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Redlegs in the National Guard have a unique problem: sustaining digital proficiency when firing batteries and headquarters and headquarters battery detachments are hundreds of miles apart. This problem is critical for the Ist Battalion, 148th Field Artillery (1-148 FA), Idaho Army National Guard (ARNG). The battalion is working hard to sustain digital proficiency and prepare for our 1998 rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California. This article shares some lessons 1-148 FA learned since fielding our digital equipment in 1995, lessons that, hopefully, will help other units with similar training challenges.
Background. 1-148 FA, direct support (DS) to the 116th Cavalry Brigade, has fire support teams (FIST) in Logan, Utah, and in Salmon, Boise and Pocatello, Idaho. Task Force fire support elements (FSEs) are in Bozeman, Montana; Pendleton, Oregon; and Pocatello; the FSEs are 500 miles from their FISTs. Our firing batteries are in Saint Anthony and Blackfoot, Idaho, plus Smithfield, Utah; the maximum traveling distance between batteries is 240 miles. These great distances make it difficult to conduct collective digital training.
FM 25-101 Training the Force: Battle Focused Training tells a Reserve Component (RC) unit to concentrate on fewer tasks while training them to standard. The 1-148 FA's battalion fire direction center (FDC ) mission-essential task list (METL) contains 12 missions from the Army and Training and Evaluation (ARTEP) 6-115 Mission Training Plan (MTP) for Field Artillery Cannon Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Battery; Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Battery; or Service Battery. (See the figure.) We focus all training on conducting these 12 missions.
We adhere to the principles of training: train as we fight, train to challenge, train to sustain proficiency and train using multi-echelon techniques. Applying these principles, we found many opportunities in the yearly training calendar to conduct digital training.
Digital Sustainment Training. The 116th Cavalry Brigade conducts quarterly Janus command post exercises (CPXs) for each task force-a perfect exercise in which to integrate digital sustainment training. We conduct quarterly training for units in the state of Idaho. We also conduct weekly sustainment training for Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) 13C Tactical Fire Direction Specialist, 13E Fire Direction Specialist and 13F Fire Support Specialist full-time Active Guard Reserve (AGR) personnel. We integrate digital sustainment training into all our battery live-fire...