CMF 13 field artillery: School course update.

In the Army, change is all around us, and the Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, is no different. In addition to supporting Army Transformation initiatives and the reorganization of the FA School, many of our departments have implemented changes to programs of instruction (POIs).

This article addresses the most significant changes to institutional training for Career Management Field (CMF) 13 in the FA School in the past year.

Fire Support and Combined Arms Operations Department (FSCAOD), Sergeant Major Jihad Z. Ali, DSN 639-6424 (580-442-6424), jihad.ali@sill. army,mil. FSCAOD's POIs have undergone several changes to facilitate instruction for new equipment platforms, changes in doctrinal applications or increased personnel training requirements.

Fire Support, Perhaps some of FSCAOD's most significant instructional changes have been the results of fielding two new warfighting vehicles: the M7 Bradley fire support team vehicle (BFIST) and the M707 Striker high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV).

The BFIST's turret-mounted weapon systems, the M242 25-mm Bushmaster and M240C co-axial machine gun, allow the crew to provide its own defensive direct fires. Another important aspect of the BFIST's technology is its ability to provide precise targeting data while stationary or moving. The M707 Striker is a HMMWV with a modified cupola designed to accept the ground! vehicular laser locator designator (G/VLLD). Other improvements to both vehicles include the addition of the lightweight computer unit (LCU) and the hand-held terminal unit (HTU).

BEIST training began in June 2000 with the BFIST Commanders Course. This is a three-week course for second lieutenants and staff sergeants who will be Bradley commanders and gunners in the BFIST turrets. FSCAOD will offer four BFIST Commanders Courses in FY02, five in FY03 and seven in FY04.

In December 2001, the BFIST Operators Course began. It is a four-week POI designed for privates through specialists being assigned to BFIST-equipped units. FSCAOD is offering four courses in FY02, five courses in FY03 and eight in FY04.

Striker training was integrated into the 2002 Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 13F Fire Support Specialist Advanced Individual Training (AIT) POI and also will be part of the 13F Basic NCO Course (BNCOC), Phase II.

Command, Control and Communications ([C.sup.3]). The most significant POI [C.sup.3] changes were in the Transition Course for 13C Tactical Automated Fire Control Systems Specialists' and 13 E Cannon Fire Direction Specialists' transitioning to 13D FA Tactical Data Systems Specialist and in the 13D AIT.

The Transition Course time increased to allow for manual gunnery instruction, resulting in 13Cs' transitioning to 13Ds. The student load is anticipated to increase from 300 students in FY01 to more than 2,000 in FY02.

Course lengths are as follow: Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) Transition Course (seven weeks), AFATDS Command and Staff Course (three weeks), 13C AIT (seven weeks), Initial Fire Support Automation System Course (three weeks), 13C AIT (three weeks), Tactical Communications Course (one week).

Target Acquisition. These courses have had minimal changes, with the exception of a reduction in the scheduled training time for 13R Firefinder Radar Operator AIT. The POI has been trimmed down from 10 to eight weeks.

Many don't realize that AIT for 13R is the most technically demanding MOS-producing course in the Field Artillery. A reduction in scheduled training time equates to an increase in the amount of "midnight oil" students must expend.

The 93 F Meteorological Crewman ALT--the Meteorological Operator's Course--also has been decreased from nine to seven weeks. Additionally, in an effort to provide soldiers with more realistic training, the 93F AIT now has a tactical field training exercise (FTX).

Gunnery Department--Sergeant Major Allen R. Stokes, DSN 639-2400 (580-442-2400), [e-mail]. The most significant changes in the Gunnery Department involve MOS 13E and 13C along with an additional course.

Cannon. The 13E AIT has dropped one week of instruction in the area of communications. There are several reasons for this change. One is the MOS was directed to cut training in an ongoing effort to reduce the time a soldier is in institutional training and get them to the field as soon as possible.

Communications was omitted because units can easily train the tasks. Initial entry soldiers get basic communications skills while in basic training (BT). A new soldier in a unit will not be communicating significant information or troubleshooting radios.

The 13D AIT has one major training change with the completion of A99 Version software in January. This software also will be trained in the technical portion of the 13D Transition Course (13C/E). In the transition course, 13Cs receive training on manual gunnery and technical fire direction skills, while 13Es receive only the technical fire direction portion of the training.

Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS). During FY01, the 13P MLRS Fire Direction Specialist AIT went from 13 to 11 weeks. Selected graduates of the 13P AIT course also began attending the AFATDS Operator's Course.

Critz Hall has undergone several facility upgrades that will continue through the near future to accommodate training for two new pieces of equipment as they are fielded: the M270A1 launcher and high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS). The newest upgrade is 20 fire control panel (FCP) trainers for the M270A1 FCP.

The major changes in the 13M MLRS Crewman courses in the near future will be the addition of the M270A1 Transition Course. This two-week course will be for specialists (promotable) to sergeants first class and will award the Additional Skill Identifier (ASI) of A1. The first M270A1 Transition Course is scheduled to begin in April. The 13M AIT with M270A1 instruction will begin in FY04.

NCO Academy--Commandant Command SergeantMajorCarl B. McPherson, Sr., DSN 639-2417 (580-442-2417), [e-mail]. The most significant changes recently in the advanced NCO course (ANCOC) and BNCOC POIs is that the common core instruction became two-week standalone Phase I portions of the respective courses, which is required before students can take the MOS-specific Phase II portions in residence. Branch-specific NCO Academies began teaching the common core tasks last October.

NCOs selected for ANCOC or BNCOC may take the stand-alone course at any location in the Army school system (TASS) that teaches it. Active duty soldiers cannot take the core course at Reserve Component (RC) schools unless the training is conducted as a two week block of instruction--not conducted over weekends, at night or during other RC training periods. For soldiers in Europe, the common core courses are available through distance learning.

The Phase I common core course is taught at Fort Sill by any small group leader (SGL) at the NCO Academy. Phase II is taught by MOS-specific SGLs and covers the track/MOS-specific portions of ANCOC and BNCOC. There are limited honors and evaluations due to the fact that students no longer instruct each other.

For ANCOC, the Military Briefing is now a graduation requirement. This means students must get "Satisfactory" on all measures. Previously, students could have three measures rated as "Unsatisfactory" and still receive a "Go."

For the 13D BNCOC, students must have AFATDS training before attending Phase II. Failure to have this prerequisite will prevent the soldier from being enrolled for Phase II, the track portion of the 13D BNCOC.

The Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC) has had several changes. The evaluation system now is based on points rather then "Go" or "No Go."

The Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, has clarified the PLDC Army physical fitness requirements. A student must be able to conduct, demonstrate and lead drills, ceremonies and physical fitness training. The student must be able to walk a minimum of 3,200 meters with load-carrying equipment (LCE) and kelvar helmet in three hours. The student must be able to carry 50 pounds during FTXs for extended distances and all required packing list items for short distances (in transit and in in-processing).

PLDC academic evaluations and honors have new criteria. There is now a Commandant's List. Achieving "Exceeded Course Standards" on the service, school, academic, evaluation report (DA Form 1059) requires "Superiors" in all evaluated areas.

Field Artillery Proponency Office (FAPO)--Sergeant Major Roy A. Greenwood, DSN 639-4970 (580-442-4970), [e-mail]. Although FAPO is not a teaching department, the work done in this office has a significant impact on the training and future structure of CMF 13.

No decision has been made as to whether or not Crusader will have a separate MOS or ASI. The current plan has Crusader replacing cannons in 13 of the 21 Active Component (AC) heavy cannon battalions and five Army National Guard (ARNG) heavy battalions. Crusader is projected to start fielding in 2008.

The lightweight 155-mm howitzer (LW 155) is projected to enter the inventory in FY04, replacing the M198 by FY12. M102 and M119 cannons should be phased out around FY14 with no replacement identified at this time. A new future combat system (FCS) is currently scheduled for fielding in FY10; decisions about its capabilities are due in FY03.

The 13D conversion is going according to schedule. Soldiers in the field who have received the required training for conversion to 13D should follow the guidance provided in the Military Personnel Message 01-163 as soon as possible; soldiers can access the message online at http://perscomnd04.army.mil. By FY04, the AC will have only two fire control/direction MOS (13D and 13P). (For ARNG units, the schoolhouse will continue to teach MOS 13C, 13D, 13E and 13P until the ARNG fire direction conversion to 13D is completed in about FY08.) The proposed plan is to look at 13P in FY04 for possible conversion over to 13D in FY07.

As each new interim brigade combat team (IBCT) comes on board, it will increase the 13F structure. A new ASI has been approved for the BEIST (M7). The ASI for enlisted soldiers will be D3, and the Skill Identifier (SI) for officers will be 3X.

ASI A1 will identify the soldiers trained on the new M270A1 launcher. The current plan is to field 327 M270A1 launchers from the Second Quarter of FY02 to the Fourth Quarter of FY09.

HIMARS is to replace some M198s and M270 and M270A1 launchers in FA brigades. The proposed plan for HIMARS is to field 815 launchers, starting in the Second Quarter of FY05 and ending sometime in FY18.

For the new Q-47 Firefinder radar (maximum range of 300 kilometers), the plan is to award ASI F9 to MOS l3Rs who have received training on the system. The ASI will qualify them for assignments in division and corps level radar sections. The Q-47 tentatively will start fielding in FY06.

The current plan is to bring all FA MOS under the one CMF 13 umbrella. In implementing this administrative change, MOS 93F will be renamed 13W Meteorological Crewman in FY04. The Army is reviewing a proposal to rename MOS 82C as MOS 13S Surveyor.

In FY05, the new improved position and azimuth determining system (IPAD) will start fielding. In the First Quarter of FY04, the new meteorological measuring set-profiler (MMS-P) will start fielding.

Master Gunner--Field Artillery Master Gunner Master Sergeant Arthur D. Hawkins, DSN 639-2204 (580-442-2204), [e-mail]. In 1995, the position of Master Gunner was authorized in all division artilleries and Field Artillery brigades and battalions. In early 1999, The Chief of Field Artillery tasked the Gunnery Department and Warfighting Integration and Development Directorate (WIDD) to develop a Master Gunner Program. The Field Artillery Master Gunner position in the Field Artillery School was approved, and the concept was presented to commanders and command sergeants major during the Senior Fire Support Conference at the Field Artillery School in April 2001.

The Master Gunner in the Field Artillery School job entails a variety of tasks that include those listed in the figure. This position has become a central point of contact for questions from the field. The Master Gunner web site is http://sill-www.army.mil/mg. This site allows soldiers to access support packages and standards for establishing a program for a Paladin, M119/M198 towed howitzer or MLRS unit certification program. The site is being updated to include "Frequently Asked Questions" to help disseminate information.

Currently the FA Master Gunner is working on the standardization of all safety/certification testing for the FA community. This will provide the basic safety requirements that the field should be training on. Each unit will be able to add to the testing package according to its needs and mission.

If readers have questions about any information in this article or related information, they can contact the sergeants major from the respective departments listed in this article with their telephone numbers and email addresses.

CMF 13 is the core of the Field Artillery. The Field Artillery School is responsible for training and designing and managing the career progression of these critical MOS--not just critical to the Field Artillery, but also to the entire Army.

Command Sergeant Major Ricky L. Hatcher is the CSM for the Training Command, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, DSN 639-6935 (580-442-6935), [e-mail]. In his previous assignment, he was the 19th enlisted Commandant of the NCO Academy, Fort Sill, where he had been a Senior Instructor. He also served as the CSM for the 1st Battalion, 40th Field Artillery in the Field Artillery Training Center (FATC), and CSM of the 3d Battalion, 18th Field Artillery, III Corps Artillery, both at Fort Sill. In other assignments, he has been a Mortar Section Chief, Forward Observer, Company Fire Support Sergeant, Battalion Fire Support Sergeant, Drill Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant and Battalion Intelligence Sergeant. During a tour with the FATO in 1985, he was selected as the 7th Training Battalion Drill Sergeant of the Year. He holds an Associate of Arts in Business from the University of Phoenix.

RELATED ARTICLE: The Duties of the FA Master Gunner in the Field Artillery School

* Help manage individual and crew training.

* Certify programs for all delivery systems.

* Maintain maximum readiness and the operational status of all delivery systems.

* Troubleshoot problems on primary weapons systems, ammunition vehicles and fire direction centers (FDCs).

* Maintain the most current information and training packages on all primary weapons systems, their supporting ammunition vehicles and FDCs.

* Maintain a dialogue with all division artillery and FA brigade and battalion Master Gunners to ensure rapid identification of new issues and rapid dissemination of all critical information concerning the FA.