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Arctic Thunder artillerymen tackle infantry tactics

Nov-16-2004 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

[Link to Article] with photos

Spc. Tiffany Levesque
20th Public Affairs Detachment

DONNELLY TRAINING AREA – As dawn breaks, an Iraqi sheriff watches a company of American Soldiers roll into his town. The sheriff and his two deputies discuss how to handle their new guests. A knock on the door announces the Soldiers. Introductions are made and negotiations begin.

This is the beginning of one of many exercises being used to cross-train 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, said battalion commander Lt. Col. Scott Wuestner.

“As the Army becomes a more mobile and agile force, we as leaders need to help prepare our Soldiers to become mobile and agile,” said Wuestner.

As the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan has helped to change how the infantry and support units train, it has also helped to open up new avenues of training for field artillery.

Field artillery troops usually reach out and touch the enemy from far away, and now they conduct raids, set up and man traffic control points, and perform many other duties usually left up to the infantry, said Wuestner.

Training to react to these types of stability operations will help 4th Bn.,11th FA Soldiers understand the types of missions they will participate in either in Iraq or Afghanistan.

“I’ve recently returned from Iraq, where I was serving as an infantrymen, and the skills that my Soldiers are learning today will be used more than their field artillery skills,” said Sgt. First Class Charylleo Dorris, an infantryman who re-classed into field artillery.

Practicing marksmanship, planning missions, reacting to multiple situations, and learning to interact with people with a different culture is improving the troops ability to carry out daily functions, said Dorris.

“Marksmanship is the fundamental difference between the United States Army and our opponents,” said Wuestener.

One of the key skills that 4-11 has been working on is their marksmanship skills. They have been practicing convoy live fires and squad live fires to improve their marksmanship, said Wuestener.

“We are learning new skills, practicing useful tactics, and putting these techniques to the test,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Tupua, a section chief.

These changes can sometimes be difficult on the Soldiers who are used to fighting from a distance, said Tupua.

“One minute the Soldiers may be firing their howitzers, and the next, they’re going on door to door raids,” Wuestener said. “It’s important that they learn to switch from task to task.”

4-11 continues to hone its skills in artillery core warrior tasks, while learning new infantry skills to meet any threat on the battlefield, said Wuestener.

Contact the writer at tiffany.levesque@wainwright.army.mil.


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