CAMP SHELBY, Miss. --Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 410th Field Artillery (Training Support), 177th Armored Brigade, served as an observer-coach/trainer team mentoring Alabama and Mississippi National Guardsmen as they executed an air assault exercise May 5, during their annual training.
The training held historic significance for the 177th Armored Brigade said Sgt. First Class Christopher Kimble, native of Mobile, Alabama, and senior noncommissioned officer in charge of the observer-coach/ training team.
Mentoring the Alabama and Mississippi Guardsmen is one the first artillery training support missions held at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center since the recent end of a decade-long mobilization/demobilization mission.
"The 2nd Battalion, 410th Field Artillery observer-coach/ training teams also assisted Alabama and Mississippi Guardsmen with a notable accomplishment of the first air assault, sling load mission performed in the history of the Mississippi and Alabama Army National Guard," said Col. Joe G. Barnard, commander of 142nd Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Alabama National Guard.
Kimble added the mission was an effort to sling load and airlift six howitzers and transport firing teams into alternate firing positions.
"Air support for the mission was provided by the Mississippi National Guard and the ground support was provided by the Alabama National Guard," said Barnard.
The CH-47 Chinook landed camouflaged by a thick cloud of dust stirred by its powerful rotor blades.
A large formation appeared as the dust thinned. Soldiers from the Alabama National Guard gathered information, explored the aircraft, and then rapidly regrouped to their howitzers to focus on preparation.
"The firing teams will start by sling loading howitzers to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for lifted transport," said Kimble.
"As the CH-47 sets the weapon in the alternate firing point, about five-clicks away from its origin, the firing team moves the weapon into an effective firing position," he said.
When the firing team achieves the correct firing position three rounds are fired, said Kimble.
Soldiers from 142nd Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Alabama National Guard, rigged the howitzers to the aircraft. They also provided navigation assistance and advised the air crew by selecting, marking, and controlling the pick-up zone that supported all phases of the air assault and ground operation, said Barnard.
The unit's deliberate organization of heavy artillery, their proficiency with area security, their command presence, and methodical protection of a vast expanse of land summarized the 117th Field Artillery [Alabama National Guard] solid unit cohesion, said Barnard.
"The 117th FA is driven to challenge and train its junior enlisted Soldiers and newly inducted NCOs," said Staff Sgt. Gilbert Fuentes, native of Phoenix City, Al., and firing team squad leader with 117th FA.
Fuentes has been with the 117th FA for five years. May 5 he guided a team of lower enlisted, young Soldiers through the air assault, he said.
"Our firing team staged the howitzer in the early morning hours," said Fuentes. "Since then, all of us rotate on inspections to familiarize with components on the pre-mission checklist. All firing teams established their place in the air lift sequence to coordinate an orderly sling load preparation."
A stable preparation helps the pathfinders attach the weapon safely to the Chinook, achieving the airlift directive, he added.
The firing team expressed unanimous agreement in the high value of receiving specialized training opportunities.
"Hopefully, we execute the mission with confidence in our professionalism," said Pvt. 1st Class Mckinstry, who travels to the 117th FA from Tallahassee, Florida. "I am nervous, but I have trust in our team, and my training."
First Army Division East, in partnership with the USAR and ARNG, advises, assists and trains Reserve Component Forces, in both pre and post mobilization through multi- component integrated collective training, in accordance with Army Total Force Policy, Department of the Army, FORSCOM and First Army directives in order to achieve ARFORGEN directed readiness requirements.
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