Army Field Artillery Training
Field artillery is a mobile system that provides intense firepower over long distances in support of friendly forces. The soldiers who man these huge guns undergo highly technical training in calculating trajectories, handling munitions, communicating with ground forces and operating electronic tracking equipment. With this training, field artillery soldiers are able to rain down fire on enemy forces whenever and wherever necessary.
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Function
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The function of Army field artillery training is to produce soldiers who can acquire targets at long distances and direct artillery fire in a effective manner that will hit enemy forces but leave friendly forces intact. Also, in the past few decades there have been great technological advances in field artillery. For this reason, artillery training must not only teach soldiers how to fire traditional large ammunition artillery guns like Howitzers; it must also train soldiers to be technically proficient in the newest radar and communications equipment on the battlefield.
Types
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There are many different types of jobs in the Field Artillery branch and as a result, there are different types of training. For example Cannon Crewmembers learn how to fire Howitzer artillery pieces while the Multiple Launch Rocket System Crewmembers fire rockets. Surveyors learn how read and create terrain maps in order to determine the optimal placement of artillery pieces. Also, Fire Support Specialists maintain the communication and RADAR systems for artillery batteries. Though the job that an artillery soldier holds determines the training received, all field artillery soldiers must learn the basic skills of acquiring targets and firing their weapons.
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Time Frame
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Field artillery training takes place in a course called Advance Individual Training (AIT). In AIT, soldiers train for the specific job they will perform throughout their enlistment. For soldiers in the Field Artillery branch, AIT can last from six to eight weeks. Combined with the initial time for processing into the Army and the nine weeks of Basic Combat Training (BCT), soldiers can expect to go to their new units about 20 weeks after they enlist.
Geography
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Army field artillery training takes place at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Soldiers attending field artillery training will attend indoor classes where they will learn the concepts needed to master the field. They will also train outdoors with artillery weapons on practice ranges like Falcon Range. Falcon Range is about 15 miles west of Fort Sill. The terrain at Falcon Range varies between rocky outcrops, dense forests and grassy plains.
Considerations
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Those interested in pursuing a career in the Army's Field Artillery branch should be aware that the Army has vision requirements for most jobs in field artillery. Eyesight must be correctable to 20/20 and each soldier should have normal color vision. Good eyesight is necessary to see distant targets and normal color vision is necessary because maps and ammunition chart symbols are sometimes printed in red or green.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit in the army image by Tomasz Pawlowski from Fotolia.com
