Field Artillerymen as force multipliers.

I'd like to begin this column by saluting our artillery leaders, Soldiers, Marines and allies who have closed ranks to take the fight to our enemies across the globe, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. Everyday they write new chapters of heroism, performance of duty under fire and tremendous adaptability to accomplish our core mission of delivering accurate, timely lethal fires as well as coordinating all effects for our joint commanders.

I have said for some time that we, Field Artillerymen, are in the middle of a "perfect storm." The movie Perfect Storm--so called because it was three storms combined into one--was the story of a fishing boat caught in the middle of the storms.

Think about what we are in the middle of right now. Our Army is going through its most profound transformation since World War II; we are building modular capabilities to increase our strategic responsiveness and flexibility while re-balancing and restructuring our Active Component (AC) and Army National Guard (ARNG) in the near term; and we are working to improve predictability by stabilizing the force. We are doing all these while in a war that strategic reality tells us will be a protracted one.

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And, unlike the fishing boat that was destroyed in the PerfectStorm, the Field Artillery is transforming as it goes through its "storms," growing its capabilities for the Army and the joint force.

Transforming the FA. Our formations will remain tremendously capable as we continue to provide persistent all-weather, all-terrain 24/7 responsive fires for our maneuver forces across the battlespace--our delivery of indirect fires remains a staple of the evolving environment.

The transformation proof comes from November 2004's fight for Fallujah in Iraq, a clear example of the irregular fight fought by A Battery, 3d Battalion, 82d Field Artillery (A/3-82 FA), 2d Brigade Combat Team (2d BCT), 1st Cavalry Division. These Redlegs spent 10 months performing nonstandard FA missions while patrolling the streets of Baghdad before they were called to provide FA support to the Black Jack Brigade and 1st Marine Division in their attack to restore Fallujah to legitimate control.

In recalling the 10-day-plus operation, the battery commander stated, "The Marines gave us the exact coordinates and requested fires, and we provided them, destroying the enemy's command and control headquarters, sniper positions, bunkers, mortar positions, maneuver elements--just about anything we were called on to destroy.

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"We fired illumination rounds to enhance night-time visibility, smoke rounds to conceal troop movements and precision fires within one meter of intended targets, all with devastating effects."

In fact, some adjustments were less than the traditional 50 meters. They literally walked fires in front of Bradleys and Abrams to clear the way.

The battery commander went on to say, "During the fight, a Marine platoon was ambushed by 70 insurgents all dug-in in fortified positions. The Marines called for close supporting fire, and we responded with superb effects, destroying the insurgents and allowing the platoon to maneuver effectively. Afterward, the Marine commander made it a point to find our firing battery and thank us for doing what we do best.

"Yes, we made history in Fallujah and again displayed that Artillery is and always will be the King of Battle."

This is transformational. But fellow Artillerymen, we are still challenged. Our counterfire capability was designed for the Cold War to fight the Soviets, not a single mortar tube mounted in the back of Toyota pick-up or up on a village roof top. Our ability to counter this deadly, less sophisticated tactic requires new thought and new tactics and capabilities to make sensor-to-shooter transparent. Let me take this one step further: the evolving challenges require the force to develop new joint tactics and joint interdependent capabilities to make joint sensor-to-shooter transparent. This is the irregular challenge--the contemporary operating environment (COE). This is the domain of the joint land warrior.

I may be biased, but I think Field Artillerymen always have been transformational in developing new capabilities and adapting current capabilities to accomplish new missions, including joint missions and capabilities.

We are part of the Counterstrike Task Force (CSTF). This task force is integrating existing joint technologies into a networked command and control ([C.sup.2]) system that will give our commanders a common operating picture (COP) in order to defeat the enemy's indirect fires. At the end of the day, we will achieve horizontal integration of joint sensors and joint responders to address the entire spectrum of indirect fire threats to our forces in theater.

In December 2004, the CSTF completed Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) demonstrations at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. The demonstrations were highly successful, and the CSTF joins the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in preparing systems for delivery to theater. This effort now has become fully joint as the CSTF is working with the Marine Corps and Air Force to ensure the total integration of procedures and assets and sharing of information in real time.

Transformation Priorities. We have three priorities to accomplish as the Army transforms from a division-based to a brigade-based organization. Our first priority is to grow Fires Battalions organic to the fourth BCTs, next is to establish joint fires and effects cells (JFECs) at all levels, and finally to organize fires for echelons above the maneuver BCTs in the Fires Brigades.

Success in accomplishing these priorities means we must move Soldiers and equipment into those formations. We face some challenges in terms of manning and equipping the growing number of Fires Battalions and establishing JFECs.

In those efforts, we are hosting a Modularity Video Teleconference (VTC) every second Wednesday of the month. These VTCs include representatives of the Department of the Army G3 and G8, Human Resources Command, Forces Command (FORSCOM) and our fires formations in the field.

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As of 23 November 2004, the Army indicated we will likely have 11 Fires Brigades in the Total Force. Although I have consistently stated that in a perfect world we would have a Fires Brigade for every UEx, the realities of force structure constraints have driven the decision to have a smaller number of Fires Brigades. Ongoing efforts will determine the mix of AC and ARNG Fires Brigades and where they will be stationed.

As you know, some Field Artillery force structure has been reduced, particularly echelons above brigade. While we may perceive an overall loss, there actually are more opportunities for Field Artillerymen because we are adding battalions and JFECs. Fires Battalions are now organic to the BCTs; they bring more commands, more Soldiers, a clearer mission and a better organization for training, [C.sup.2] and combined arms joint warfighting. Our JFECs are more robust than ever before.

All of this means the addition of more than 400 section chief positions on howitzers, launchers, radars and meteorological systems; of more than 120 master sergeant positions in warfighting units; of almost 250 Field Artillery intelligence and targeting officer positions for our warrant officers; of more than 120 more positions for majors; of 130 more positions for lieutenant colonels in our warfighting divisions and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams; and of 15 more Fires Battalion commands/command sergeants major positions.

Now having said that, we do have a concern over the reduction in the numbers of Field Artillery colonel commands. We have taken action to continue command opportunities. We have established battlefield coordination detachments (BCDs) as 13A 06 board-selected brigade-level commands, giving us five new 13A 06 commands in the AC and two additional for the ARNG. We are in the process of developing the physical plan to collocate our BCDs with each of the Air Force's combined air operations centers (CAOCs).

I showed you the Fires Battalion and Fires Brigade organizational designs in my July-August column. Most remains the same; however, we recently documented that the BCT combat observation lasing teams (COLTs) are to be located in the BCT's headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) and the company fire support teams (FISTs) at the task forces' HHCs. These changes move us closer to "what right looks like," help facilitate training and certification, and ensure that immediately responsive, all-weather, all-terrain close supporting precision fires are available for the BCT.

We are continuing to make steady progress to improve our ability to deliver both precise and more precise area effects from both our cannons and our launchers. Today's experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan clearly dictate that we must be able to quickly and confidently bring effects into areas where collateral damage is a factor and in close proximity to our Soldiers and Marines.

Two key cannon precision capabilities, the XM982 155-mm Excalibur unitary warhead round and projectile guidance kit (PGK), aka course-correcting fuze, are under development today. Recent Excalibur firings at Yuma impressively achieved 3.4-meter accuracy at a range of 20 kilometers, even during extreme wind conditions. Excalibur is ideal for use in urban and other complex terrain and will serve as the precision "bus" for 155-mm lethal and nonlethal projectiles.

Efforts to develop the PGK are also showing promise, and we anticipate a spring demonstration to determine the validity of a potential design. PGKs will enhance the effectiveness of fielded cannon munitions (155-mm and 105-mm).

Together these capabilities provide the commander with a greater spectrum of cannon effects from conventional "dumb" artillery rounds, to the more precise area effects of PGK-equipped munitions, to the precision-guided capability provided by Excalibur.

On the launcher side, we are expanding our munitions suite beyond the current dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM). It is absolutely imperative that we grow another capability to deliver lethal effects in urban and other complex terrain.

The most recent guided MLRS (G-MLRS) unitary test firing at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, on 9 December 2004 achieved an accuracy inside of 10 meters of the aimpoint at a range in excess of 60 kilometers. Its capability in the point-detonating or delay fuze mode allows noncombatant or friendly Soldiers to be within 200 meters of the target. This G-MLRS unitary rocket significantly reduces collateral damage to structures that we don't wish to harm. Fielding for this rocket will start in the 4th Quarter of FY06, if it is not accelerated and fielded sooner to contribute to the fight in Iraq.

Precision fires are crucial, but let's not forget that the roots of our indirect fires lie in the constant of the five requirements for accurate, predicted fires. These five elements apply to our precision-guided munitions and are critical to preserving our ability to provide area volume fires and suppressive fires to spring maneuver onto its target alive.

Joint Fires Initiatives. The Army-Air Force Warfighter (AAFWFT) Conference at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on 29 November 2004 proved to be a great success for our Army. The Air Force was very supportive of all three of our proposals.

First, the Air Force agreed to train Soldiers for all close air support (CAS) missions, to include Type 1 CAS. This is significant as the Air Force now recognizes the requirement for joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs) down to the company level.

Under the Army's new training management cycle, we will make every effort to include the Air Force's enlisted terminal attack controllers (ETACs) in our 36-month unit life cycle. It will be more difficult to stabilize the Air Force air liaison officers (ALOs) who have professional development timelines and aircraft rating requirements; however, I am certain we can work this out over time with our Air Force partners.

We agreed to change the name of the universal observer to joint fires observer (JFO). A JFO is a qualified service member who requests, adjusts and controls surface-to-surface fires, to include Field Artillery, mortar and naval gunfire. A JFO will be authorized to provide targeting information and conduct terminal guidance operations in support of Types 2 and 3 CAS.

Until the JFO concept is fully developed and implemented, Field Artillery officers, warrant officers and enlisted Soldiers will be qualified in enhanced forward observer training (EFOT), including Types 2 and 3 CAS, by completing the Joint Firepower Observer Course conducted by the Army Joint Support Team at the Air-Ground Operation School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Personnel attending this training will receive a Project Development Skill Identifier (PDSI) of D7B.

Finally, the Air Force enthusiastically welcomed our initiative to align our Army's BCDs with the Air Force's five Falconer CAOCs and two training and experimentation CAOCs being established at Nellis AFB, Nevada, and Hurlburt Field, Florida. This is the right thing to do. We now will align our BCDs geographically with combatant commanders and Air Force training sites.

If you haven't been watching CNN, you missed a great opportunity to see Fort Sill's Joint Fires and Effects Training System (JFETS) in action. JFETS is part of Fort Sill's capabilities as the Army's integrator of joint fires and effects. ABC and the Discovery Channel also will be providing coverage on this tremendous training system in the near future.

Fires Knowledge Network. The Fires Knowledge Network (FKN) is a dedicated site accessible to all AKO users but targeted at fire supporters and Field Artillerymen. It is an exceptional tool allowing us to link operational forces and the Field Artillery Center and School, providing essential feedback and lessons learned.

FKN is now accessible through the main Army Knowledge Online (AKO) portal. Currently, our 131A Targeting Warrant Officers have established a community of practice on FKN to facilitate professional discussions. In the near future, a similar community of practice will open for our 13F Fire Support Specialists to facilitate communications among fire supporters.

Joys and Sorrow. I want to report that 102 West Point cadets branched Field Artillery. I met with them and am confident that we are getting quality, enthusiastic future leaders. Special thanks to West Point's FA cadre for their efforts and support in welcoming our newest officers into the branch.

I also am pleased to report that 283 ROTC cadets selected FA. What's interesting is that this year, the Army Accessions Command (AAC) guaranteed ROTC cadets their choice of branches if they selected them by August 2004, applying to certain branches, including ours. I am proud to say that 155 cadets branched Field Artillery using this selection program. I want to thank the many Field Artillery units and Soldiers who supported cadet training this summer on Warrior Forge 04--their quality training execution made a difference.

In a sad note, the Army and our Field Artillery community lost a talented leader and friend--Brigadier General Charles "Ben" Allen. General Allen was the Assistant Division Commander of the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and was killed along with six other Soldiers in the Blackhawk helicopter crash in central Texas in December.

At a Fort Sill Memorial Service for Ben, many praised him, and I want to share a few of their comments for they capture his qualities, not only as a great leader, but also as a good man.

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One said, "Ben Allen was known to be a Soldier's Soldier. He cared about his troops, and he enthusiastically led his troops to achieve victory, both on and off the battlefield. He was also a Soldier's son. Ben was the beloved son of a career Army officer, the late Colonel Allen."

Another said, "Ben had a special talent for maintaining friendships. When he arrived at a new duty station, he made a special effort to seek out and reconnect with friends and colleagues from previous assignments. Whether on a golf course or standing on the bank of one of his favorite fishing holes, Ben could make you feel as though only days had passed since he last saw you."

Finally one attendee said, "Ben was a man of faith and had a great sense of humor. He worked hard and expected the best from himself and his troops. He loved his family, the Army, his life and his country."

Brigadier General Ben Allen will be sorely missed among our ranks.

One Final Thought on FA Transformation. We, as a branch, have organized a fire support network that, over the years, has been recognized throughout the joint force as the leader in truly understanding the complexity of the warfight at all levels and throughout all phases. When it comes to understanding the threat or the "real FLOT [forward line of own troops]" or where we stand on battle damage assessment, Field Artillerymen, quite simply, "Get It."

This feel for the battle--a deep understanding that we share instantly at every level--is what truly separates us from the other branches. As we transform, we cannot lose this force multiplying capability upon which the Army has come to depend.

Major General David P. Valcourt Chief of Field Artillery