Photo By Lt. Col. Geoff Legler | Pfc. Forest Weinheimer (right) with Company A, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment,...... read more read more
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ADAZI MILITARY BASE TRAINING CENTER, Latvia - U.S. Army paratroopers with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and U.S. Air Force Joint Terminal Attack controllers with the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron took part in a combined joint live-fire exercise with the Latvian army’s 1st Company, 1st Battalion, Land Forces Brigade here June 4, 2014.
The paratroopers launched training rounds out of a M224-A1 mortar system at designated coordinates on the range. They used direct lay and handheld mode on the mortar system, without computer assistance, meaning that every round had to land within their visual limits.
“This has been great cross-training for us, which we don’t get very often,” said Staff Sgt. Serge McAvoy, a motor transport operator with Company E. “After five combat deployments overseas, this is the most technical and in-depth I have trained with this weapon system.”
Close to the designated launch pad, atop a hill, U.S. and Latvian army forward observers called in fire from 81mm mortar systems and trained on making adjustments to fire using radios to communicate across sites.
“Latvia has been an incredible training area for live-fire exercises,” said 1st Lt. Bryce Starratt, company fire support officer with Company A. “The Latvians have included us in their training exercises like one of their own and our Soldiers have performed exceptionally well.”
Additionally, U.S. forward observers, located in three separate locations in the training area along with a Latvian counterpart conducted calls for fire to 81mm mortars while mobile and moving around the training area, striking multiple impact areas.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s contingency response force in Europe, and is capable of projecting forces to conduct the full range of military operations across the U.S. European, Central and Africa commands’ areas of responsibilities.
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2014 04:55 |
| Story ID: | 132448 |
| Location: | ADAZI, AIZKRAUKLES APRINKIS, LV |
| Web Views: | 410 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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