Fort Bliss Monitor

Exercises mark beginning of 3-43's Gold Cycle training period

Story and photos by Spc. Joshua Fender, 3-43 ADA Public Affairs

Soldiers at the entry control point monitor the horizon for security threats.

After a two month break from battalion-level Field Training Exercises, 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery started its Gold Cycle Training Period with a series of exercises beginning with Range Density Training and Situational Training Exercises held earlier this month.

With the start of the new quarter, 3-43rd ADA headed to McGregor Range for a week of Range Density Training where nearly 300 Soldiers qualified on individual weapons, and more than 50 crews qualified on crew-served weapons. The range qualifications ended with more than 225 Soldiers qualifying on the M16A2 rifle, 62 on the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and 36 qualifying on the M9 pistol. Overall, more than 70 percent of those qualifying on these weapons attained the distinction of sharp-shooter or better. Other weaponry qualification included 14 crews qualifying on the MK19 automatic grenade launcher and 39 crews qualifying on the M2 caliber machine gun. Crews qualified with these weapons fixed in ring mounts on battery five-ton trucks.

Despite the rain, the battalion kept the ranges open, continued Specialty Team Training and held a promotion board at Range 18. During the week, teams were assembled and trained to react to combat and terror scenarios such as: ground attacks, nuclear biological chemical attacks, unexploded ordinance and improvised explosive devises, quick reactionary force situations, battle damage and assessment reporting, fire-fighting and the handling and processing of enemy prisoners of war. The teams were tested the following week during an intense, 36-hour STX.

Spc. Luis Mora fires the MK19 with the guidance from his crew members, Sgt. Bradley Daum and Spc. Joshua Vance.

Throughout the duration of the STX, the batteries assumed a Mission Oriented Protective Posture level two. Sites were established under heavy standards insuring that the opposing force would have a difficult time breaching the site’s entire triple-strand concertina perimeter.

Most of the situational training took place at night when visibility was low and the element of surprise was high. “We low-crawled for about 50 meters up to the sites, and then attacked,” said Pfc. Devin Clark of the OPFOR team. During the attacks, the MOPP level was raised to four and the batteries suffered casualties. Observer/ Controllers evaluated the medics as well as the combat lifesavers on their ability to treat and care for the wounded Soldiers while in a chemical environment with low visibility. Simulation Manikin patient training devices acted as casualties to provide a realistic training environment for the medics and CLSs. Throughout the exercises, evaluators monitored the battle damage assessment report at the Damage Control Center.

Field training for 3-43 ADA will continue this week with Table VIII certification as well as further preparations for the Air and Missile De-fense Training Concept Mission Rehearsal Exercise coming up in November.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	October 28, 2004

Medics attached to D Battery respond to the changing condition of the SIM man during a Situational Training Exercise. Combat Lifesavers react to a casualty while in MOPP level 4 during a ground attack. Enemy prisoners of war are waiting to be processed after being captured. <map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	Exercises mark beginning of 3-43's Gold Cycle training period Story and photos by Spc. Joshua Fender, 3-43 ADA Public Affairs Soldiers at the entry control point monitor the horizon for security threats. After a two month break from battalion-level Field Training Exercises, 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery started its Gold Cycle Training Period with a series of exercises beginning with Range Density Training and Situational Training Exercises held earlier this month. With the start of the new quarter, 3-43rd ADA headed to McGregor Range for a week of Range Density Training where nearly 300 Soldiers qualified on individual weapons, and more than 50 crews qualified on crew-served weapons. The range qualifications ended with more than 225 Soldiers qualifying on the M16A2 rifle, 62 on the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and 36 qualifying on the M9 pistol. Overall, more than 70 percent of those qualifying on these weapons attained the distinction of sharp-shooter or better. Other weaponry qualification included 14 crews qualifying on the MK19 automatic grenade launcher and 39 crews qualifying on the M2 caliber machine gun. Crews qualified with these weapons fixed in ring mounts on battery five-ton trucks. Despite the rain, the battalion kept the ranges open, continued Specialty Team Training and held a promotion board at Range 18. During the week, teams were assembled and trained to react to combat and terror scenarios such as: ground attacks, nuclear biological chemical attacks, unexploded ordinance and improvised explosive devises, quick reactionary force situations, battle damage and assessment reporting, fire-fighting and the handling and processing of enemy prisoners of war. The teams were tested the following week during an intense, 36-hour STX. Spc. Luis Mora fires the MK19 with the guidance from his crew members, Sgt. Bradley Daum and Spc. Joshua Vance. Throughout the duration of the STX, the batteries assumed a Mission Oriented Protective Posture level two. Sites were established under heavy standards insuring that the opposing force would have a difficult time breaching the site’s entire triple-strand concertina perimeter. Most of the situational training took place at night when visibility was low and the element of surprise was high. “We low-crawled for about 50 meters up to the sites, and then attacked,” said Pfc. Devin Clark of the OPFOR team. During the attacks, the MOPP level was raised to four and the batteries suffered casualties. Observer/ Controllers evaluated the medics as well as the combat lifesavers on their ability to treat and care for the wounded Soldiers while in a chemical environment with low visibility. Simulation Manikin patient training devices acted as casualties to provide a realistic training environment for the medics and CLSs. Throughout the exercises, evaluators monitored the battle damage assessment report at the Damage Control Center. Field training for 3-43 ADA will continue this week with Table VIII certification as well as further preparations for the Air and Missile De-fense Training Concept Mission Rehearsal Exercise coming up in November.