FORT SILL, Okla.- 4th Battalion 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade recently conducted their Table VIII Certification as they continue with their training in preparation to assuming the Contingency Expeditionary Force or CEF mission later this year.
Table VIII Certification consists of site reconnaissance, tactically and safely emplacing the Patriot Missile System, establishing communications, engagement and force operations, maintenance and air battle management.
Air Defense units typically conduct Table VIII Certifications semi-annually, but this particular training exercise is vital for this unit and their assumption of CEF later this year.
Capt Jessica Perales, Commander Alpha Battery, 4-3 ADA said, "It ensures that we can maintain our equipment; we can safely emplace our equipment without damaging equipment or to committing any safety violations while emplacing the equipment. If we deploy will be expected to move our equipment from point A to point B safely; and we will be expected to work once we get there, so ensuring our operators know how to correctly emplace their equipment without damage to the equipment or to themselves is extremely important."
With any mission or training that air defense unit's conduct teamwork is imperative for mission success.
"Teamwork is essential in a Table VIII, you have to be synchronized from operators to maintainers, and you have to know what's going on with all pieces of equipment," said Perales.
There were also other obstacle these Soldiers had to overcome; one of them was the shortage of personnel on Patriot crews.
"The severe lack of personnel for this Table VIII has been one of our greatest obstacles we have made do with what we have, putting key leaders and Soldiers in places they wouldn't normally be. Our ability to adjust fire and drive on has been the key to making the mission happen," said Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Stith, a launcher platoon Sgt. A Battery, 4-3 ADA.
This shortage has only lead to Soldiers being cross-trained in all aspects of Patriot Operations, resulting in a better-rounded Air Defense Soldier.
"This training is putting me in different positions that I haven't worked before, training me in different areas has taught me a lot. I have learned the signal piece which I have never been before and also I have been a lot deeper in the maintenance aspect," said Spc Dominique Johnson an assistant squad leader in A Battery, 4-3 ADA.
For new Soldiers like Pvt. Shane Singletary this training was a great opportunity for him to learn from senior leaders who have done this for years.
"The training is great here, we are going to certify and this will definitely help me if we get deployed down-range. We have great leaders out here, they teach us a lot, they don't only teach us how it works but also how to maintain it and how everything works together. This training is helping me get a layout of what to expect if we do go down-range and what to expect once we are there," said Singletary.
Evaluation of crews requires an external inspection team from 31st ADA Brigade to be on-site and evaluate these Soldiers step by step to ensure they are proficient and are ready to assume their mission.
"We check everything from establishing communications, emplacing equipment, maintenance and all paperwork associated with these tasks. This ensures that they are prepared and ready to assume mission. This training is a big part of what they do and this will enable them to deploy if called upon," said Staff Sgt Travis Anderson an Engagement Operations Sgt. in Higher Headquarters Battery, 31st ADA Brigade.
4-3 ADA will continue to train-up in preparation of assuming the CEF mission later this year and they will be ready if their nation calls on them.
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