ARNG battalion annual training rotation at Fort Sill.

FA Army National Guard (ARNG) units comprise almost 70 percent of the branch, and the Army is relying more on ARNG FA to accomplish its missions. With this expanded role, it is imperative the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, play a more active role in ensuring all ARNG FA units maintain their skills, readiness and professionalism.

This article provides a blueprint for ARNG FA units to coordinate and prepare for annual training (AT) at Fort Sill on a rotational basis, making the most of the Home of the Field Artillery's professional resources.

Currently, ARNG units travel to the same local training areas to conduct AT year after year--which does not challenge their FA skills, such as terrain association, calls-for-fire, fire solution problems, etc. In many instances, ARNG soldiers completed their latest NCO educational system (NCOES) course 10 or more years ago and have not had the opportunity to return to the schoolhouse for refresher training.

A parallel issue concerns training with new equipment fielding and updates--the initial fire support automation system (IFSAS), gun laying and positioning system (GLPS), etc. Many times this training is accomplished on alternate weekends, further spreading the unit thin and diminishing its most precious resource: time.

Vision for Training at Fort Sill. The section capabilities of the 2d Battalion, 110th Field Artillery (2-110 FA), MDARNG, part of the 29th Infantry Division (Light), were meeting the standards. However, the gunnery team lacked the ability to synchronize the fire support element (FSE), fire direction centers (FDCs) and batteries to provide timely, accurate fires.

Based on this lack of synchronization, we developed a plan for the battalion to deploy to Fort Sill for schoolhouse instruction and a 72-hour live-fire exercise (LFX) during the two-week AT. The plan called for sending each section to it respective part of the FA School for a week of refresher training from the experts. After the refresher training, the battalion then would certify the FSE, FDCs and gun crews. Finally the LFX would be a practical exercise for battalion collective tasks that also would indicate areas in which to focus future training.

The FA School said that a mobile training team (MTT) could help with training at home station; however, we decided the size of an MTT was not large or diverse enough to provide the comprehensive training this program entailed. So planning and coordination for the battalion's AT in April 2001 at Fort Sill began, the battalion's first full deployment outside of the Mid-Atlantic region in 25 years.

Planning and Coordination. In September 2000, the battalion commander, executive officer (XO), logistics NCO and the headquarters and headquarters battery NCO went to Fort Sill to coordinate with post agencies: the Directorate of Logistics (DOL), Range Operations, Fire Support and Combined Arms Operations Department (FSCAOD), the various military occupational specialty (MOS) advanced individual training (AIT) instructors, OKARNG Mobilization and Training Equipment Site (MATES) and Directorate of Plans, Training and Mobilization (DPTM). Once the FA School agreed to the battalion's AT at Fort Sill, we tasked the battalion staff elements and began the coordination process.

In January 2001, the XO, S3 and the logistics and operations NCOs returned to Fort Sill for the Reserve Component (RC) Resource Conference. This allowed the battalion to revisit the coordination agencies, check on the status of our Fort Sill Forms 104 Request for Support and resolve any open issues.

In the same time frame, the battalion staff submitted requests for military aircraft to transport the battalion from Martins State Airport in Maryland to Fort Sill. We also requested military ground transportation; however, due to AT scheduling conflicts, we had to use commercial transportation.

The S3 section tracked the status of all Fort Sill 104s and air and ground transportation requests every two weeks, starting in January. The regular updates allowed the staff sections to react in a timely fashion to issues that presented themselves.

The S4 section was in contact with Fort Sill DOL agencies, the OKARNG and our Virginia State Transportation Office weekly to ensure we had adequate assets for movement. The S4 section also submitted ration requests to Fort Sill and requested catered meals for deployment and redeployment.

Battalion staff and training meetings were every two weeks during drill and on alternate Tuesday evenings to ensure each staff element remained focused and engaged.

Our close coordination with the FA School ensured the battalion's AT was successful. The level of detail of the coordination and questions that arose from the battalion staff drove additional coordination with Fort Sill that proved significant. For example, the staff at Fort Sill knew the battalion was deploying the single-channel ground and airborne radio system (SINCGARS). This led to discussions about SINCGARS versions, ensuring Fort Sill loaded the proper version on the classroom radios to make the most of the training. The same discussions took place with respect to which version of IFSAS the battalion used.

The battalion sent an advance party from the S3 and S4 sections 10 days before the battalion deployed to Fort Sill. The advance party made final arrangements for training areas, ensured instructor support was locked in, drew billets/mess hall and received the howitzers arriving by flatbed trucks.

The battalion augmented the advance party with another team from the S1 section five days before the deployment. Its purpose was to close on coordination with the hospital and lock in a troop medical clinic (TMC) for sick call; finalize articles with the Fort Sill newspaper, the Cannoneer; and secure the FSE team arriving from Fort Polk, Louisiana, that had been at the Joint Readiness Center (JRTC) supporting one of our maneuver battalions.

The Training. The day before deploying, the battalion conducted a multiple unit training assembly (MUTA) with the batteries at their respective armories to tighten up manifests; issue weapons and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) masks; and resolve any personnel and administrative issues. Each battery then reported to the battalion headquarters and remained overnight so personnel could be broken out by chalk for air transport via Air National Guard C-130 aircraft to Fort Sill.

Day 1: Battalion Run and Vehicle Issue. The battalion conducted its traditional run and established garrison at Fort Sill, issuing vehicles and unloading section equipment from the shipping containers.

Day 2: Maintenance. Battery Commanders finalized equipment maintenance and preparations for classroom instruction, conducted Army physical fitness tests (APFTs), received range safety briefings, etc.

Days 3-6: Section Training. Each MOS reported to its particular portion of the schoolhouse to begin training.

* The 31U Signal Support Systems Specialists from the communications section received a day of familiarization on SINCGARS. Then with the 13E Cannon Fire Direction Specialists and 13F Fire Support Specialists, the 31U received two days of installation, implementation, troubleshooting and maintenance training with SINCGARS. This training paid dividends during our LFX because the OKARNG vehicles we used had SINCGARS.

For an additional day, the 3lUs learned the installation, implementation, troubleshooting and maintenance of mobile subscriber equipment (MSE).

* l3Fs received the one day of familiarization on SLNCGARS then three days of training in an exercise driven by an IFSAS scenario. The exercise was designed to test current abilities and teach advanced fire mission planning skills.

An additional day of forward entry device (FED) training was conducted in conjunction with the 13F AIT class in session. One of our FSE staff sergeants served as an assistant instructor for the AIT training. We sent nine students to this step-by-step training that culminated with a communications exercise (COMEX) and FSE certification before the LFX.

* 13Es, after one day of familiarization on SINCGARS, received three days of training driven by light tactical fire direction system (LTACFIRE) scenarios. The training tested fire-mission processing skills and was facilitated by a III Corps Artillery instructor. After classroom training, the FDCs moved into a COMEX and certification before the LFX.

* 13B Cannoneers reported to 13B AIT by howitzer sections. The sections received a modified version of AIT geared toward certifying the section. Added training encompassed shell-fuze classes with hands-on training. Once the training was completed, the sections moved into crew certification based on the 29th Division Artillery Bluebook Certification procedures.

* 13R Firefinder Radar Operators in the target acquisition platoon worked with their radar warrant officer section leader who was in the final phase of the Target Acquisition Warrant Officer Advanced Course. The l3Rs were trained on conducting Q-36 preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) and testing. In addition, they received training on the current software version as well as an NCO professional development session (NCOPD) on the Q-36 software version the battalion will field in the near future.

* 63B Light Wheeled Vehicle Mechanics were under the operational control of the OKARNG MATES personnel for the two-week period. Because RC mechanics are often limited to working with specific weapons systems, the training was designed to expose the soldiers to different types of equipment--in some cases, direct support (DS) level maintenance.

The training on unfamiliar wheeled and tracked equipment was invaluable. The MATES had additional manpower available to prepare the 63Bs for JRTC rotations they would be supporting. For the 72-hour LFX, our mechanics provided maintenance via contact teams dispatched by the administrative and logistics center (ALOC).

* 91 B Medical Specialists in the medical section were under the operational control of Reynolds Army Hospital at Fort Sill. During the first week, they helped in sick-call evaluations and taught CPR classes. The medics then deployed to the field with the battalion for the LFX. The medics supported the HIV, DNA and PANO testing the second week.

* 75B Personnel Administration Specialists from the 51 section processed pay, awards, promotions and extensions for the battalion. The 51 section also worked with a protocol officer as our Maryland Assistant Adjutant General, 3d Brigade Commander, 29th Division Artillery Commander and 29th Division Chief of Staff came out to observe training. Additionally, the 75Bs coordinated with the hospital for Title XI personnel and the Cannoneer for news coverage.

* 13A Field Artillery Officers attended a seminar on fire support planning in the offense and defense taught by FSCAOD. The officers also received a Futures Briefing from the Directorate of Combat Developments (DCD), instruction and a practical exercise on the precision lightweight global positioning system receiver (PLGR) from the Survey Department, and a Target Acquisition Capabilities and Employment Seminar from the Target Acquisition Department. When not in 13A-specific seminars, all fire direction officers (FDOs) and fire support officers (FSOs) stayed in 13E and 13F training, respectively.

In addition, the battalion staff participated in a tactical exercise without troops (TEWT) encompassing nine different locations on the Fort Sill range. This allowed the staff to plan for diverse terrain and walk the terrain before beginning the military decision-making process (MDMP). The staff also developed the tactical scenario and operations order for the FTX.

The TEWT helped the staff prepare for the upcoming Brigade Command Battle Staff Training (BCBST) and Battle Command Training Program (BCTP) Warfighter scheduled for the next training year. RC staffs rarely have the opportunity to train as a functioning staff because of the realities of training--e.g., staff spread around the state, troops having to work on drill weekends, loading up and deploying in the same day with three hour's driving to firing point training sites, strength maintenance priorities, etc.

Days 7-9: LFX The exercise measured the combat readiness of battalion and battery levels of operations. The focus was on the integration of the total fire support team.

During the LFX, the S3 allotted additional time to improve the effects on target by focusing on the five elements of accurate, predicted fire. The S3 section drove the schedule of events to ensure each task was achieved before moving on. The battalion fired 600 rounds in the exercise.

Days 10-11: Maintenance, Uploading and Clearing Post. These two days at Fort Sill were spent preparing the equipment for redeployment and loading it into military vans or loading the vehicles and guns on flatbed trucks. The batteries had to go through the usual process of clearing post. But part of the time was spent processing through Title XI stations set up at Reynolds Army Hospital.

Day 12: Artillery Day. Leveraging an artillery history session scheduled for the FA Officer Basic Course, the Command Historian briefed the battalion about the history of the artillery from black powder to the present. The battalion then divided up into 40-man sections and toured the Fort Sill Museum, Old Post Quadrangle, Old Quartermaster Post, Desert Storm Park and Artillery Row. The battalion also toured Medicine Park and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

The next day, the battalion redeployed to home station and began inventory and clean up.

Lessons Learned. The costs of the battalion deploying to Fort Sill for AT were minimal. The battalion will incur costs associated with Class I, II, III, IV, V, VIII and IX wherever it deploys on AT. The airframes were training opportunities for the Air National Guard. The one cost associated with our deployment that was unusual was the cost of the flatbeds used to transport our guns and FSE vehicles because the battalion could not borrow M102 howitzers from Fort Sill or the OKARNG.

Fort Sill could minimize ARNG unit expenses by creating a pool of the most common equipment ARNG units use to conduct training. An ARNG MATES site at Fort Sill could maintain this equipment.

During AT, Fort Sill needs to augment instructors in the school cadre. We don't recommend an RC training brigade come in to conduct ARNG AT training because these units experience the same shortcomings in expertise and readiness as other RC units.

The type of Title XI assistance received during AT enhanced unit readiness immediately with respect to determining deployable assets on the unit status report as well as enabling a unit to focus on training during the other 24 training days in a year. Title XI requirements are the "Achilles' heel" of RC units.

By providing section-specific training to non-13Bs, soldiers received hands-on instruction that is rarely available in RC units where experts for these low-density MOS are in short supply. Sections also received updates on upcoming changes to training and field manuals as well as software versions for unit equipment. Each section obtained the program of instruction (POI) and manuals to use in its training during upcoming drill weekends.

Commercial trucking assets proved to be a limitation not only from the standpoint of the total number of frames authorized, but also from an on-time standpoint. In the future, commercial trucks should report the day before the deployment. Also units must ensure the right types of trailers arrive so soldiers don't have to reconfigure loads for transit, another problem for the advance party at the other end.

Fort Sill needs to minimize the distances between the billets, and the mess hall, and the training sites and the motor pool--moving troops to the correct location with the limited number of transportation assets proved challenging.

The September pre-coordination trip was essential. The time lines the National Guard operates on are very different than those of active units. Fort Sill approves training on its ranges 45 days out; this caused significant concern for our state, brigade and division artillery headquarters that were committing considerable effort and allocating limited resources for the battalion's 2001 AT and wanted assurance the training was locked in well in advance.

An AT rotation to Fort Sill is highly recommended to other ARNG FA battalions. Further, it is conceivable that other branches could benefit from a similar training model. If readers would like more details on the planning, costs and coordination necessary for an ARNG battalion AT rotation to Fort Sill, contact the 2-110 FA's Operations Section at [phone].

The 2001 AT at Fort Sill required a lot of planning and coordination (see the figure), and there were many glitches along the way. But the training for 2-110 FA was more than worth the effort--AT 2001 was a huge success.

It is clear that resourcing this type of training is taxing on Fort Sill agencies, especially FSCAOD. However, with 70 percent of the FA in the ARNG, can Fort Sill afford not to maintain an adequate base to train at least one ARNG battalion each year?

Lieutenant Colonel William J. O'Neill, Maryland Army National Guard (MDARNG), commands the 2d Battalion, 110th Field Artillery in direct support of the 3d Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light). Also in the 29th Infantry Division, he has served as a Brigade S3, Brigade Fire Support Officer (FSO), Battery Commander, Battery Executive Officer and Battalion and Company FSO. He has participated in three rotations at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana, and, during a rotation to the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, served as Chief of Rockets and Artillery in the Opposing Force (OPFOR). Lieutenant Colonel O'Neill is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; RangerSchool, Fort Benning Georgia; and other military schools. He earned an MS in Administration from Central Michigan University and an MS in Telecommunications and Engineering from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and is enrolled in the Naval War College by correspondence from Newport, Rhode Island. In his civilian job, he is a Satellite Communications Engineer with a consulting firm in McLean, Virginia.

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* Fire Support and Combined Arms Operations Department (FSCAOD) provided instructors for the type and level of training the battalion needed, including modifying the standard instruction.

* FSCAOD provided the equipment and software the battalion has on it modified table of organization and equipment (MTOE).

* Gunnery Department trained 15 soldiers in the unit-level logistics system (ULLS).

* Deputy Assistant Commandant for Army National Guard (DAC-ARNG) coordinated extensively to ensure the battalion received the right resources at the right time.

Oklahoma Army National Guard (OKARNG)

* Provided support from the Mobilization and Training Equipment Site (MATES) 72, including 25 high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs), forklifts and other assistance.

* MATES 72 signed for the battalion buses and loaded them after the commercial flatbed trucks did not arrive in time for the battalion's departure.

* MATES 72 trained the battalion's 63B Light Wheeled Vehicle Mechanics.

* Other Guardsmen loaned the battalion tables, chairs, etc., from their armories because the Fort Sill billets did not have the furniture necessary for a battalion staff to conduct planning and administrative operations.

III Corps Artillery

* Provided three heavy expanded-mobility tactical trucks (HEMTTs) and three l3Ms to help with ammunition supply during the 72-hour live-fire exercise (LFX)--to save money, the battalion left its MTOE 5-ton trucks at home station.

* Provided an advanced gunnery instructor for 13E Cannon Fire Direction Specialist training and two combat lifesaver trainers who re-certified 10 soldiers.

* Provided meteorological support during the LFX, enabling the battalion to meet the five requirements for accurate, predicted fire.

Fort Sill Post Support

* Reynolds Army Hospital provided 17 HIV tests and six DNA documentations.

* Directorate of Logistics qualified 29 battalion soldiers as HMMWV operators, 12 as Government Service Accounting (GSA) bus drivers and two as 1,000-pound forklift operators.

* TSC took official photos of all commanders in the battalion.

* Range Operations provided a location for the battalion to conduct Army physical fitness testing for 44 battalion personnel.

* Fort Sill Transition Point notified the battalion of active duty personnel who are leaving service and coming to the MDARNG area.

* Post Transportation Office helped transport the battalion from/to the airfield to the C-130s.

* Directorate of Information Management (DOIM) installed telephone lines to the billets and coordinated for the use of the repeater system on post to allow the battalion to use its PRC-127 radios to coordinate across staff and school elements.

* Post Chaplains worked with the battalion's Chaplain's Assistant; the Fort Sill Chaplain provided services in the field during the LFX.

List of the Most Significant Support for 2-110 FA's Annual Training Rotation to Fort Sill