m109a6 | Blind Bat News

My Idaho National Guard alma mater, photo by me.

During the month of June, 2022, the Idaho Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion-148th Field Artillery Regiment-116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (aka Snake River Brigade) pounded the countryside of Morocco, on the African continent. Apparently it is part of having good international relations, and somehow reduces deployments: “One goal of the National Defense Strategy is to have good international relations and partnerships. Building multinational relationships, increasing their tactical proficiency and understanding how to work together reduces deployment requirements for our military and our international partners, and helps provide global security.”-Major Ryan Batt, 1st Battalion-148th Field Artillery Regiment-116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team

A now all too familar sight in Idaho, boarding a contracted plane for deployment, this time to Morocco, 18JUN2022. Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.

I say ‘somehow’, because the past few decades of this ‘National Defense Strategy’ has actually increased deployments, especially for the Idaho National Guard, and has not made the United States any more international friends, nor has it increased international security.

Somebody needed some attention from an Idaho -Snake River- Medic, this was not a drill (real blood folks). Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 25JUN2022.

“Global security and the National Defense Strategy is important not only to us in Idaho but as a whole nation and should be important globally. This relationship has always been there, and we want to keep it strong moving forward.”-Major Ryan Batt, 1st Battalion-148th Field Artillery Regiment-116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team

Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 21JUN2022.

Back to the pounding of Morocco. This was part of what has become the largest yearly U.S./NATO wargame on the African continent, called African Lion. About 80 Idaho Army & Air Guard personnel joined others from Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin Army National Guards, as well as a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve unit from California, and a Regular Army (RA, aka full-time active duty) unit from Texas, along with military personnel from Brazil, NATO-Canada, Ghana, Morocco, NATO-Netherlands, Senegal, Tunisia and NATO-United Kingdom. Whew, more than 8-thousand military personnel!

‘Rock Drill’ before the action. Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 24JUN2022. Named Rock Drill because most of the time you use rocks to represent different things on the battlefield.

Originally, Exercise African Lion started as a computer simulation in 1998, between a U.S. Army airborne unit in NATO-Italy and an airborne unit in Morocco. It was held every two years. By 2005, it involved actual military personnel on the ground in Morocco. In 2007 it became a yearly wargame, involving more and more U.S. personnel and other NATO countries (again proving that this type of National Defense Strategy does not reduce deployments, or anything else). Interestingly, in March 2020, General Stephen Townsend, the commander of U.S. Africa Command (USAfriComm), stated “African Lion has been significantly reduced in scale and scope based on concerns that we all have about the safety of our troops and those of our partners.” Really?

‘Punching the Tube’. Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 22JUN2022.

The Idaho National Guard also took part in African Lion in March 2019.

Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 22JUN2022.

The days of Idaho’s M109A6 Paladins are numbered; during this wargame it was revealed that Idaho will be getting the new M109A7 (and I say don’t call it a Paladin because it is a totally different beast).

FiSTs & COLTs, I was a 13F decades ago in Pocatello. They get to call in and direct the artillery fire. Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 24JUN2022.

COLT=Combat Observation Lasing Team

FiST=Fire Support Team

“Fire!” Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 22JUN2022.

“Shot Out!” Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 24JUN2022.

“Splash!” Idaho National Guard photo by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 24JUN2022.

Video sequences recorded by Idaho Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 26JUN2022, edited together by me:

Vehicle I-D: M109, COLD WAR to UKRAINE CRISIS

2022: IDAHO BASED SNAKE-RIVER INVADES TEXAS, NEXT STOP; KUWAIT & IRAQ!

KING OF THE STALLIONS STAMPEDES IDAHO!

IDAHO INVADED BY APACHES FROM ARIZONA & SINGAPORE?

CALIFORNIA, IOWA, NORTH CAROLINA, TEXAS, UTAH, WASHINGTON INVADE REBEL IDAHO!?

2021: Snake River Brigade deploys yet again!

IDAHO GETS ‘SMART’ ARTILLERY ROUNDS, REVEALS “UPCOMING MOBILIZATIONS”

SINGAPORE’S IDAHO BASED SKY PIRATES BOMB LAS VEGAS?

2020: T-A-C-P-S USE HORSE POWER TO CALL IN AIR STRIKES ON IDAHO MOUNTAINS!

2019: UNITED STATES INVADES IDAHO!

2017:

Utah Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Annie Edwards, 14OCT2017.

UTAH’S SECRET(?) WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION EVENT IN EAST IDAHO!

2012: IDAHO’S MICRON TECHNOLOGY INVADES JAPAN!

Utah Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant William Cowley, 11JUN2022.

At the beginning of June 2022, and while many Idaho National Guard personnel are still deployed/deploying overseas, as well as to other locations within the United States, about 2-thousand National Guard artillery personnel from California, Iowa, North Carolina, Utah, and an Army Reserve unit from Texas (2-364 Training Support Battalion ), as well as Active Army ‘gods’ (Observer, Coach, Trainers aka OCTs from 189th Infantry Brigade) from Washington, invaded Southwestern Idaho!

Pulling the lanyard of an M109A6. Utah Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant William Cowley, 11JUN2022.

Utah National Guard’s 65th Field Artillery Brigade led the charge, blasting Idaho’s Orchard Combat Training Center (formerly Orchard Training Area) with its artillery guns. Orchard Combat Training Center is 18 miles south of Boise.

Utah suffered some casualties. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Scott Evans, 07JUN2022.

Utah Army National Guard’s 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211 Aviation Regiment, provided air transport. Video by Sergeant Alejandro Lucero, 05JUN2022:

The invasion was planned 15 months ago, called Western Strike 22. Western Strike 22 is about training-up National Guard artillery units for the coming Third World War, which is the continuation of the 2017 Near Peer Threat doctrine.

A ‘flat’ of 155mm ammo is off-loaded. Utah Army National Guard photo by Sergeant James Bunn, 10JUN2022.

California’s 340th Brigade Support Battalion helped supply the 155mm ammo for the guns of Utah’s M109A6 Paladins.

Moment of launch. Utah Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant William Cowley, 11JUN2022.

Video of some M109A6 Paladin action, by Sergeant Alejandro Lucero:

North Carolina Army National Guard sent in their 13F FiST-ers (Fire Support Team, artillery forward observers) to help guide Utah’s artillery fire: “Our motto is ‘the eyes of the battlefield,’ we observe everything including mortars, artillery, fixed and rotary winged aircraft, and even naval gunfire.”-Corporal Joshua Morris, 1st Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment, North Carolina Army National Guard

‘My’ M981 FiSTV (artillery forward observer M113), on Idaho’s Orchard Training Area (now called Orchard Combat Training Center), Summer 1997.

Been there done that, in the late 1990s.

FiST-ers board UH-60 Black Hawks, Utah Army National Guard video by Sergeant Alejandro Lucero, 09JUN2022:

But the North Carolina Army National Guard’s 5th Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment also brought their artillery rocket system called HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System).

HIMARS launcher tubes get sling-loaded by UH-60 Black Hawk. Utah Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Rebecca Call, 13JUN2022.

An M142 HIMARS moves into launching position. Utah Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Rebecca Call, 13JUN2022.

(SKI-BIRD AND THE HIMARS)

HIMARS launch. Utah Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Alejandro Lucero, 06JUN2022.

Utah Army National Guard video by Sergeant Alejandro Lucero, showing North Carolina’s HIMARS in action, 06JUN2022:

Utah SF soldier launches a rocket out of the AT4. Utah Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Ariel J. Solomon, 13JUN2022.

Utah Army National Guard also sent in their Special Forces unit, the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Here’s a dramatic music promo-video by Staff Sergeant Jordan Hack, 11JUN2022:

An 81mm round is launched out of the M252 mortar. Utah Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Ariel J. Solomon, 12JUN2022.

Iowa Army National Guard deployed their 734th Regional Support Group and 883rd Engineer Company. Here is video of some fun explosions brought to you by the 883rd Engineer Company, video by Sergeant Alejandro Lucero, 10JUN2022:

Iowa National Guard personnel also had fun with the M2HB, Utah Army National Guard video by Sergeant Ariel Solomon, 05JUN2022:

Emergency, emergency! Tactical Toilet system on it’s way, just hold it in a little longer! Utah Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jordan Hack, 11JUN2022.

Western Strike 22 also included the successful deployment of tactical toilets (I assume).

You can’t camp on the OCTC without your Tactical Toilet. Utah Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Ariel Solomon, 05JUN2022.

Idaho’s OCTC actually sits on federal Bureau of Land Management (the real BLM) property, which strictly enforces rules about when, where and what you can or cannot do….doo.

Arty rounds impact Idaho’s OCTC. Utah Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jordan Hack, 11JUN2022.

This year’s artillery wargame ended on 16JUN2022. Just short of 3-thousand rounds were fired during 14 days: “The Idaho National Guard and Orchard Combat Training Center have been great hosts, allowing us to take full advantage of the training facilities.”-Colonel Shawn Fuellenbach, brigade commander, 65th Field Artillery Brigade, Utah Army National Guard