24th Ordnance Company builds proficiency Arming the Rock

Soldiers assigned to the 24th Ordnance Company, 87th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, conducted a three-day exercise to train on the construction of Field Ammunition Supply Points March 28-30, 2022, on Fort Stewart, Georgia.

“The purpose of this training is to validate our proficiency within one of our mission essential tasks for the 24th Ordnance Company which is to establish and support an ammunition support area,” said Capt. Joshua Moore the commander of 24th. “This training requires synchronization of ammunition support and horizontal engineer operations in order to be successful.”

Along with validating proficiency, the training demonstrated the unit’s capabilities in supporting the Division through the proper containment and distribution of ammunition at a FASP.

“The training is to show our capabilities and what we can do internally to support the Division because we are a Division asset even though we’re an ordnance company,” said 1st Sgt. Steven Choat the senior enlisted advisor for 24th. “We’re supposed to be able to expediently set up field ASPs and be able to execute. That comes with setting up the berms to standard and the different stations for customers or units to drive through to pick up ammo.”

The 24th builds and maintains their proficiency through the application of realistic training goals intended to ensure the Soldiers are prepared to conduct their mission.

“The last time we conducted this training was June of last year,” said Moore. “Generally we maintain our proficiency through sets, reps and NTC (National Training Center). This year we weren’t tasked with an NTC rotation so, that coupled with the fact that we needed to get some training on the ‘dozer’ for our engineers led us to start this training.”

A unique part of the training consisted of the 24th Soldiers utilizing equipment they typically don’t use.

“We were able to execute several individual tasks that are generally overlooked for instance, clearing the area of explosive hazards,” said Capt. Moore. “We have mine detectors that the Soldiers are supposed to be proficient with so, we were actually able to do that once we occupied this area. We cleared the suspected mine field using our mine detectors and then the construction of the berms.”

The training also allowed two separate military occupational specialties to work together toward a common goal.

“It’s giving our 89 Bravos (ammunition specialists) the ability to see how it’s supposed to look in real time but it’s also giving the engineers the ability to assist in building the berm and the field ASP while also giving them additional training as well because this is how it should look if we were to go to an austere environment,” said Choat.

Being in the field environment not only gave the Soldiers ability to get a feel of what their job might be like in an austere environment, but it also gave the Soldiers a chance to train on how their job translates in a deployed environment and what the importance of their job is.

“A lot of times we feel as if we do not get enough time to actually do our MOS (military occupational specialty) especially the newer Soldiers just coming in that haven’t experienced anything like this,” said Sgt. Pedro Moore an ammunition specialist assigned to 24th.

For those Soldiers who recently completed Advanced Individual Training (AIT), the training also gave them additional opportunities to apply skills they learned in a classroom setting in a hands-on mission.

“This is my first time doing this,” said Pfc. Xavier Carroll an ammunition specialist assigned to 24th. “I feel that this training is important to help keep our ammo safe so that it won’t sustain any collateral damage if a fire breaks out. In AIT, we were taught certain ways to build a berm and set up wire fences, but the training today is more hands-on with teaching us how to execute in a faster more efficient way.”

To prepare for the training, the 24th Soldiers conducted several classes to ensure Soldiers were proficient with the fundamentals of the operation prior to taking it to a field environment.

“The Army is a valuable organization, but the Army cannot move without ammo because regardless of where they’re at or what they’re doing the Soldiers are going to need ammo,” said Sgt. Moore. So, all in all we’re the meat and the potatoes and the 24th Ordnance Company is the best company on Fort Stewart.”