Here comes the boom: 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery participates in Table XV qualification

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — Standby, fire! These are the words echoed throughout the training area as Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), executed Table XV qualifications at Fort Drum on April 12, 2025.

Alpha battery executed the field training exercise from April 11–14 to qualify and certify the battery’s ability to provide accurate and timely fires in support of the battalion. The training will be used to enhance Soldiers' combat readiness, warfighting capabilities and lethality to better prepare for the future fight

“Fighting as a battery is one of those things we have to do whether we’re bounding as a platoon or fighting as a battery; that's how we support brigade and division level fights,” said Capt. Nicholas Duncan, commander of Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI).

Table XV qualifications evaluate a battery’s proficiency through tactical movements and performing fire missions in multiple points. The scenarios simulate real-world operations and test Soldiers' ability to work as a team, similar to a real combat scenario.

“This training is important because it shows we can communicate as a battery, not just as a platoon” said Sgt. Kevin Ramirez, a gunner with Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI). “If we can show our ability to shoot as a battery successfully, I’m pretty confident we can go overseas and defeat the enemy.”

Soldiers began the exercise by performing day and night dry fires to build proficiency and confidence. Dry fires simulate an execution of a live fire mission and allow Soldiers to grow and see their weaknesses.

“It's a crawl-walk-run phase — I’ve only been in this position for six weeks now and I have seen massive strides already,” said 1st Sgt. Tyler Smith the senior enlisted advisor for Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI). “We find flaws and refine on them all the time, so we can continue to be the best of the three batteries in the battalion.”

Soldiers independently set up defensive postitons and equipment — their self-guidance and independence highlighting the importance of working together to accomplish the mission.

“It’s showing the ability to work as a complete unit, its now first platoon and second platoon working together to provide battery level fires for the manuver battalions,” said Smith.

The conclusion of the exercise featured a nighttime live-fire where Soldiers opreated under the cover of darkness to conduct fire missions. Soldiers' red light lens provided the only light source as each section worked and operated as a single unit to achieve the mission. With their next exercise approaching quickly, Mountain Peak, a Fort Drum exercise focusing on large scale combat operations, the unit will engage in another qualification exercise called Table XVIII in the coming weeks.

“Table XVIII is where the battalion has to fight three batteries at a time to support the brigade and the division, each table builds on itself and we keep echeloning higher and higher,” said Duncan.

The training will prepare the battery for JRTC, which will serve as the culminating exercise to certify the unit for deployment. As the Table XV qualifications came to a close, senior leaders emphasized the success of the soldiers and unit as whole.

“It feels like we are succeeding, we’re meeting the intent and shooting rounds which is the best part of the job,” said Duncan.