Fort Sill's A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery deployed to the United States Military Academy to deliver fires exercises July 2-13 for USMA and international cadets there for summer training at West Point, N.Y.
Approximately 1,500 cadets participated in the Army training experience between their freshman and sophomore years. During training, cadets got their first taste of the U.S. Army war fighting branches, and the "Big Deuce" Battalion represented field artillery firing 105mm howitzers and mortars.
Led by Capt. John Bechtold, A Battery commander, and 1st Sgt. Darryl Derrick, the cadets integrated with the battery's howitzer sections and performed crew drills.
Cadets spent eight days learning each aspect of delivering fires and were given hands-on training for every aspect of the field artillery system including calling for fire, fire direction processing, ammunition preparation and howitzer fire mission processing.
And, of course, the prerequisite safety procedures that accompanied each step of the firing process.
The cadets were inquisitive and motivated and after the third day of training everything was going smoothly. To complete the training, cadets manned the 105mm gunner's seat and had to successfully fire six 105mm rounds.
As the cadets trained, they began to conceptualize the artillery, and this experience was a vital introduction to the branch and will influence their branching decision upon graduation, Bechtold said.
About 540 cadets trained each day in groups of about 180 on ranges near the academy. Cadets included international military students from Honduras, Thailand, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Taiwan.
Cadre from the West Point's Department of Military Instruction said they were excited to have a firing unit from the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence to perform cadet training.
"I knew right away that the 'Big Deuce' was who to call for this mission," said Maj. Donald Cherry Jr., fire support committee chief and field artillery branch liaison to the academy.
The 2nd-2nd FA safely fires more than 60,000 artillery rounds annually to enable the call for fires training of Soldiers and Marines at Fort Sill.
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