2003 Gruber Award winner: SFC Glen R. Washington, FCNCO, 3d ID.

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Washington, the Fire Control NCO (FCNCO) for the 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) Artillery (Div Arty), Fort Stewart, Georgia, is the winner of the Gruber Award as the outstanding FA professional for 2003. SFC Washington made significant contributions to the success of the 3d Division in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and developed critical tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) for the advanced FA tactical data systems (AFATDS) that will benefit the entire FA community.

The Gruber Award, established in 2002, recognizes outstanding individual thought and innovation that results in significant contributions to or enhancement of the FA's warfighting capabilities, morale, readiness or maintenance. The award is named after Brigadier General Edmund L. Gruber, 1879-1941, who, as a First Lieutenant in 1908, composed the Caisson Song that the Army adapted as The Army Goes Rolling Along in 1952. (For more information, see the website "Knox, Hamilton and Gruber Awards" at http://sill-www.army.mil/awards/default.htm.)

In early 2002, SFC Washington volunteered to deploy to Kuwait as an AFATDS expert in support of the Coalition Force Land Component Command (CFLCC) C3 fire support element (FSE). During this six-month deployment, SFC Washington served with distinction, voluntarily performing the duties of a Battle Captain and Shift NCOIC. He regularly assisted the Continental United States (CONUS) Crisis Response Force (CCRF) artillery battalion when it encountered AFATDS issues.

His most notable achievement was training and planning for the 1-3 Attack Helicopter Battalion's (AHB's) FSE to fire digitally for the first time using AFATDS in conjunction with the airborne target handover system (ATHS) on the AH-64D Apache Longbow. SFC Washington's perseverance and in-depth knowledge enabled 1-3 AH to execute a complex process routinely.

Upon his return to CONUS in September 2002, SFC Washington began preparing the division's final AFATDS fielding for 1-10 FA at Fort Benning, Georgia--considered one of the best to date. He helped the Fort Sill AFATDS new equipment training team (NETT) field more than 60 AFATDS rapidly across the Div Arty.

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As the Div Arty prepared to deploy to Kuwait, SFC Washington received yet another task. He and his fire control element (FCE) fielded AFATDS Version 6.3.1 and, in four weeks, trained more than 120 soldiers on the software on different continents.

The Div Arty commander then picked SFC Washington for a "Do Not Fail" mission--live-fire and validate the software before the division went into combat. SFC Washington immediately established a rigid training program for battalion fire direction centers (FDCs), continually rehearsing combat battle drills and fire missions. He performed brilliantly, personally certifying each battalion FDC as safe to fire.

Through his untiring efforts, the Div Arty massed all cannon and rocket battalions for the first time in 12 years while simultaneously validating Version 6.3.1. SFC Washington flawlessly executed Div Arty mass time-on-target (TOT) and fire-for-effect-"When Ready" (FFE-WR) missions and a schedule of fires that included a live fire of rockets for suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD). The Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver and Div Arty Commander commended SFC Washington's Fire Control Section (FCS) for exceptional accuracy and timeliness.

SFC Washington's AFATDS expertise in training and exercises resulted in a highly trained, combat-ready Div Arty just weeks before the division attacked into Iraq.

The Div Arty S3 then challenged SFC Washington to maintain digital communications on the move. Thinking "outside the box," SFC Washington suggested building a "jump FCE" in a high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) with M1113 rigid-wall shelter (RWS). Within 48 hours, he had the mobile FCE operational. He developed TTPs for employing this FCE and maintained continuous digital FM communications throughout the ensuing combat operations.

Upon notification of incoming Iraqi artillery fire near An Nasiriyah, SFC Washington's jump FCE, as part of the Div Arty tactical command post (TAC), emplaced from the march and immediately established communications with radars and firing units, enabling the Div Arty TAC to return fire rapidly. SFC Washington's vision and know-how resulted in a counterfire effort that overwhelmed the Iraqi artillery and ultimately saved US soldiers' lives.

Throughout the conflict, SFC Washington flawlessly executed Div Arty-level artillery preps, to include the initial destruction of nine Iraqi border observation posts at the beginning of major combat operations. He processed countless requests for additional fires from maneuver elements and processed the now famous multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) strike in support of 2d Brigade's "Thunder Run" into the Palace District of Baghdad.

Always looking for ways to streamline the process, SFC Washington's efforts allowed the Div Arty to reduce the radars acquistion-to-fire time to six minutes and 37 seconds. SFC Washington processed more than 90 counterfire missions that silenced the Iraqi artillery and resulted in no loss of life from enemy indirect fires in the 3d Division.

With his demeanor, confidence and technical abilities, SFC Washington was a beacon for soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Div Arty, during the tumultuous past year. The 3d Division, FA community, US Army and nation are better off today because of SFC Washington's performance in preparing for and executing fires during OIF.