Lee Erwin reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
FORT CAMPBELL, KY. – The 2nd Brigade Combat Team “STRIKE” of the 101st Airborne Division (Air assault) conducted a “Walk and Shoot” training exercise Wednesday, August 21 at Fort Campbell. The training involved Fire Support Teams and the 1-320th Field Artillery Regiment, known as the “Top Guns” of the 2nd Brigade.
Captain David Dunn with the 2nd Brigade Public Affairs Office talked about the training. “The Walk and Shoot is a live fire event that marries up the leadership of “STRIKE”. Basically it gets the fire guys, the maneuver guys and the aviation guys all working concurrently with each other to get used to each other and get a face of whose going to be shooting for them in a combat situation,” said Dunn.
Dunn added the training was leader focused with the Soldiers of the platoons and them getting used to how they work and how they react to one another, the relationships, and how everything falls into place in a combat environment.
The training exercise was a culminating event for the artillery units and how they train with the maneuver units. According to Captain Drew Holler the artillery units provide fire support as the units move forward with three howitzer firing sections and one fire direction section.
Captain Holler also emphasized how the training would help the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade work together in a combat situation. “This gives us the direct connection across the brigade. This builds the connection and the bond between the field artillery and the maneuver troops we are supporting,” Holler said.
Talking about the howitzers being used during the training Holler said it was the first brigade level live fire with their new howitzers which are an upgrade of the former 105mm howitzer which gives the new weapon digital capabilities.
Section Chief for the artillery battery, Staff Sergeant Patrick Hunter has 7 soldiers in his crew and said this about their part in the firing of the howitzer. “When the mission comes down, I go ahead and read it off our digital fire computer, spit it out to my crew, go ahead and get the rounds loaded up and fire it out,” said Hunter.
Two other Soldiers who were part of the training Wednesday was 2nd Lieutenant Chris Liggett who said the exercise was important for him because he got a feel for the maneuver piece and how it integrates with artillery fire. 2nd Lieutenant Ian Sher said fire support takes away the vote from the enemy. It allows control of the battlefield and shapes it the way we want to.
A special thanks goes out to Captain David Dunn and Sergeant Ryan Sharp with the 2nd BCT Public Affairs Office as well as all of the “STRIKE” Soldiers for their help with Clarksville Now’s coverage of the Walk and Shoot.
For more information about the Walk and Shoot and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/STRIKE2BCT101.