FORT SILL, Okla. (Sept. 29, 2016) -- Special visitors to Fort Sill experienced how drill sergeants transform civilians into Soldiers, and how field artillerymen put steel on target. They also learned about the Army's air defense mission, how Army families are integral part of the civilian community and the economic impact the installation has on the state.
About 50 statewide community, political and business leaders from Leadership Oklahoma (LOK) Class No. 30 visited the Lawton-Fort Sill community Sept. 23-24, as part of their monthly education tour.
"These leaders need to understand the key issues related to the military facing Oklahoma," said Marion Paden, LOK president. "We all know that our new recruits, service men and women assigned here and military retirees are critical to the success of our state."
At Firing Point 45 West near Bald Ridge and Dodge Hill roads, the leaders learned hands-on how forward observers, fire direction center operators and gun crews work as a team to shoot artillery rounds.
Capt. Jesse Davis, A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery commander, led the M119A3 105mm howitzer training and demonstration. He said he wanted his Soldiers to meet with the civilians.
"It's a chance for them to interact with civilian leadership from the outside," said Davis. "And, I'm hoping the leadership will see that these Soldiers are people who volunteered to do this, and get an appreciation for what they do."
Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Wawryk, B Battery, 1st Battalion, 78th Field Artillery, explained to the group how a two-Soldier forward observation team locates targets. Rangefinders, binoculars, compasses and maps were some of their tools on display the leaders could handle. He also explained how the team relays target information back to the FDC, either through radio or secure digital communications.
"I want the visitors to get an idea of what we're teaching the students and the capabilities they learn before they head out into the Army," said Wawryk, who is the forward observer advanced individual training course senior instructor.
On the gun line, civilians placed the rounds in a howitzer, opened and closed the breech blocking mechanism and tossed the spent shells, however, they did not fire the howitzers.
Class member state legislator Claudia Griffith, who presides over East Norman, said she was gaining a tremendous amount of information from the visit.
"There were so many things we didn't understand about Soldiers -- about what they do, how they protect us, how they prepare," she said. "This has been so insightful."
Griffith said before she had driven up Mount Scott nearby, "but never really knew what went on at Fort Sill."
For lunch, the civilians dined on meals-ready-to-eat, a first for many of them. Soldiers assisted the leaders as they ripped open the green plastic bags, and as they read heating instructions.
"The MREs were actually good. I had chicken noodle," said Greg Shaw, Manhattan Construction senior superintendent in Tulsa. "I didn't quite open it up the right way, or warm it up the right way, but they're kind of foolproof, so they were great."
One of the takebacks from the visit is how important the military is to the state, Shaw said.
"We need to support our military. Fort Sill is important to the Lawton area and the State of Oklahoma," he said. "It's very vital and important to the U.S. Army as well."
Ken Parker, NextThought co-founder and CEO in Norman, said he and his fellow leaders gained much from the visit.
"One of the greatest things we received was understanding," said Parker. "We have a much better perspective on what it means to be a Soldier, how you become a Soldier, what you have to endure, what you contribute and how they work together. All of us were first, informed and second, inspired."
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