1-41 FA brings the boom

By Sgt. Joseph TruckleyAugust 21, 2017

1-41 FA Brings the boom
Soldiers from Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, conduct a Gunnery Table XV to certify as a battery on Aug. 15, 2017 on Fort Stewart, Ga. The exercise was conducted t... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division sent their batteries out to the field here from Jul. 31 to Aug. 19 to certify their crews before they head to Fort Irwin, California for their upcoming rotation at the National Training Center.

This training was conducted in order to validate the battalion in field artillery operations in preparation for providing support to maneuver battalions at the upcoming NTC rotation.

The batteries all started out with table XII certification, ensuring that each crew was evaluated and cleared on their individual weapon systems and procedures.

"During table XII training, crews learn how to maneuver and fire live rounds," said 1st Lt. Denver Drisotell, executive officer, Charlie Battery, 1-41 FA. "It is during this phase crews solidify and start building continuity within the battery."

That was followed by table XV certification, which is when both squads go through together and the battery certifies as a whole, Drisotell, said.

"Table XV is important," said Sgt. Miguel Peraza, fire direction center chief, Charlie Battery, 1-41 FA. "This helps us get ready for any situation and makes us deployable anywhere, it gets us combat ready."

As a whole, the batteries have successfully certified in their training.

"The batteries did really well out there," said Maj. John Heidenreich, 1-41 FA, battalion operations officer. "They worked on communication, survivable mobility and occupying firing points."

The battalion is gearing up for table XVIII, which is the next step in the gunnery training.

"The 1-41 FA battalion plays a major part in the upcoming table XVIII certification," said Heidenreich. "We will work on several fire missions, mobility and directing the batteries to work together as a whole battalion, rather than individual squads and batteries like in table XII and XV."