Cavalry scouts and fire support teams provide eyes on the ground

By Sgt. Samuel NorthrupApril 2, 2015

Cavalry scouts
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pfc. Lamor Rhymes (right), a cavalry scout with the Scout Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, scans the area for possible enemy targets duri... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Cavalry scouts
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pfc. David Roberto (left), a cavalry scout with Headquarter and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, lets his teammates know about a possible enemy target during a tra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Cavalry ccouts
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A cavalry scout with 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, scans the area for possible enemy targets during a training exercise March 13 at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex. These teams are the e... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Fire support NCO spots an enemy
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Ramon Vasquez (left), a fire support noncommissioned officer with Headquarter and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and Staff Sgt. Dylan Miner (right), a sect... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Fire Support NCO spots an enemy target
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Ramon Vasquez, a fire support noncommissioned officer with Headquarter and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, scans the area for possible enemy targets during a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Scouts and JTAC train together
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from fire support teams with 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), train March 13 at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex. The FSTs worked with Air Force Joint Terminal Attack Controllers to call in close air support. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Sa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CAMP HOVEY, South Korea - Under the weight of their gear, five Soldiers climbed a steep, unforgiving hill. The soil shifted under their feet as they traveled through the early-morning darkness. Beads of sweat covered their faces as they made their way to their objective.

The fire support noncommissioned officer, Sgt. Ramon Vasquez, setup his lightweight laser designator rangefinder. The Air Force joint terminal attack controllers were nearby, ready to feed the pilots information.

There was a heavy fog in the valley. Red sunrays began shining past the mountains peaks in the distance.

Vasquez, who is with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, searched the area for targets with his LLDR. Off in the distance the fog began to clear and he spotted enemy armored vehicles. He gathered the appropriate data and gave the information to the JTACs.

The JTACS called up F-16 pilots who were patrolling the area and told them the location of the targets. Within moments, an F-16 Fighting Falcons flew in and dropped their payloads. The F-16s circled back around with a roar and fired their M61A1 Vulcan Cannons to destroy what remained of the enemy convoy.

This training scenario, which took place March 13 at Rodriguez Live fire Complex, is common among the cavalry scouts and fire support teams.

"It is both physically and mentally challenging," said Vasquez. "You have to be able to hump a hundred pound ruck and be able to do trigonometry in order to engage moving targets."

The math has to be right, said Vasquez. That is the mental part of this job. If the math is not right it a round may hit the wrong place or air craft may come at the wrong time.

"If a maneuver element wants to engage a target we would identify the target and suppress it with whatever assets we have available," Vasquez said. "This enables the maneuver element to go through and keep a constant approach while we provide cover fire. We pick up the slack for anything they are not able to hit."

These teams are the eyes on the ground and paint the picture of the battlefield for the commanders, said Staff Sgt. Dylan Miner, a section leader with Scout Platoon, HHC, 2-9th Infantry. It is important to be out at the sites early to watch the named area of interest. The scouts then send all the information to the commander to let him know exactly what is going on at the battlefield before he gets there.

"We are the first ones on site and the enemy is out there," said Miner. "If the enemy sees us first before the unit we are supporting shows up, then it could be bad for us. If compromised, we have to break contact. If the enemy has tanks, they can possibly shoot up on the hillside if they see us."

Despites the inherent dangers of the job, Vasquez said he loves the interaction and camaraderie he has with his fellow Soldiers. For him, it doesn't matter what military occupational specialty a Soldier has because everyone has a position to fill within the Army

"As a fire support NCO, I have worked alongside some great Soldiers," Vasquez said. "I have met a lot of challenges along the way, but I find it doesn't matter who a person or what job they had, we all have to work together to accomplish the mission."