1-38 CAV soldiers conduct Fires University
Story and photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Samantha Parks
4th Public Affairs Detachment
F
ifteen soldiers with 1st Squadron, 38th Cavalry
Regiment completed Fires University training at
Camp Bondsteel Dec. 16- 20.
The course was used both as refresher training and an
opportunity to cross-train.
“The intent for the past week of training was to provide
sustainment training for my forward observers and fire
support sergeants in conjunction with training the 19D,
cavalry scouts, to be proficient in fire support tasks and joint
fire observer tasks,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class William
Harvey, the fire support noncommissioned officer for 1
Sqdn., 38th Cav. Regmt. and a native of Grouton, Conn.
The forward observers conduct regular training, but Harvey
said this month he wanted to include six cavalry scouts for
cross-training and give his NCOs an opportunity to grow as
leaders.
“This idea came from our sustainment training we do
monthly,” Harvey said. “We wanted to branch off on that and
do a whole week to keep everybody proficient in their tasks.
[The NCOs] are teaching people that don’t normally do
these jobs, so it definitely developed them professionally.”
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. George Kerr, a forward observer with
1st Sqdn., 38th Cav. Regmt. and a Nashville, Ohio native