FORT SILL, Okla. -- With the goal to boost readiness and take advantage of having an Air Force base close to Fort Sill, the "Steel Warriors" of 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery conducted a rapid infiltration exercise Nov. 6.
The training helped leadership evaluate how well the unit could quickly deploy by giving themselves 72 hours to complete their mission, starting with putting Soldier's cars in storage, checking out of their barracks rooms, convoying to Altus, loading their two M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), flying back and live firing on targets.
The morning began with elements from A Battery, 1-14th FA leaving Fort Sill in a predawn convoy to Altus Air Force Base. Two M142 HIMARS, over 30 personnel and support vehicles made the 50-mile trek to link up with elements of the 58th Airlift Squadron for loading and air mobility training.
"My primary job at Altus is training Airmen to be loadmasters," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Ryan Gewinner, 58th Airlift Squadron, "but this opportunity to do my primary job working with real life equipment is really exciting."
Air Force loadmasters trained Soldiers on properly securing cargo and weight distribution inside the C-17 Globemaster III cargo jet. In the air, the aircraft flew a two-hour route over Texas in which the pilots practiced stomach turning, low-level maneuvering before making a short runway landing at Fort Sill's Henry Post Army Airfield.
Once landed, everyone made their way to refuel, pick up their rockets and move out to the firing point.
At the firing point, the HIMARS shot five rockets on targets determined by forward observers. This showed Lt. Col. J.P. Maddaloni, 1-14th FA commander, exactly how his Soldiers would perform when it was time to deploy.
"I am very proud of the Steel Warriors out here during this exercise as this is some of the best training I have been a part of in my military service," he said. "From the link-up with the Air Force, to loading the launchers on the C-17, and then with a seamless roll-off to our live fires, I couldn't be more thrilled with how our Soldiers and Airmen performed."
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