FA 131A warrant officers: a career update.

Soldiers of all grades have seen the landscape of the Field Artillery change drastically as a result of rapid transformation and the War on Terrorism (WOT). Nowhere have these changes been more profound than within the FA warrant officer (WO) corps. The overwhelming success of our Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) WO 131A Targeting Technicians has fueled progress.

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Across the force, the demand for targeting officers is greater than ever before, surpassing the objectives and intentions of the architects of the targeting officer concept. Today, the roles and scope of responsibilities for 131As go well beyond anything previously envisioned--today's targeting officers must be able to reach across all aspects of military operations with the skills of a Pentathlete.

131A Role Expanded. In 1994, the role and scope of responsibilities of the MOS 131A Radar Technician formally were expanded to include targeting. Our predecessors envisioned an expert capable of fulfilling the requirements of the radar section leader as well as those of the targeting officer at all levels of command--filling positions previously held by captains, majors and lieutenant colonels. However, the 131As did not have the prerequisite technical expertise required to accomplish the mission.

The new design required 131As to be radar and targeting experts. The FA School had to develop training requirements, assemble qualified instructors and institutionalize a program of instruction (POI) to teach 131As to be targeting officers from the brigade to the corps levels.

At that time, many senior WOs chose not to embrace the changes and retired. Consequently, defining the role and scope of the new targeting technician was left largely to the junior warrant officers, beginning in 1994.

Almost immediately it became evident that the future of the 131A was to be linked to his role as a targeting expert rather than as a radar technician. Assignments as Q-36 or Q-37 Firefinder radar section leaders became developmental, and the pinnacle of a warrant officer's career shifted to targeting. Time spent serving as a radar section leader was a maturation period--which has served many of us well.

However, few 131A radar experts are left in the Army today. The reduction in radar technical skills is a natural consequence of technological advances in Firefinders, the introduction of other systems that can acquire enemy indirect fires and the growth in and shift to technicians who truly are experts in targeting.

The 131A is the staff representative the commander looks to develop, brief, train, automa te and participate in a highly efficient targeting process at all echelons. The 131A defines the commander's targeting process to achieve maximum efficiency of his resources.

Since 2004, the Army has increased the FA WO corps by 62 percent to support transformation (See Figure 1). The modular design of the Army's 76 brigade combat teams (BCTs) accounts for most of the additional requirements, significantly increasing the total number of 131As required for each BCT. And the number of 131As is continuing to grow.

Current 131A Demand. The 131A has established his role as the expert in any targeting arena--resulting in calls from commanders across the Army for targeting technicians to support their operations. As a result, 131As now are serving in a range of positions and at every level of conventional and special operations commands (SOCOMs). So, despite the loss of the traditional radar section leader positions, starting in the Third Quarter of FY08, the FA WO corps will continue to grow. The modular force design includes four targeting technician position throughout the BCT, as shown in Figure 2. Prior to modularity, the brigades only had two 131A positions: the radar section leader and the brigade targeting officer.

Currently, the Fires Battle Lab at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, is testing the use of a 131A as a targeting officer in a BCT's fusion cell, which would be a fifth position for 131As in the BCTs. If implemented, the position is projected to begin showing up in the force about 2010.

Although 131As will no longer serve as radar section leaders, they will continue to play a vital role in managing radars. Today's WO's maturation process occurs during his initial assignments as the target acquisition (TA) platoon leader and then fires battalion targeting officer in a BCT. As a TA platoon leader, he will be responsible for the Q-36 and Q-37 Firefinders, the lightweight countermortar radars (LCMRs) and other radars--plus responsible for meteorology (Met) and survey.

The radar platoon leader position prepares the 131A to serve as a fires battalion targeting officer. In this position, he serves, essentially, as the battalion's counterfire officer, positioning the radars for the counterfire and other fights.

The professional maturation occurring during these initial assignments is essential for the 131A to serve at a BCT headquarters as the targeting officer.

WO Education System (WOES). WOES is evolving to support these force structure changes. At Fort Sill, the WO basic and advanced courses (WOBC and WOAC) both recently have undergone significant redesign. The courses now more accurately mirror the needs of the commanders in the field in WOT. These new courses are designed to ensure targeting technicians can succeed in full-spectrum operations and will evolve as necessary.

Getting these courses "right" depends on feedback from commanders, senior warrant officers and others in the field as well as on new or revised tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) reported by observer/controller (O/C) teams at the combat training centers (CTCs). To date, support from the field and CTCs has been tremendous.

The contents of the WOBC and WOAC have changed as well as the way the students are taught. The WOES courses' instruction now emphasizes developing critical thinking skills.

WOBC. The Assistant Commandant of the FA School stood down a WOAC class in January 2006 to redesign what is now the 17-week WOBC. The WOBC pilot program ends in June. As the WOBC design solidifies, it is important to note that most of the changes reflect input from the field rather than working groups operating in a vacuum at Fort Sill.

WOBC courses after June will be almost nothing like the classes of the past. Beginning in March, collateral damage estimation (CDE), targeting for precision-guided munitions (PGMs) and information operations (IO) become a part of the WOBC's core curriculum. Other information, ranging from electronic warfare (EW) to defeating suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in a counterinsurgency (COIN) environment, are being integrated into classes.

WOAC. WOAC was redesigned by a Tiger Team and representatives from the field from May to July 2006. The pilot WOAC began in July.

The nine-week WOAC now includes CDE, precision targeting and the targeting folders, joint automated deep operations coordination system (JADOCs) and, significantly, the two-week Joint Fires and Effects Course (JOFEC).

Future WOBCs and WOACs will continue to be refined via feedback from the field, emphasizing new systems and critical thinking. In the near future, the FA School plans to install security Internet protocol routing (SIPRNET) access in all WOBC and WOAC classrooms for student discussions with 131As and others in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition to the institutional redesign, the Warrant Officer Career Management Section of the FA Branch in the Officer Personnel Management System (OPMS) Division, Alexandria, Virginia, is working to increase developmental opportunities for the FA targeting officer as he needs them. Assignment-oriented training (AOT) is ensuring 131As are getting the right training at the right time.

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Also, WOAC has been "decoupled" from promotions, which allows targeting technicians to attend WOAC before being assigned to higher levels in the BCTs. The 131A Career Managers are sending FA WOs to joint schools and for advanced civilian education, helping to meet the needs of today's ever-changing and fast-paced Army.

Future threats undoubtedly will create new demands and affect the targeting technician's scope of responsibilities. The 131A of the future will be adaptive, innovative, grounded in doctrine and, most importantly, the Army's targeting expert. 131As will be Pentathletes capable of serving as targeting experts from the BCT level and up with the institutional knowledge and experience to ensure their success.

The prerequisites to become a 131A warrant officer are shown in Figure 3. If readers have questions about this article or applying to become a 131A, they can contact the author via email at [e-mail] or telephonically at DSN 639-3782 or commercial 580-442-3782.

Chief Warrant Officer Four Bruce D. Brandes, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 131A Targeting Technician, is the Deputy Director of the Field Artillery Proponency Office (FAPO) and Chief Warrant Officer of the FA Branch at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He has served in the Army for more than 23 years, including two years as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Warrant Officer School at Fort Sill; three years as the Division Targeting Officer with the 1st Infantry Division in Germany; three years as a Brigade Targeting Officer with the 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and two years on the Q-36 and Q-37 Firefinder radars. While serving in the enlisted ranks, Chief Brandes was an MOS 13E Cannon Fire Direction Specialist at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, among other assignments.

By Chief Warrant Officer Four Bruce D. Brandes

Year  WO   W3   W4   W5   Total

FY04  132  051  027  007  217
FY05  129  092  053  007  281
FY06  131  120  077  008  336
FY07  121  134  084  010  349

Figure 1: In just three years, the Field Artillery's Military
Occupational Specialty (MOS) 131A Warrant Officers (WOs) have grown by
62 percent. With changes in future force structure, the numbers of 131As
will continue to grow.

1. Target Acquisition (TA) Platoon Leader
   * Supervises the activities of the platoon.
   * Coordinates for tactical meteorological (Met), survey and TA
     assets.
   * Coordinates, security and force protection, logistics and
     administration for platoon assets.
   * Monitors mission support requirements with in the BCT area.
   * Supports the counterfire operations section in mission planning for
     platoon assets.
2. Fires Battalion Targeting Officer
   * Uses the target selection standards (TSS) to develop enemy targets
     and suspected enemy targets.
   * Analyzes and validates information from TA sources.
   * Conducts and coordinates battle damage assessment (BDA).
   * Helps in target production and processing.
   * Provides the S2 TA analysis to support the intelligence preparation
     of the battlefield (IPB).
   * Helps the S2 with the FA support plan (FASP), TA and plans for
     attached, organic and operational control (OPCON) TA assets.
   * Provides guidance to the counterfire officer.
3. BCT Headquarters Target Analyst
   * Collocates with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
     in the command post (CP) to develop targets.
   * Facilitates rapid target engagement.
   * Provides fire support warfighting considerations for the order of
     battle, IPB products, high-value target list (HVTL) and named areas
     of interest (NAIs).
   * Provides input concerning TSS, the attack guidance matrix (AGM) and
     the high-payoff target list (HPTL).
   * Provides time and accuracy requirements for target engagement
     systems.
4. BCT Targeting Officer
   * Conducts lethal and nonlethal targeting.
   * Participates in combat assessments.
   * Provides targeting input into the military decision-making process
     (MDMP).
   * Develops targeting and combat guidance.
   * Ensures synchronization between sensors and delivery assets.
   * Provides targeting considerations in the coordination and
     synchronization of interagency activities within the BCT's area of
     responsibility (AOR).

Figure 2: The modular force design of the brigade combat teams (BCTs)
requires four MOS Warrant Officer 131A Targeting Technicians in each
BCT, as shown here.

Minimum Prerequisites:
* Be in the rank of staff sergeant (E6) or higher.
* Hold MOS 13B Cannon Crewmember, 13C Tactical Automated Fire Control
  Systems Specialist, 13D FA Tactical Data Systems Specialist, 13E
  Cannon Fire Direction Specialist, 13F Fire Support Specialist, 13M
  Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Crewmember, 13P MLRS Operations/
  Fire Direction Specialist, 13R FA Firefinder Radar Operator, 13S FA
  Surveyor or 13W FA Meteorological Crewmember. In addition, personnel
  from MOS 94M Radar Repairer or 11C Indirect Fire Infantryman who have
  at least five years of experience in a "feeder" MOS also may apply.
* Have a minimum of two years in a supervisory position as documented by
  NCO evaluation reports (NCOERs) at the section chief level or higher.
* Have a score of 110 or higher in the Armed Services Vocational
  Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) areas of FA and electronics.
* Have a written recommendation from an active duty chief warrant
  officer three (CW3) or higher who holds the 131A MOS.
* Have no more than 12 years active federal service (AFS); if you have
  more than 12 years of AFS, the Department of the Army (DA) must
  approve your application.

Preferred Qualifications (Minimum Plus):
* Have more than two years in a supervisory position as documented by
  NCOERs.
* Have six hours of English and six hours of math from an accredited
  college or university.

Figure 3: Prerequisites for Becoming an MOS 131A Targeting Technician
Warrant Officer