One week of leave before I’m off to Ft Stewart, GA to shadow a platoon leader for a pretty badass field artillery unit. Booked every hour of the week to the absolute fullest. God I missed freedom. Hope everyone’s spirits are as high as mine :D
There's proven research that field artillery soldiers are handsomer, stronger, and smarter than any other soldier. I was enlisted National Guard artillery. We started out with M109A5s but switched to something towed and 105 mm around 2001 or 2002. The Army just didn't see as much of a need for slow self propelled artillery; we weren't likely to create a front in Germany to hold back the Soviets. My MOS was 13D, and I was at the battalion level fire direction control. We had M577s when we had the self propelled howitzers but switched to humvees when the brigade became light. How long are you with the field artillery unit? Is it for the whole summer?
I'm gone for a month. I'll be back beginning of July. The PL I'm shadowing is also an FDO by the way, and apparently "I'm just in time for maximum field time." I knew I was going to regret saying "I miss the field" out loud last week. I know that you were guard WE! And on the note of M109A5s, we're still rocking Paladins and M777's out the wazoo as far as I know. I haven't even seen a Padalin in person yet but my last summer training had us pounding M777 rounds into the mountainside for like two days. If you miss the heavy artillery short of missile systems now's a great time to re-up your contract ;D
I had assumed I was too old to re-enlist, but this site says Guard with prior service can re-enlist up to age 59 as long as they'd get twenty years of service by age 60. And I would! That said, nope. I have fond memories of my service, and I wouldn't discourage anyone from joining. But that time is behind me. Part of me does miss it. I don't miss 2 AM radio watch, but having missions come through and be successful felt good. Not in a "dropping 95 pounds of HE on a clump of dirt" kind of way but "I can contribute to the group success."