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6-52 ADA recognizes families


Image by USAG-Humphreys
By 1st Lt. Austin Liu
6-52 Air Defense Artillery

SUWON AIR BASE — Family Readiness Group leaders of the 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery were recognized by the Iron Horse Battalion Command Group during a volunteer appreciation luncheon here April 8.
The luncheon recognized the unit FRG leaders and other volunteers for their efforts and hard work serving the Soldiers and families of the Iron Horse Battalion and the community for the last year.
Kimberly Slawson, the 6-52 Family Readiness Support advisor, called the luncheon “a great opportunity to show all of our volunteers just how much we appreciate them for what they do on a daily basis.”
The 14 volunteers recognized received either a certificate of appreciation or a framed letter from the battalion command group.
The framed letter reads, “You have demonstrated to all of us that volunteering is not merely a word but a dedication to a higher calling … Your efforts and kindness have ensured that every member of the Iron Horse Battalion could enjoy a home away from home during their time here in the Republic of Korea.”
“I am very thankful that I am appreciated as a volunteer,” said Jobee Dumo, a military spouse and the FRG leader for F Company. “For me, volunteering is a sincere action of sharing knowledge, skill, and time to all without asking anything in return.”
Nicole Matthews, the FRG leader for Headquarters Battery, 6-52nd Air Defense Artillery Battalion, echoed similar sentiment. “I am ever grateful for the opportunity to serve the Soldiers and their Families here in Korea,” she said.
Added Laurie Heath, the FRG leader for C Battery. “This luncheon really made us feel special and appreciated.”
All persons recognized are volunteers not only in FRGs, but in the local community.
Matthews, for example, was an avid participant of the Osan Library Reading Program, which served the children of military personnel stationed in the area.
Sergeant Jeffrey Matthews, husband of Nicole Matthews and the leader of the award-winning 8th Army culinary art team, prepared the lunch.
“I also want to highlight my husband and my children,” Nicole Matthews said. “We are a family full of volunteers.”
Jobee Dumo also thanked her family, especially her husband, Capt. Leonard Dumo, F Maintenance Company commander.
“I want to emphasize my utmost gratitude to my husband because he is one great part of the cycle of volunteering, where in, despite the challenges of military life, he and I both made it simple and easy to volunteer, to share, and to help others.”

For more information on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and living and working in Korea visit: USAG-Humphreys’ official web site or check out our online videos.

6-52 ADA tackles grueling tasks


Image by USAG-Humphreys
Story and photos by 1st Lt. Austin Liu
6-52 Air Defense Artillery

SUWON AIR BASE — Captain Carlos Tristan and Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Bates sit quietly inside the compact Tactical Control Station (TCS), both reviewing the maintenance record for their equipment one final time. The two leaders observe every miniscule detail, flipping the record pages back and forth to ensure no mistakes slip past their eyes.
Outside the TCS, darkness engulfs the airbase as temperature hover just above freezing.
As the senior officer in charge of Fire Direction Section (FDS) of 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Battalion, Tristan knows he has the paramount responsibility for the success or failure of the mission to lead his crew to a successful PATRIOT Gunnery Table VIII certification.
He also knows the key to success is attention to detail, not only in the execution of the crew drills, but also in the studious maintenance of records.
The Fire Direction Section serves as the command and control nodule for an air defense artillery battalion. FDS also has the important mission to manage air battles and de-conflict tracks for the firing batteries underneath.
It has only been a week since Tristan took over as the officer in charge of the FDS, but he has already demonstrated unspoken confidence and proficiency during the gunnery qualification.
Whenever he felt he needed support and guidance, Tristan could always look to Bates, the battalion’s primary tactical director and the officer in charge of his first crew.
Bates is a veteran air defender with over 14 years of service. He proved to be the subject matter expert in air defense operations during his last assignment as the battery trainer.
“I am completely confident in the FDS’ war fighting capabilities,” Bates said.
“I felt pretty good about passing the evaluation … I have an amazing group of Soldiers on my team who work extremely well together,” Tristan said. “At the end of the day, it is all about being able to fight the fight in accordance with doctrine and standard … and you really only get one shot to prove to the evaluators that you can achieve just that.”
In a few hours, Tristan and Bates will get that shot.
Meanwhile, a couple of blocks down the road, Spc. Mary Mott could not fall asleep. She was excited but also anxious. It was a mixture of emotions all rolled into one.
As the team leader for the Antenna Mast Group under the Fire Direction Section, Mott was responsible for training new Soldiers on the team. It was only a couple months before that Mott herself was considered the new Soldier, but Mott matured quickly and earned a team leader spot.
This week marks the one year anniversary of Mott’s arrival in Korea, and she enrolled in the Army Incentive Program to stay one more year here.
The 24 year-old Appalachian State University graduate had a sound training plan for her Soldiers.
“The training took months … and it took place in three phases,” Mott explained. “I first had the new crew study the technical manuals, and then I have them observe the experienced crews conducting their drills, and finally I have them execute drills themselves under my close supervision. It was a good training plan and I knew my crews were ready.”
In a few hours, she will get the chance to prove she is right.
As that time approaches, Pfc. Davey Martin is looking up at the ceiling of his room. He, too, was feeling anxious about the evaluation.
It has been only six months since he first saw the imposing Iron Horse Statue outside of the battalion headquarters.
He thought “time really flew by when you have so much to learn in such a short amount of time.”
The 20-years old communication specialist never learned about the Information Coordination Central (ICC, the equipment he is currently assigned to) during Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon, Ga.
“Since I got to the unit, I was able to learn how to operate every single radio inside the ICC and everything else I need to learn communication-wise to get us through the air battles,” said Martin, who is assigned to the first crew under the Fire Direction Section. “Thankfully I had a wonderful group of leaders and first line supervisors in FDS that really cared for me and ensured I am trained well.”
All the sweat and effort will pay off when they become certified in the next few hours, Martin constantly reminded himself. He forced himself not to think otherwise.
PATRIOT Gunnery Table VIII evaluation is an extremely important event for an air defense artillery unit. It poses grueling physical and mental challenges to all air defense Soldiers. The first portion of the evaluation consists of an inspection of equipment mission capability and maintenance paperwork. Evaluators examine equipment and supporting documents meticulously. Many units fail the evaluation within the first half hour of the inspection.
The second part of the evaluation is the simulation of wartime situation where the battalion Fire Direction Section, receives a movement order and road marches and places all its equipment onto another location and then quickly assumes posture to conduct and manage air battles against hostile aerial threats. This portion of the process is timed.
“Before you could attempt a Gunnery Table VIII evaluation, the individual within the team must first be able to accomplish all the tasks under Gunnery Tables I through VI,” Tristan said. “Table VIII is really the culmination of all these tasks.”
“We trained hard and put in a lot of efforts to prepare for the Table VIII evaluations,” Mott added.
The Battalion Fire Direction Section, as the higher echelon unit above firing batteries, must face another challenge.
“The hardest part is really the coordination … for the FDS to successfully pass its certification, it relies on our subordinate firing units to do their part and provide us with timely support,” Tristan said. “This is a criteria that is unique to the FDS.”
Fast forward to the next afternoon, where the FDS team is about to find out whether their hard work and efforts have paid off.
As the dust settles and the FDS vehicles are finally placed on their new location and ready to defend the South Korea airspace, all there is left to do for the team is to wait for the results.
“Time always seem to pass slower during waiting time after evaluation,” Mott said.
Finally, the evaluators came out and smiled.
“You could hear on the headset the cheering of Bates and his crew inside the ICC,” Tristan said.
Mott celebrated by giving her crew members high-fives.
“We put our best foot forward and we succeeded,” she told them.
As Bates and his crew came out of the ICC, Tristan greeted them with a big handshake and words of congratulation.
“We can celebrate now but the battle is not over,” Tristan reminded everyone. “Remember that even though the FDS has passed today, our brothers in communication relay group and other firing batteries will be conducting their table VIII next week.”
“Let’s do everything we can in our power to support them.” Bates added. “In the air defense world, nobody can successfully carry out the mission by themselves.”

For more information on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and living and working in Korea visit: USAG-Humphreys’ official web site or check out our online videos.

6-52 ADA tackles grueling tasks


Image by USAG-Humphreys
Story and photos by 1st Lt. Austin Liu
6-52 Air Defense Artillery

SUWON AIR BASE — Captain Carlos Tristan and Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Bates sit quietly inside the compact Tactical Control Station (TCS), both reviewing the maintenance record for their equipment one final time. The two leaders observe every miniscule detail, flipping the record pages back and forth to ensure no mistakes slip past their eyes.
Outside the TCS, darkness engulfs the airbase as temperature hover just above freezing.
As the senior officer in charge of Fire Direction Section (FDS) of 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Battalion, Tristan knows he has the paramount responsibility for the success or failure of the mission to lead his crew to a successful PATRIOT Gunnery Table VIII certification.
He also knows the key to success is attention to detail, not only in the execution of the crew drills, but also in the studious maintenance of records.
The Fire Direction Section serves as the command and control nodule for an air defense artillery battalion. FDS also has the important mission to manage air battles and de-conflict tracks for the firing batteries underneath.
It has only been a week since Tristan took over as the officer in charge of the FDS, but he has already demonstrated unspoken confidence and proficiency during the gunnery qualification.
Whenever he felt he needed support and guidance, Tristan could always look to Bates, the battalion’s primary tactical director and the officer in charge of his first crew.
Bates is a veteran air defender with over 14 years of service. He proved to be the subject matter expert in air defense operations during his last assignment as the battery trainer.
“I am completely confident in the FDS’ war fighting capabilities,” Bates said.
“I felt pretty good about passing the evaluation … I have an amazing group of Soldiers on my team who work extremely well together,” Tristan said. “At the end of the day, it is all about being able to fight the fight in accordance with doctrine and standard … and you really only get one shot to prove to the evaluators that you can achieve just that.”
In a few hours, Tristan and Bates will get that shot.
Meanwhile, a couple of blocks down the road, Spc. Mary Mott could not fall asleep. She was excited but also anxious. It was a mixture of emotions all rolled into one.
As the team leader for the Antenna Mast Group under the Fire Direction Section, Mott was responsible for training new Soldiers on the team. It was only a couple months before that Mott herself was considered the new Soldier, but Mott matured quickly and earned a team leader spot.
This week marks the one year anniversary of Mott’s arrival in Korea, and she enrolled in the Army Incentive Program to stay one more year here.
The 24 year-old Appalachian State University graduate had a sound training plan for her Soldiers.
“The training took months … and it took place in three phases,” Mott explained. “I first had the new crew study the technical manuals, and then I have them observe the experienced crews conducting their drills, and finally I have them execute drills themselves under my close supervision. It was a good training plan and I knew my crews were ready.”
In a few hours, she will get the chance to prove she is right.
As that time approaches, Pfc. Davey Martin is looking up at the ceiling of his room. He, too, was feeling anxious about the evaluation.
It has been only six months since he first saw the imposing Iron Horse Statue outside of the battalion headquarters.
He thought “time really flew by when you have so much to learn in such a short amount of time.”
The 20-years old communication specialist never learned about the Information Coordination Central (ICC, the equipment he is currently assigned to) during Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon, Ga.
“Since I got to the unit, I was able to learn how to operate every single radio inside the ICC and everything else I need to learn communication-wise to get us through the air battles,” said Martin, who is assigned to the first crew under the Fire Direction Section. “Thankfully I had a wonderful group of leaders and first line supervisors in FDS that really cared for me and ensured I am trained well.”
All the sweat and effort will pay off when they become certified in the next few hours, Martin constantly reminded himself. He forced himself not to think otherwise.
PATRIOT Gunnery Table VIII evaluation is an extremely important event for an air defense artillery unit. It poses grueling physical and mental challenges to all air defense Soldiers. The first portion of the evaluation consists of an inspection of equipment mission capability and maintenance paperwork. Evaluators examine equipment and supporting documents meticulously. Many units fail the evaluation within the first half hour of the inspection.
The second part of the evaluation is the simulation of wartime situation where the battalion Fire Direction Section, receives a movement order and road marches and places all its equipment onto another location and then quickly assumes posture to conduct and manage air battles against hostile aerial threats. This portion of the process is timed.
“Before you could attempt a Gunnery Table VIII evaluation, the individual within the team must first be able to accomplish all the tasks under Gunnery Tables I through VI,” Tristan said. “Table VIII is really the culmination of all these tasks.”
“We trained hard and put in a lot of efforts to prepare for the Table VIII evaluations,” Mott added.
The Battalion Fire Direction Section, as the higher echelon unit above firing batteries, must face another challenge.
“The hardest part is really the coordination … for the FDS to successfully pass its certification, it relies on our subordinate firing units to do their part and provide us with timely support,” Tristan said. “This is a criteria that is unique to the FDS.”
Fast forward to the next afternoon, where the FDS team is about to find out whether their hard work and efforts have paid off.
As the dust settles and the FDS vehicles are finally placed on their new location and ready to defend the South Korea airspace, all there is left to do for the team is to wait for the results.
“Time always seem to pass slower during waiting time after evaluation,” Mott said.
Finally, the evaluators came out and smiled.
“You could hear on the headset the cheering of Bates and his crew inside the ICC,” Tristan said.
Mott celebrated by giving her crew members high-fives.
“We put our best foot forward and we succeeded,” she told them.
As Bates and his crew came out of the ICC, Tristan greeted them with a big handshake and words of congratulation.
“We can celebrate now but the battle is not over,” Tristan reminded everyone. “Remember that even though the FDS has passed today, our brothers in communication relay group and other firing batteries will be conducting their table VIII next week.”
“Let’s do everything we can in our power to support them.” Bates added. “In the air defense world, nobody can successfully carry out the mission by themselves.”

For more information on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and living and working in Korea visit: USAG-Humphreys’ official web site or check out our online videos.