a 14:27.500 --> 14:30.090 dangerous one . There's always risks . 14:30.330 --> 14:32.340 There's always a possibility that 14:32.340 --> 14:34.619 things could happen that could hurt or 14:34.619 --> 14:35.619 kill a person . 14:38.710 --> 14:41.210 Sometimes I do like to view my soldiers 14:41.210 --> 14:43.432 as if they're my own children , like my 14:43.432 --> 14:45.989 daughters . And if my daughters were in 14:45.989 --> 14:48.267 harm's way , I couldn't sleep at night . 14:48.267 --> 14:50.433 I know it's hard to tell a mother back 14:50.433 --> 14:52.600 at home that , yeah , your soldiers in 14:52.600 --> 14:55.030 the army here and we're in an austere 14:55.030 --> 14:57.197 environment , you can sleep at night , 14:57.229 --> 14:59.859 but I hope it . Makes it a little bit 14:59.859 --> 15:02.140 more at ease that I , I care for my 15:02.140 --> 15:04.251 soldiers , maybe not as much as their 15:04.251 --> 15:06.251 own mother , but a lot and if I can 15:06.251 --> 15:08.362 sleep at night , I hope that they can 15:08.362 --> 15:07.799 rest a little bit easier at night as 15:07.799 --> 15:08.799 well . 15:17.070 --> 15:19.292 10 year old me would have never thought 15:19.292 --> 15:21.929 that I would be doing this . It's 15:21.929 --> 15:24.570 amazing to see what you can do in the 15:24.570 --> 15:27.169 Army or the National Guard , and I hope 15:27.169 --> 15:30.229 it inspires my daughters one day to 15:30.229 --> 15:32.229 know that they can do whatever they 15:32.229 --> 15:32.890 want if you just put your mind to it .