Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly Calkins | South Carolina Army National Guard Capt. David J. House, commander of Delta Company,...... read more read more
FORT STEWART, Ga. – Two companies in the 1st Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, conducted armament accuracy checks on newly acquisitioned M1A1 Situational Awareness Abrams tanks during annual training April 5, 2014.
Charlie and Delta companies received refurbished Abram tanks that were recently transformed from an analog to a digital system. Leading up to annual training, each company went through tank crew gunnery skills tests in preparation for the New Equipment Training (NET) at Fort Stewart.
“This is some of the best tank training we've ever had,” said Capt. David House, commander of Delta Company, 1-118th IN BN, based in Dillon, S.C.
The NET process is a yearlong education to include classroom instruction, simulation training, fielding exercises and gunnery tables.
Gunnery tables, the process of qualification and engaging targets on the Abrams tank, allow the four-person crew to hone their skills and demonstrate their knowledge and abilities as a team.
“One of the challenges is that we are rusty,” said Maj. Michael Reed, executive officer of the 1-118th IN BN. “This is the first time in three years the battalion has all been together due to deployments.”
Sometimes being rusty or completing gunnery tables with a new crew has its advantages.
“This was the first time working as a crew,” said Capt. Christopher Gillispie, commander of Charlie Company, 1-118th IN BN, based in Conway, S.C. “We have a lot of new Soldiers, but it went exceptionally well.”
Gillispie, the tank commander, and his crew: Staff Sgt. Timothy Beahn, gunner; Sgt. Dante Vereen, driver; and Spc. Thomas Van Epp, loader; earned “top gun” with a qualifying score of 937 out of 1,000.
As Charlie Company rolled into the motor pool, Delta Company completed their NET training and bore sighting procedures to ensure the axis of the main gun bore and all the tank sights were lined up on the same designated target aiming point.
“We are checking to ensure each aspect of the ballistic solution is working properly,” said House.
The upgrades of enhancing sighting capabilities allows for more accuracy. Other improvements include added auxiliary power, an outside tank infantry phone, more ballistic shields, and improvised explosive device jamming capabilities.
As annual training came to a close for Charlie Company, Delta Company proceeded to the tank range to complete their gunnery tables.
“The motivation was outrageous,” said Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Foster, a master gunner with the 1-118th IN BN. “Once they figured out what we could accomplish with what we've got, the motivation was phenomenal.”
| Date Taken: | 04.05.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2014 11:40 |
| Story ID: | 126241 |
| Location: | CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 493 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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