2006 Hamilton Award winner: A/2-222 FA, UTARNG.

A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery (A/2-222 FA) of Cedar City, Utah Army National Guard (UTARNG), part of I Corp Artillery, has won the Hamilton Best ARNG Battery Award for 2006. The battery was deployed to Iraq from July 2005 to June 2006. Captain Shawn M. Fuellenbach commands the battery with NCO leader First Sergeant Michael M. Miller.

Named for Alexander Hamilton, a Revolutionary War Artilleryman and American statesman, the Hamilton Award was established in 2002. It annually recognizes a high-performing ARNG battery based on specific criteria and a narrative.

A/2-222 FA deployed to Ar Ramadi, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in July 2005. Ar Ramadi is the capital of the volatile Al Anbar Province located in the seething heart of the Sunni insurgency.

The battery had three primary missions during its deployment. It manned three observation points (OPs) along three main and alternate supply routes, provided counterfire and direct support (DS) fires for the 2-28th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) and conducted base defense for Camp Ramadi.

A/2-222 FA deployed to Iraq with 104 Soldiers. Of those Soldiers, 54 received combat action badges (CABs), and seven Soldiers received purple hearts for wounds sustained during combat operations. The battery redeployed all Soldiers and suffered no accidental or combat deaths during the deployment.

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During A/2-222 FA's nonstandard OP and patrol mission, the battery manned the three OPs in the 2-28th BCT area of operations (AO). The battery conducted 110 combat patrols and drove more than 88,000 kilometers (54,600 miles) during a three and one-half month period in the late summer and fall of 2005. There were 12 improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and one land mine attack on the patrols. The patrols also found three IEDs and a land mine.

During this time, the supply routes were able to remain open and be traveled by Coalition Forces, Iraqi forces and Iraqi civilians with minimal interruptions.

A/2-222 FA then transitioned back to its "roots" in November 2005. The battery was assigned the Artillery mission for the 2-28th BCT. The battery was split into two platoons and located on two forward operating bases (FOBs). This allowed A/2-222 FA to range the entire brigade AO.

During a three and one-half month period, the battery processed 236 fire missions and fired 1,464 rounds in support of combat operations. Several mortar teams were destroyed, and more than 15 insurgents were confirmed killed in action (KIA) from the battery's fires.

The accuracy of Artillery fires improved during this period. Special emphasis was placed on meeting the five requirements for accurate, predicted fires. The battery calibrated all powder lots, and crews practiced drills constantly to improve the consistency and timing of the fires.

The efforts paid off. The accuracy of the fires improved, and maneuver units began using more Artillery while they were troops-in-contact (TIC). Among other missions, they used Artillery fires to destroy enemy sniper positions or fix the enemy and keep Coalition Forces out of harm's way.

For the last three months of A Battery's time in Ar Ramadi, the unit transitioned to base defense for Camp Ramadi. This included manning the two entry control points (ECPs) into Camp Ramadi and seven towers located on the perimeter. The unit also oversaw the reconstruction of the main ECP. During this time, enemy combatants did not breech the camp's perimeter.

While deployed, 33 members of A Battery reenlisted in the National Guard. The unit had only 12 percent attrition after coming off stop-loss. All but 12 eligible members of A Battery took advantage of the large tax-free bonuses available and reenlisted.

A/2-222 FA redeployed to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in June 2006, arriving in Utah on 22 June. The unit redeployed with no accidents and no loss of any sensitive items. A/2-222 FA currently is reconstituting and resetting in preparation for the next mission the Army assigns it.