13J Fire Control Specialist
Delta Battery, 1st Battalion 78th Field Artillery
13J Class 39-23
Class 39-23 is in their first week of training! The class has successfully in-processed through the Battery and Battalion. The class then learns about tactical communications. To shoot effectively in the Field Artillery, ensuring we have operational communications is key to win the fight against our adversaries. The class will test on communications Wednesday, learn how to erect a 30ft antenna on Thursday, and start their 13J coursework Friday.
Class 39-23 is in week two of class! The class is currently learning how to construct a firing chart. The firing char is a method used in manual gunnery to extract the range to target from a cannon location, as well as where the tube will face, or what we call a deflection. The class will test Friday on the firing chart and gear up for the rest of manual gunnery next week!
Class 39-23 pulls out the “sticks” and learns manual gunnery this week! In manual
gunnery a class learns the mathematics and the physics behind firing a cannon. The
class starts with extracting data from the Tabular Firing Tables (TFT). This is a book
with all basic firing data. After, the class learns how to extract data using the graphical
firing tables (GFT) and the graphical site table (GST). These instruments we sometimes
call “sticks”, which are a visual representation of the TFT.
Class 39-23 conducts Basic AFATDS Operations. After successfully completing their
manual gunnery examination, the class pulls out the laptops and learns the AFATDS
program. Throughout this week and next, the class will learn how to operate the
program, build communication networks, build units, and add battlefield graphics
Class 39-23 are on their second portion of AFATDS. This week the class works on
preparing the AFATDS for Fire Mission Processing by setting preferences in the system
to make it easier to process fire missions to the 13B Cannoneers. They also put in
meteorological data (weather), update target information, and set commanders
guidance's in the system. They will finish out AFATDS with Fire Mission Processing
working on building certain missions that could be sent to the 13B’s.
Class 39-23 has completed all coursework at the schoolhouse located at Burleson Hall.
To test their capabilities of all training learned, the class conducts a culminating training
exercise (CTE) to encompass the skills learned. They will also focus on Warrior Task
and Battle Drills (WTBD), which were learned at Basic Combat Training and refreshed
during Saturday structured training in AIT.
