Wisconsin Soldiers complete annual training, continue to stand ready

By Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue

Wisconsin National Guard

After more than 10 years of continuous deployments, Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers continue to train and maintain their skills and proficiencies at stateside bases during annual training.

For some Soldiers in the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery, this year's annual training is also a chance to hone their skills for deployment. Bravo Battery of Plymouth, Wis., is expected to deploy later this fall to conduct a field artillery mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

But Bravo's mission at present is to take part in traditional field training with the rest of the battalion.

"We shoot, move and communicate - that's what we train on during annual training," said Maj. Paul Kapinski, the battalion's operations officer assigned to Headquarters Battery.

The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) battalion - consisting of the Milwaukee-based Headquarters Battery, Bravo Battery, and Battery C and the 108th Forward Support Company in Sussex, Wis. - worked together to accomplish eight missions, firing 30 training rockets across Fort McCoy June 28.

Fire missions originate at the brigade or battalion level and are sent to the battery and platoon level. The launcher vehicles pull out of hiding places to fire one of three types of missions: "on my command," "when ready," and "time-on-target." Then it's off to a new hiding place until the next fire mission comes down.

To meet the annual certification requirement, HIMARS units must successfully complete tasks down to the individual launcher and ammo section. This year, however, over the course of this and an earlier annual training session in April, the 121st achieved battalion certification.

Helping the artillery crews in the field is the 108th Forward Support Company's job, working behind the scenes to provide fuel, food and ammo to all HIMARS crews.

"We're pretty much on call for everything," said Sgt. Ashley Mullis, a heavy vehicle driver for the 108th. "If it wasn't for the forward support, they wouldn't be able to complete their mission. That's a big sense of accomplishment for us."

1st Sgt. Arthur Pronschinske, the senior enlisted leader for the 108th, said working toward a common goal is what drill and annual training is all about.

"It just hones their skills ... coming together as a larger picture," Pronschinske said. "They are a deploying unit and we want to support them so they can accomplish their tasks for deployment."

The last time the battalion deployed in 2006, it was to perform a convoy escort mission. Soldiers in Battery B are looking forward to finally deploy using the skills they devote most of their time to perfect.

"I don't believe the Wisconsin artillery has ever been used as an artillery unit in a contingency plan," Kapinski said. "It could be pretty historic for the battery."