Photo By Maj. William Duvall | Members of Charlie Battery, 2-263rd ADA BN, South Carolina National Guard and Charlie...... read more read more
GRAFENWHOEHR, Germany – Col. Richard A. Wholey Jr., commander, 678th Air Defense Artillery (ADA BDE), South Carolina National Guard, command sergeant major, Tony Collins, 678th ADA BDE Command Sgt. Major, attended the Casing and Uncasing Ceremonies of Charlie Battery, 2-263rd ADA BN, South Carolina National Guard and Charlie Battery, 1-174th ADA Regiment, Ohio National Guard, as the 174th relieves the 2-263rd, Grafenwoehr, Germany, October 30, 2018.
Charlie Battery, 2-263rd ADA BN, South Carolina National Guard has been on deployment over the past year, being responsible for reintroducing the maneuver Short Range (SHORAD) air defense brigade to the active component, Grafenwoehr, Germany. In Command over the past year has been Capt. William Kimbrell, Charlie Battery, 2-263rd ADA BN. He is relieved by Capt. Christopher Vasquez, Charlie Battery, 1-174th ADA Regiment.
“Today marks a turning of the page in a journey that started November 16, 2017, the day I addressed Charlie 2-263rd as a whole. At the time there were a lot of unanswered questions. I provided as much information as I could,” stated Kimbrell. “Before I left the room, I told the group I do not have all the answers, but I know if you give me your best attitude and effort by the time it is over you will be the best trained most technically proficient tactical avenger battery in the U.S. Army.”
It is widely believed that they are.
Many of the obstacles that 2-263rd faced included being a battery of 80 PAX and not having full time battalion (BN) staff to support operations. Kimbrell and the 1st Sgt. Chris Williams were often acting as S1, S2, S3 and S4. This is difficult with the amount of administrative work that goes along with functioning as a battalion size element, but being a battery size element that does not have a dedicated staff.
Charlie 2-263rd was heavily tasked and participated in multiple exercises and training events. This allowed them the opportunity to experience and see much of Europe.
“We participated in several multinational exercises and NATO exercises. Combined Resolve X was our first major exercise that is a Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) rotation (Hohenfels). In that exercise, we participated in and supported the 2ABCT out of Ft. Riley, Kansas,” shared Kimbrell. “That was a great opportunity for us. It was our first external evaluation. We were deemed to be a T level of Mission Essential Tasks (METL) proficiency, which was a critical gate for us. Saber Strike 18, which was USAEURs premiere exercise for FY 18, also a multinational exercise where we convoyed with the 2nd Calvary Regiment over 2800 KM and had 5 international border crossings during 24 days. In addition to that, we had several smaller exercises and internal battery exercises.”
Focusing on their current operations was a main driving force for Charlie 2-263rd, but Capt. Kimbrell pressed upon his troop the need to better themselves for the next steps.
“We put a lot of time into training for your next duty position. Many times in the real world or in the military, you do not have the opportunity to train for your next job,” said Kimbrell. “You get thrown into that position without any prior experience and I personally wanted to make sure that each one of our soldiers was equipped to go home and do their next job.”
Relieving Kimbrell as Commander is Capt. Christopher Vasquez.
“When I joined the ADA Branch, many of my friends said I was joining a dying branch. My friends were wrong,” stated Vasquez.
Vasquez is excited for his troops and the opportunities they will have professionally and personally over the next year.
“It will be very exciting to test the doctrine of SHORAD air defense. It really has not been tested other than a few trials like Charlie 2-263rd has done. It is something that there are written doctrine based on hypotheticals and now we get to see how hypothetical works,” Vasquez enthusiastically shared. “Then we get to change it if it does not work. If the way they were designed does not make sense, we now have the opportunity to say this is why it does not make sense and here is how we can change it. We are at a point that we can give the why and the justification to fixing it and we will have the ear of the people that have the authority and the power to fix it.”
Vasquez knows that his unit is up for any challenge that may arise, that he and the Ohio National Guard is here to work with its allies and to continue the work of the 2-263rd.
“There has been tons of tactical information that Charlie (2-263rd) has passed on. How they operate in the field, how they have their platoon structured, how they utilize their equipment,” injected Vasquez. “I think the biggest thing they have taught us is to be self-reliant and resilient to change. It is hard to describe the amount of information they have taught us, for it is countless. I know that my LTs have been soaking up like a sponge all the information that their counter parts have been giving them.”
Like his predecessor, Vasquez sees this as a personal and professional opportunity for the soldiers under his command.
“I want them to be able to do their Doctrinal mission. We have done C-RAM before, we have done the NCR mission before so I am really excited for them to experience the SHORAD maneuver aspects, and to just see Europe. I am excited for them to travel and see other places, even if we are there just doing military exercises. We will never get the chance to do this again,” said Vasquez.
“It is going to be really exciting to have that exposure to how the rest of the world does air defense and how the rest of the world lives. Because for so many people the view of the world is their home town, or 50 miles from their home town. Now we really get to experience some other areas.”
The ceremony included the National Anthem, the casing and uncasing of the colors and the playing of the Army Song, making the transfer of authority official.
“I am most proud of my soldiers, the commitment they have showed to the mission, and their personal growth that has taken place over the last ten months, “ concludes Kimbrell. “Charlie 6 out.”
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2018 09:36 |
| Story ID: | 298360 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 438 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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