Photo By Sgt. Kourtney Nunnery | U.S. Soldiers assigned to 5th Battalion, 7 Calvary Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade...... read more read more
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Forward Observing, Forward Moving
By: U.S. Army Sgt. Kourtney Nunnery
CAMP TAPA, Estonia- Forward Observers assigned to 1-41 Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, perform their semiannual qualifications during the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live fire exercise near Camp Tapa, Estonia. Jan. 27, 2025.
Joint Fires Support specialists, otherwise known as Forward Observers (F.O.), have been the eyes and ears of the U.S. Army through major combat engagements. The role of the Forward Observers is to assess the target impact area, take inventory of the terrain and determine grid coordinates to send to long range fires operators. The F.O.’s role is crucial to the overall warfighting mission. Their information must be precise, communicated expeditiously, and they must be able to adjust fire.
During WW2, Gen. George Patton once said, “Artillery won the war.”
Artillery relies heavily on the information from the F.O.’s and through their reports, the long range fire operators, that include HIMARS, Strykers, cannon artillery, and even some aircraft fires, can fulfill mission objectives with complete trust. The Forward Observers also serve as an asset for commanders to have an accurate scope of the battlefield that leadership would otherwise not have.
The training required to certify Forward Observers includes written tests, call for fire practical exercises, demonstrate how to set up a OE-254/GRC antenna for radio communications, effective use of a Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR), and observe a live fire mission and calling to adjust fire. The Soldiers must be able to accomplish these tasks both as individuals as well as a part of a team or Fires Support Element.
The LLDR used by the Forward Observers is an essential piece of equipment when determining the coordinates for impact area.
“This device can acquire its own location by a mixture of GPS and the current position of the stars in the sky,” said Cpt. Morgan Yankee, Squadron Fire Support Officer assigned to 5-7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “It then uses data to calculate the point at which the laser reflects back from an object.”
This system is used for targeting the enemy locations and gives a precise location on where to fire. The Forward Observers are tested on their ability to utilize this device as well as being able to work as a team and send up communications to the live fire operators.
“Today we will be using the fires chain with 2 Soldiers in the tower as part of the fires support team,” said 1st Lt. Jeremy Green, assigned to 1-41 Field Artillery Regiment, Forward Observer certifier. “They will be the ones observing over the target impact area when the rocket impacts. They will be communicating with the squadron FSE (Fires Support Element) who will be transmitting directly to the rockets over radio and FM communications telling them where to shoot.”
1300 meters away from the Forward Observer overlook tower are the HIMARS conducting their own live fire certification. The HIMARS operators conduct a dry fire run, then load the 3 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets,and fire the rockets at the target impact area grids given to them by the F.O.’s. After the first iteration of fire, the F.O.'s adjust coordinates and relay information back to the HIMARS operators.
“Normally we don’t observe rockets,” said Lt. Green. “Rockets are a higher asset than we deal with. Typically we observe cannon artillery and also to some extent, we’ll talk with aviation, but this is a new one for us.”
When asked about how training for working with HIMARS is different from their regular fires systems, Lt. Green said the chain still works the same. The communication and the ability to determine the precise location for impact is still imperative to the overall mission.
Sgt. Elijah Green, a 13F joint fires support specialist assigned to 1-41 Field Artillery Regiment, got certified during the HIMARS live fire event. Sgt. Green explains his thought process in the middle of the live fire event.
“I’m trying to see if there are any key terrain features I could use to associate for range,” said Sgt. Green. “I’m trying to get a ‘guesstimate’ on what the target area will look like.”
Sgt. Green uses his LLDR to determine the GPS coordinates for the impact area. He then relays that information to the FSE, Cpt Yankee, who then radios the HIMARS operators the information gathered for target location. The HIMARS then conduct their live fire exercise.
The future of Forward Observers is looking to more technological advances such as drones. Since getting accurate terrain features and precise locations is of the utmost importance, the drone systems will allow F.O.’s the ability to make more informed observations without the danger of being too close to the target impact area.
“Using drones is the next big thing that we test since we won’t always have a clear sight of the impact area,” said Lt. Green. “I’m hopeful that it can be integrated more in the future.”
Some of the drone systems that are being field tested in other units, have cameras and accurate GPS locators to speed up the process of gathering information and help commanders make more informed decisions.
The exercise was a success and all of the HIMARS operators and Forward Observers got certified on their military occupational specialties.
“Our job is to integrate fires into maneuver plans, take fires and help them accomplish their mission,” said Lt. Green. “Forward observers are always going to be needed in some capacity. It's not just the ability to call for fire but the ability to advise your commander on the maneuvers side.”
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.05.2025 05:15 |
| Story ID: | 489992 |
| Location: | TAPA, EE |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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