FORT BLISS, Texas - Mississippi Army National Guard members, with the 1st Battalion, 204th Air Defense Artillery, or ADA, Regiment, finalized their pre-deployment training for a nearly yearlong rotation in the National Capital Region with a live-fire exercise Friday.
The deploying Guardsmen are comprised of approximately 200 Soldiers from several units around the state and will be defending the nation’s capital from airborne threats.
“The mission is to provide air defense and early warning to the National Capital Region against any air attack, such as the ones that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001,” said Lt. Col. Scott Griffin, commander of 1-204th ADA.
“The live-fire exercise gives the Soldiers confidence in the weapons systems,” Griffin said. “We’ve been training for over a year. This is the culminating event.”
The unit trains regularly and maintains its equipment during drills but only conducts live-fire events, launching live missiles, when preparing to deploy.
The live fire serves as the final display of proficiency and ensures that the Soldiers are mentally primed.
“Its extremely important,” said Maj. Tim Harrelson, the battalion’s operations officer. “We’re defending the nation’s capital. We’re going to do whatever order is given to us as far as taking down an aircraft. That’s a big feat to ask an 18-, 19-year-old Soldier to do.”
“It’s going to be uncomfortable enough for that Soldier,” Harrelson said. “We don’t want him to hesitate if he’s given that order. We want him to feel natural.”
The Soldiers already have a natural air about them and seem confident to conduct the mission ahead after recently receiving the Alexander Hamilton Award recognizing the Army National Guard’s best air defense artillery battery and having experience in this particular mission already.
The 1st Battalion, 204th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, is one of seven National Guard units nationwide that conducts this mission - one that is only performed by the National Guard.
The unit concluded the successful live fire and is now preparing to assume duties in the National Capital Region.