Artillery battery returns to Wisconsin from historic Afghanistan mission

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NEWS: Artillery battery returns to Wisconsin from historic Afghanistan mission

October 19, 2013
By 1st Lt. Joe Trovato
Wisconsin National Guard

The first National Guard high mobility artillery rocket system [HIMARS] unit to deploy to Afghanistan to conduct a combat fire support mission returned safely to Wisconsin Friday afternoon.

The 78 returning Soldiers from Plymouth, Wis.-based B Battery, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, arrived at an Experimental Aircraft Association hangar in Oshkosh, Wis., where their waiting families, Gov. Scott Walker, and other elected representatives welcomed them home from a 10-month deployment.

The unit returned after supporting more than 400 combat missions with more than 1200 hours of around-the-clock fire support coverage for a joint special operations task force over an area that covered nearly half of Afghanistan.

Many National Guard field artillery units have been used for missions other than field artillery when they have been deployed since Sept. 11, 2001. Such was the case for Bravo Battery on its previous deployment to Iraq from 2006-07, when the unit conducted a convoy security mission. Others have been used for detainee operations, or security forces. While those missions proved vital to the success of the American war effort, the artillerymen of Bravo Battery relished the opportunity to conduct an actual field artillery mission in combat.

"It's awesome," said Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Kletzien, of La Crosse, Wis., who was on his third deployment. "To be a part of that, and support who we supported has been a dream come true. I mean it was several deployments doing something else to get to this point, but it's been worth it."

The significance of Bravo Battery's historic mission was also not lost on Spc. Sam Discher, of Racine, Wis., who returned just in time to celebrate his first wedding anniversary with his wife.

"It feels great," he said. "I was in a position during my schooling where my instructor asked who was National Guard. We all stood up in front of the class, and he said, 'you guys are never going to do your job.'"

But since returning from artillery school and serving in Bravo Battery, Discher said he has been privileged to do artillery training every year before deploying to Afghanistan to conduct the HIMARS mission over the course of the last year.

The credit belongs to the unit's Soldiers and leaders who underwent a challenging and exhausting process that led them to this point, said Command Sgt. Maj. Bradley Shields, the senior enlisted advisor for the Wisconsin Army National Guard, and a former artilleryman himself.

Shortly after the unit's previous deployment to Iraq, the Army transitioned the unit from using the Paladin, a self-propelled howitzer, to a multiple launch rocket system unit. They soon had the opportunity to become a HIMARS unit, and eventually became qualified.

"Not only did they become qualified, but they became the best in the United States Army at what they do," Shields told the crowd at the homecoming ceremony. "And they were selected to perform an artillery mission in a combat theater, which we hadn't done before from an artillery perspective."

For Capt. Matthew Mangerson, the battery's commander, the deployment was an opportunity to showcase the skills and professionalism of the National Guard.

"I honestly think anybody could have been the commander with this unit and been successful," he said. "They were an excellent group of guys. Their technical knowledge was fantastic. The leadership of the noncommissioned officers was fantastic."

Mangerson is excited to begin sharing the battery's knowledge and experience gained from a combat deployment with other batteries in the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment and the state.

The commander presented American flags carried on missions in Afghanistan to the state's senior National Guard leadership who were on hand at the ceremony to welcome them home. They also presented spent rocket pod covers from their deployment to several senior leaders.

Waiting to greet the returning Soldiers when they arrived were elected officials including Rep. Tom Petri, Sen. Ron Johnson, and Gov. Scott Walker. But the reunion with family served as the day's centerpiece.

"One of the best parts of my job is welcome homes," said Gov. Walker, who said there was nothing better than watching young children reunite with their Soldiers.

The governor drew parallels to the fellow Wisconsinites who served in the Civil War 150 years ago and veterans of subsequent conflicts to the service seen today from Wisconsin's uniformed service members.

"You are a part of that proud tradition here in the State of Wisconsin and across this great country," he said. "On behalf of a grateful state and a grateful country, we say, 'thank you.'"

"Our country was built on people who assumed responsibility, who volunteered, and who served, and that's what Bravo Battery has done and with the support of your families," said Rep. Petri. "So welcome back. Thank you for what you've done, and best wishes in the future."

Sen. Johnson thanked the unit for its service and sacrifice.

"The magnitude of that sacrifice is so great, just the mere glimpse of it moistens our eyes, puts a catch in our throat, or leaves us entirely speechless," he said.

Bravo Battery mobilized at Fort Bliss, Texas, and deployed to Afghanistan in January. They returned to Fort Bliss Oct. 11, before completing demobilization requirements and returning to Wisconsin Oct. 18.

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