FORT SILL, Okla. (Dec. 7, 2023) – Under a starlit sky, the historic Fort Sill Artillery Bowl was alive with an air of solemnity and celebration on Thursday, December 7, 2023, as 34 new field artillery men and women graduated from 13F training.
The event marked not just the completion of their rigorous training but also the beginning of a new tradition within Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 78th Field Artillery Regiment, 428th Field Artillery Brigade.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the chilly evening was warmed by the glow of tiki torches and a fire pit, casting dancing shadows across the bleachers. The rhythmic beat of tribal drums resonated through the bowl, adding to the atmosphere steeped in tradition and history. This ceremony was more than a graduation; it was a rite of passage, echoing the initiations of warriors in generations past.
The graduates, having just completed a challenging 6-mile ruck march, the final step in their transformation into field artillerymen, filed solemnly into the bowl. Their faces, a mix of fatigue and pride, reflected the orange glow and the significance of the moment.
Pvt. Owen Johnson of Vernal, Utah, shared his sentiments, "I’m incredibly glad to be here and graduating. I think this ceremony is great and reminds us of those who came before and what we stand for."
The new tradition of pinning crossed cannons on the graduates symbolizes their readiness to be called artillerymen, a milestone they reached after completing their 9-week training. Staff Sgt. Zachery Holt, a 13F instructor, expressed his pride, "It’s great to welcome these Soldiers into the field artillery community. They’ve earned their cannons, and I couldn’t be prouder of them."
Capt. Ryaan Villagomez, the commander of Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 78th Field Artillery, encapsulated the evening's significance, "This is the culmination of a three-day CTE and this ceremony is how we honor our past artillery men and women and celebrate the present.
For Villagomez, the ceremony is also about impactful leadership. “Seeing these men and women graduate tonight is super rewarding and why I took this job. I understood the impact I can have on Soldiers, and I want to prepare them for wherever they go."
The ceremony concluded with the pinning of the gold crossed cannons, a tangible symbol of their hard-earned status and a reminder of the legacy they carry forward. As the graduates left the Artillery Bowl, they stepped into their future, ready to uphold the traditions and values of the field artillery community.
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