FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Aug. 11, 2016) -- Field artillery Soldiers from across the 2nd Brigade Combat Team "Commandos," 10th Mountain Division (LI), participated in the brigade's Best Fire Support Team (FIST) Competition held Aug. 1-5 on Fort Drum.
The event not only identified the brigade's most tactically and technically proficient fire support team, but it also provided an opportunity for annual recertification in preparation for support of the brigade's maneuver battalions' collective training events scheduled for late 2016.
"Once they are certified, that's a promise from the field artillery community to the maneuver units saying that these guys are tactically and technically proficient in their fire support tasks," explained Maj. Ryan Smith, 2nd BCT's fire support officer. "Now they can go out on your platoon live-fires, your company live-fires, and provide that indirect fire or that fire support in general."
Teams of five to eight Soldiers were evaluated on more than 10 individual and group tasks that were scored and collectively averaged to determine the winning team.
"Individually, they are given a written test that is based on their individual skill level," Smith said. "They also have to perform (the Army's) physical fitness test (and) a 12-mile-foot march at the end (of the week), and (they) are tested on setting up a radio and using the fire support tools that are out here."
Smith noted that proficiency in "calling for fire" scenarios, crater analysis, establishing various fire support equipment including their communications platforms, Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) and the LLDR (Lightweight Laser Designator Range-finder), were essential steps in validating the teams' competence.
Collective tasks included selecting an observation point, accurately relaying information to battalion- or brigade-level forward support officers, and effectively planning and briefing a fire support mission.
The event also allowed leaders to evaluate their understanding of how they fit into the brigade's larger scheme of maneuver.
"In terms of training, it helps me understand exactly what it is that I'm doing with the maneuver element so I can teach future Soldiers exactly what they need to do to better assist maneuver elements," said Sgt. John Richmond, fire support specialist, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment.
Richmond noted that like most Army events, this is a physical challenge designed to teach through repetition.
Adding to the validation experience were members of the U.S. Air Force's Tactical Air Control Party and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers assigned to 20th Air Support Operations Squadron, Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield, who quizzed teams on how to request air support and effectively communicate with fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.
Speaking on the importance of their relationship was Spc. Justin Higgins, forward observer, C Company, 2-14 Infantry.
"While we were deployed, we did a lot of work with the JTACS and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft," Higgins said. "Really, we did that more than artillery, given our situation in Afghanistan at the time. Almost on a daily basis we would communicate with aircraft in the sky, whether it was a mission set or just doing reconnaissance for us."
For Higgins, the event provided insight on how his teammates handled stressful situations.
"As stressful as FIST (certification) weeks are for everyone on the team, it's really where we make our money," Higgins said. "It's where we get that good training in. It adds that whole stress element to your learning, and that's really when you discover who you are as a forward observer, what you know, what you don't know.
"It really makes the true colors come out, and from there you learn what you need to work on to be better as an individual and as a team," he added.
Unfortunately, Higgins and his team will have to further examine the lessons learned during this year's evaluation, as top performing team was awarded to A Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, who earned an average score of 91.12 percent. The team was awarded the Best FIST guidon and honor of placing their company's name on the Best FIST plaque.
Also recognized were 2nd Lt. David Glinbizzi, best fire support officer, A Company, 2-14 Infantry; Staff Sgt. Zachary Adams, best fire support noncommissioned officer, A Company, 4-31 Infantry; Spc. Justin Higgins, best forward observer, C Company, 2-14 Infantry; and Pfc. Melvin Manhart, best radio telephone operator, A Company, 4-31 Infantry.
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