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Armies in the world - Morocco
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Sunday, April
1, 2012, 08:44 AM |
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Moroccan
army artillery units with M109A5 howitzer trained and guided by U.S. Army
soldiers. |
In
order to help improve the security of Morocco, 20 members of the 15th
Royal Artillery Group of Moroccan army were trained to operate 60 M109A5
155mm self-propelled howitzers recently purchased through the U.S. Foreign
Military Sales program. At the request of the Royal Moroccan Field Artillery
Training Center, an artillery tactics military-to-military exercise was
executed in the cities of Fes and Guercie, March 4-10, to help provide
the Moroccan soldiers with training on the maintenance, safety and firing
of the M109A5 system.
(By Sgt. Terysa M. King, U.S. Army Africa Public Affairs)
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M109A5 Howitzer Crews from the Moroccan army 15th Royal Artillery Group
demonstrate firing procedures and capabilities during an artillery tactics
military-to-military event observed by the two U.S. Soldiers from 1st
Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, Okla.
(Credit photo Maj. Tyrone Martin U.S. Army)
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Two
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, out of Fort
Sill, Okla., volunteered to observe and provide subject matter expert
guidance on the artillery training.
First Sgt. Kurt Douglas, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, and
noncommissioned officer in charge of the exercise, said the mission was
split between lectures on various topics regarding the M109A5 and live-fire
exercises at the Royal Moroccan Field Artillery Training Center. The fire
exercises included forward observer procedures, fire direction center
procedures and gun line crew drills.
Douglas said the soldiers of the 15th RAG performed like consummate professionals,
making it seem like they have been firing the M109A1, A2 and A3 systems
for decades.
"They fully understand all gunnery concepts and developed effective
techniques that ensures they achieve accuracy, thus demonstrating the
mastery of gunnery concepts and techniques, but they are not able to execute
some key tasks due to lack of associated equipment," Douglas said.
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M109A5 Howitzer Crews from the Moroccan army 15th Royal Artillery Group
demonstrate firing procedures and capabilities during an artillery tactics
military-to-military event observed by the two U.S. Soldiers from 1st
Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, Okla.
(Credit photo Maj. Tyrone Martin U.S. Army)
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Maj. Tyrone Martin, executive officer, 1st Bn., 17th
FAR, and the officer in charge of the mission, said despite the 15th
RAG's very limited budget, they have created innovative solutions for
things U.S. Soldiers take for granted.
"They have a passion for artillery that we all should want to have.
As they do not have the same technology as we are use to, they have
a mastery of field artillery gunnery that sometimes I believe we take
for granted due to our technology," Martin said. "They approach
field artillery much like we do, with the same doctrine and concepts
in equipment, however their experiences and strategic objectives allow
them to see the same event differently."
Douglas also agrees this training with the 15th RAG provides allows
him to see the same event through a different set of eyes.
"Training with another country always challenges our existing paradigms
and viewpoints in regards to our profession as professional field artillerymen.
They approach field artillery much like we do, with the same doctrine
and concepts in equipment," Douglas said. "However their experiences
and strategic objectives allow them to see the same event differently.
This will only make us better."
The Moroccan soldiers expressed a strong interest in building and continuing
current partnerships as well as creating new ones.
"This event built upon an already established close relationship
between the two countries' field artillery professionals. The Moroccans
closely resemble our own field artillery doctrine as many of their officers
have attended our Captains Career Course," Martin said.
The M109A5 howitzer is an armored vehicle that is easily customized
for specific mission requirements. It is the most common support weapon
of maneuver brigades of armored and mechanized infantry divisions.
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