FORT IRWIN, California-- Near the summit of a ridge line sits a Bradley Fighting Vehicle where a second lieutenant and a staff sergeant report seeing a simulated column of enemy tanks moving along the valley floor.
Suddenly, a series of booms ring out, followed by two thunderous explosions that resonate across the desert valley.
The "tanks" are no more.
The targets were destroyed when the observers called for rockets from Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Hellfire missiles from AH-64 Apache helicopters, artillery rounds from M109 self-propelled howitzers and two, 2,000 pound bombs dropped from an Air Force B-1 bomber.
The visually impressive display of firepower was part of a joint fires exercise, organized in part by the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery, also known as the "Red Team."
"It brought together not only fires that a brigade combat team has as far as their [howitzers], but general support MLRS, which our DIVARTY TAC [tactical command post] sent the fire mission for the time on target that started that exercise," said Col. Patrick Gaydon, commander of 1st Cavalry Division Artillery.
The exercise was part of a decisive action rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California. This is the first time any division artillery headquarters has gone into the training area at NTC, also known as "The Box", during a rotation.
"[DIVARTY] got to fully exercise everything that comes with a NTC rotation," said Gaydon. "In terms of a live [opposing force], challenges with communications, field craft, making maintenance work out in a field environment, and all the things you need."
While in the training area, the Red Team had many challenges that go with being in an austere environment -- from keeping equipment running and dust free, to ensuring Soldiers stay healthy.
Along with their overall task of synchronizing fire support for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, the headquarters battery had to make sure the TOC [tactical operation center] could operate safely.
The big challenge of the headquarters was ensuring Soldiers were fed, all vehicles were running, and juggling TOC security.
"I hope the Soldiers learned their job, the job they signed up for," said Capt. Codie Fields, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Division Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division. "But on top of that, every Soldier in the battery has a secondary job. Sometimes that's to pull security in a tower for 12 hours, or to going on patrol."
"It gives you a neat perspective or experience because one, you have to provide your own security for your own element, two, you are working in a different environment which you wouldn't get if you were in the rear somewhere, and you have an actual enemy or aggressor," said Maj. Michael Englis, operations officer for 1st Cav. DIVARTY.
The headquarters was able to train on delivering artillery support to maneuver units, synchronize and integrate Army, joint, and coalition fires, and conduct targeting.
An essential part of Red Team's mission was to track the enemy's artillery fire with radar and then decide which assets to use to stop that enemy unit. Red Team could let the closest brigade to the threat neutralize the enemy, or call on any of the other units that fell under DIVARTY.
Another large part of Red Team's responsibilities was counter fire. Counter fire is where an artillery battery fires on the enemy's artillery assets to include mortars, cannons, rocket launchers, and target acquisition capabilities.
"We were able to reduce our counter fire response time to about three and a half minutes from seven minutes," said Gaydon. "It allowed us to see ourselves better then we have ever seen ourselves before."
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