3/11, 5/11 make thunder in the desert
The Marines and sailors of Lima Battery and Mike Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment; and Sierra and Tango Batteries, 5th Battal-ion, 11th Marine Regiment; conducted their annual regimental desert fire exercise Aug. 29 through Sept. 5th.
http://www.op29online.com/articles/2007/09/07/news/news04.txt
September 15, 2007
Lance Cpl. Nicholas M. Dunn
Combat Correspondent
The two batteries from 3/11 operated in the Combat Center’s Blacktop training area, while 5/11 operated in the Lavic Lake area during the eight-day exercise.
“This artillery exercise is supposed to encompass all of 11th Marines,” said 1st Lt. Matthew H. Bates, fire direction officer for Lima Battery. “Our plan is to fire approximately 2,000 rounds of various types and to get the regiment to work on large-scale operations. This also allows the regiment to move, shoot and communicate.”
Bates explained that, even though the exercise is designed for all of 11th Marines, many of the battalions could not make it. Romeo Battery, 5/11, and Kilo Battery, 3/11, are currently deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. All of 1st Battal-ion, 11th Marine Regiment, is also deployed. The Marines and sailors of 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and India Battery, 3/11, are preparing for their upcoming deployments.
The participating batteries spent the first few days of the exercise operating independently. Lima Battery moved positions daily, conducting fire missions from numerous locations. The battery’s three gun crews worked quickly and fired rounds with pinpoint accuracy.
“We aren’t just Lima, 3/12, we’re the Lima, 3/12,” said 1st Lt. Ryan C. Collins, battery commander for Lima Battery. “I consider this battery to be very efficient. We just completed a successful tour in Iraq with three seperate firing detachments. That means that leadership was given to Marines who never normally see it, which en-hances our skills.
“Since we’ve come back, we’ve worked hard to transition to the M777A2 howitzer, making the Marines even more knowledgeable and proficient,” he added. “This should prove to be a successful field operation.”
Since Lima Battery’s return from Iraq earlier this year, they have not trained on the new Digital Fire Control System. For this FIREX, Lima Battery used the aiming circles method.
“This is sort of an old method,” said Collins. “We use geometry and angles to align the guns on their proper azimuth of fire. The whole process usually takes approximately 10-20 minutes.”
Monday brought a different concept to modern artillery. The batteries began operating on a regimental scale, moving, shooting and communicating as a single unit. The Marines of Lima Battery seemed to think the FIREX provided valuable experience.
“This is a good chance to get the regiment together,” said Cpl. Justin A. Bromley, artilleryman with Lima Batt-ery. “We only get to do this once a year at best.”
Others feel that the training is beneficial in more ways than just an opportunity to fire artillery as a regiment.
“I think it’s a good thing for the regiment to shoot in the desert,” said Sgt. Gabriel H. Torres, battery ammunition chief for Lima Battery. “We used to go down to Camp Pendleton to train, so this is a nice change of pace. Our combat environment is very similar to Twentynine Palms these days, so it’s good conditioning for the Marines from other bases.”
Lima Battery will continue to train in the field and in the classroom. The battery will be taught how to use the DFCS and will go to Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. to train later this year. Lima Battery is going be attached to Battalion Landing Team 2/4 as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in January.