NORTH FORT HOOD, Texas -- Soldiers of the 1-291st Aviation Regiment, 166th Aviation Brigade, Division West, conducted gunnery training with a Texas Army National Guard aviation unit on Crittenberger Range Feb. 4.
"We are testing them on positive firing methods by correctly identifying targets, using the correct munitions and firing within the assigned area," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brian Umstead, 1-291st Aviation Regiment safety officer. "We also making sure that the air and ground teams are in sync with attacks."
The 1-291st, also known as the Punishers, in conjunction with 21st Cavalry Brigade, conducted training simulations for the AH-64 Apache pilots to make it as combat-realistic as possible.
The 166th Aviation Brigade conducts the standard pre-mobilization training for Apache helicopter units, said Umstead.
"We are also making sure that the unit adheres to and understands our range (standing operation procedures) for their training here on Fort Hood," Umstead said.
The Punishers trained Soldiers from Company B, 1-149th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, an aviation unit with eight helicopters and 16 teams of Soldiers from Ellington Field in Houston.
The 1-149th has been on North Fort Hood since the beginning of the year training for their upcoming nine-month deployment to Afghanistan. They conducted day and night fire missions as part of their gunnery training.
"The training has been good here on Fort Hood," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles Gougenheim, a 1-149th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion AH-64 Apache pilot. "Division West has been very helpful since we've been here."
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