Artillery battalion stays ‘Battle Ready’ on infantry tactics
Spc. Ezra Salazar, an automated tactical data systems specialist assigned to Btry. B, 2nd Bn., 29th Field Artillery Regt., 4th BCT, 1st AD, maintains security while his squad leader receives and coordinates the mission to conduct area reconnaissance on an enemy encampment Oct. 16. Photo by Sgt. Brandon A. Bednarek, 4th ABCT, 1st AD, Public Affairs.
Sgt. Brandon A. Bednarek,
4th ABCT, 1st AD, Public Affairs:
“Battle Ready” Soldiers from to the 2nd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Armor Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, reached their initial objective in tactical column formations Oct. 17 as they prepared for the unit’s area reconnaissance and squad tactics training near the Adowa Village training area at Fort Bliss.
The training, which was executed through a coordinated effort among Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Battery A, and Battery B, placed heavy emphasis on junior-enlisted Soldiers and their ability to conduct troop-leading procedures, comprehend and disseminate an operations order and effectively move their element as the squad leader.
“The operations order we developed was at the platoon level and included three squads,” said 2nd Lt. Patrick Lee, platoon leader for Alpha Battery. “We then assigned each squad to execute a particular part of that platoon mission.”
“The squad leader received the mission and established a plan, broke it down into squad objectives, then supervised and refined his strategy throughout the mission,” he continued.
Using the terrain as cover and concealment, squads silently bounded toward an enemy encampment to gather important intelligence and relay information to higher headquarters.
After silently bounding toward an enemy encampment, acting squad leader Spc. Miller, left, assigned to Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Armor Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, prepares to give the next set of mission orders during the unit’s collective area reconnaissance training Oct. 16 just east of Fort Bliss at the Adowa Village. Photos by Sgt. Brandon A. Bednarek / 4th ABCT, 1st AD, Public Affairs
Although a field artillery unit, it is still imperative for every Soldier in the battalion to be proficient in infantry tactics and able to serve as part of a maneuver element, said Lee.
“A lot of times when we deploy, we aren’t always executing artillery missions, we also act as infantry Soldiers,” said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Roman, platoon sergeant, 1st Platoon, Battery A. “This is basically so they know both sides of the house, which allows us to be flexible for any mission that’s asked of us.”
“In today’s modern conflicts, enemies often do not discriminate between rank or experience, making it vital for Soldiers to understand the role of the next highest rank as well as the two immediately below,” said Roman.
“Each Soldier plays an important part, whether it’s being squad leader, part of an aid and litter team or even a pace man,” Lee said. “They’re going to learn some type of skill that’s going to help them in their day-to-day warrior skills.”
“The training not only teaches Soldiers how to work together as a team, but also reinforces the Soldiers’ most basic requirements – the ability to shoot, move and communicate while overtaking the enemy,” said Roman.
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