BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (11/15/17) — As part of Task Force Barrage, Team Vulcan, members of the Ohio National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment are keeping Bagram Airfield safe and sound, and saving lives by staying mission focused and highly skilled at manning their Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) weapon systems.
They displayed their skills of speed and precision recently when an insurgent fired an indirect round at the compound and within seconds it was neutralized. And neutralizing a threat is no quiet matter. A C-RAM fires a 20-millimeter high explosive, self-destruct round that, simply put, is chest-rattling loud and startling if unexpected.
“This is my third deployment to Afghanistan, second time actually positioned on BAF (Bagram Airfield). You get used to the noise from the flight line, but not the IDF (indirect fire) impact or C-RAM interceptions,” said Master Sgt. Nichole Peters, the USFOR-A and 3rd Infantry Division chaplain’s assistant, about a recent IDF that was intercepted by the Soldiers of TF Barrage. “My heart was beating fast and the first thing I thought about was my soon-to-be 16-year-old daughter. I immediately started praying that no one was injured and no more IDF would follow.”
No one was injured and no IDF followed, but had there been an addition IDF, the well-trained Soldiers of TF Barrage would have acted to remove that threat, again, within seconds.
“We were at Fort Sill (Oklahoma) for three months, learning and training on the system,” said Ohio Army National Guard Capt. David Muehling, Team Vulcan commander. “We conducted 250 IDF training engagements, building on our skills and muscle memory. Most of the people here are new to the system, but you train as you fight. When you put the pieces together so that everyone understands everyone’s role, we are able to accomplish the mission.”
Originally a U.S. Navy weapons system for use on ships, the Army began using the C-RAM on land in Iraq back in 2006. The system’s success there led the U.S. government to add the Land-Based Phalanx C-RAM system in Afghanistan in 2013. Since then, the Army National Guard and active components have shared the role of air defense for Bagram Airfield on a rotational basis.
To ensure the skills they learned at Fort Sill remain sharp and the Soldiers stay focused, they train and preform maintenance on the weapons system daily. “We have to make sure the guns are up at all times, said 1st Lt. Nicholas Hunter, Team Vulcan executive officer. “We have troops up 24/7 to ensure the weapons are always operational.”
Daily maintenance and training and precision muscle memory skills all contribute to the big picture of keeping Bagram Airfield safe. Like a well-oiled machine, Soldiers and civilians working at Bagram can trust TF Barrage’s process of watching the sky, identifying a possible threat, informing the Emergency Operations Center, confirming if the threat as real — and if it is — engaging and neutralizing it … all within 4 to 5 seconds.
“It (TF Barrage, Team Vulcan) is truly a team of teams,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Hendrex, USFOR-A and 3rd Infantry Division command sergeant major. “It’s an Army National Guard unit, using a weapons system designed for the Navy to protect the service members and our air assets stationed at Bagram air base. It highlights the total Army Integration concept and our impressive young service members’ ability to accomplish a critically important mission.”
And it’s a mission the Soldiers of TF Barrage say they fully understand, and are proud to serve as part of it.
“This is the most cohesive unit I’ve ever seen. The Soldiers know they’re here for a purpose,” said Sgt. First Class Joshua Abel, Team Vulcan first sergeant. “They allow everyone here on Bagram to be able to sleep soundly at night. Their support role makes everyone safe and have a place to comeback to.” |
