Ohio National Guard News

 

ADA Mob

Air defenders hone Soldier skills at annual training, prepare for deployment to
D.C. area

Story by Pfc. Amber N. Canavan
Battery D, 1st Battalion,
174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment

A Soldier from the rear detachment of the 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment secures a convoy warning sign on the front of his Humvee in preparation for movement this June from Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center in Northeast Ohio. (Ohio National Guard photo)


CAMP RAVENNA JOINT MILITARY TRAINING CENTER, Ohio — "Cover me while I move!" was a common phrase heard at this year's annual training. "Gotcha covered battle!" echoed throughout the swamps of the Northeast Ohio training installation as the Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment trained with their sister battalion, the 2-174th ADA, to help its Soldiers prepare for their upcoming deployment this fall.

The 2-174th will be mobilized later this year to Washington, D.C. to provide air defense support to the National Capital Region.

On June 11, Soldiers of the 1-174th ADA reported to Camp Ravenna to prepare the grounds for the arrival of the 2-174th. Preparations included the building of an individual movement techniques (IMT) course, a dismounted (on-foot) land navigation course, as well as a CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives) course designed to prepare Soldiers for a variety of scenarios they could potentially encounter during a terrorist or enemy attack. A typical Camp Ravenna day consisted of wake up, chow, train, move, train, move, train, move, chow — pretty exhausting, but the trip wasn't over just yet.

On June, 20, the main body of the 1-174 ADA packed up their gear and were on their way to Camp Perry Joint Training Center — the next stop to assist the 2-174 ADA. "At this time, lock and load one 10-round magazine," resonated from through the speakers of the control tower as rounds were fired down range during rifle marksmanship training. Before Soldiers were put on the range, they were put through intense mechanical classes covering everything from the breakdown of the M16A2 rifle to clearing the weapon while under fire. It was required that Soldiers receive a "GO" on all tasks and subtasks before heading onto the range for zero and qualification. Once on the range, Soldiers were required to qualify with a minimum score of 23 hits out of 40 targets before they were permitted to step off the range. But they weren't finished yet — once dusk set in, the firing lanes came alive with Soldiers again. As the stars came out, the targets were still popping up. Soldiers were required to achieve a score of at least seven out of 30 targets.

Due to a majority of the 1-174 ADA currently being deployed to Iraq, it dictated that lower-ranking enlisted Soldiers step up into leadership roles to help make the mission a success, and that is just what many of them did. It was not uncommon for units receiving training to arrive at a training course or lane and be instructed and evaluated by Soldiers with very little experience in the military. But that didn't stop these new Soldiers from completing the mission that given to them. This annual training support mission would not have been the success it was if not for the efforts and hard work of all Soldiers involved from the rear detachment of 1-174th ADA.