Photo By Capt. Monika Comeaux | Pvt. John R. Murphy (L) and Pvt. Trevor Vise (R), both cannon crewmembers from B 2-5...... read more read more
They conducted endless drills and practiced 24-hour operations to make sure everybody was proficient in their military occupational specialty as artillerymen before being deployed.
Little did they know that they would have a completely different mission when they deployed to Iraq.
"We were in the field all through the wintertime. We came out of the field after the last field problem, and they said you're going to be truck drivers now," said Spc. Brent A.
Nelson, cannon crewmember from the active duty B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 5th Field Artillery from Fort Sill, Okla. He still smiles as he reflects back on the initial shock.
"Most of the guys were pretty upset about it, but I think now, after we have been doing it, it is not too bad," he said.
Today B 2/5th FA supports the 142nd Corps Support Group, providing combat logistical patrols and escorts at Logistical Support Area Diamondback.
"At any given time we could escort up to 90 third country national trucks, and that is amazing . . . that is a combat logistics patrol almost three miles long," said Capt. Thomas A. Caldwell, company commander.
The company received their official warning order at the end of February. They reorganized as a palletized loading system (PLS) company on May 9. The company almost doubled in size because of the change, Caldwell said.
From May to August, the company spent all their time training up for their new mission. Soldiers participated in driver's training, learned how to load and unload the cargo, and even partook in combat logistics patrol live fire exercises.
They had to learn everything from scratch. PLS vehicles are ten-axle trucks weighing about 60,000 pounds. They carry flat racks which are ideal for shipping pallets. The truck is capable of lowering the rack to the ground and picking it back up once the pallets have been loaded on them, explained 1st Sgt. Thomas J. Parsley of B 2/5th FA.
"We carry everything from mail to food to wood, basically all classes of supply," Parsley said.
Three months into their deployment, some missions seem more memorable than others.
"The other night, we took a load of beds to a unit, and they were pretty happy, because they were sleeping on the floor," Nelson explained.
Nelson said that he and his fellow Soldiers learned their new tasks quickly.
He cautions others who deploy in a mission other than the unit's usual mission to make the most of the training provided, and ask the instructors lots of questions while they can.
Sgt. 1st Class Franklin K. Climes, platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, found that the biggest challenge was not learning the new mission, but having a platoon full of very young guys, who have never been away from home.
"They did not know what to expect," Climes said. His more senior Soldiers, who have been deployed before, coached the young ones through the hard times.
"We all came together, we all grew together. A lot of friendships are being made out here. I can see the young Soldiers grow, and turn into good young men," Climes said.
He talks about his Soldiers in 2nd Platoon "Roughriders" as his own children.
"A lot of the Soldiers, depending on the background they came from, did not have a family. They stick together now like we are one big Bravo family," Climes said with a warm tone in his voice.
Soldiers transitioned into their new role. Parsley said that combat service support has a different mentality than field artillery does. Soldiers had to learn how to communicate and coordinate with outside agencies. "I am very proud of the ability of this battery to adapt to new missions," he said.
Climes, Caldwell and Parsley all emphasized how important it is to have high standards of discipline and professionalism among NCOs and officers, who lead the Soldiers by example.
There is one thing they all agreed on: they miss being field artillery.
"I miss the excitement of being a supported guy, instead of being the supporting guy â?¦ I miss the "boom" and miss the camaraderie of being on a firing point," Caldwell said.
Still, they are all proud of their accomplishments and happy to be part of an important mission. Parsley said it is easy to keep the Soldier's morale up.
"These guys are real fireballs. They take a lot of pride in what they do," he said. "They know that they are one of the first units to get the chance to show what we have outside the cannon laneâ?¦they are setting the standard every day."
| Date Taken: | 12.01.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 12.01.2005 07:29 |
| Story ID: | 3919 |
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| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 24 |
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