Air defenders from The 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade maintain readiness through constant training.

E/6-52 Air Missile Defense (AMD) Battery from Camp Carroll recently conducted Avenger/Sentinel Table VIII Gunnery in conjunction with 210 Field Artillery Brigade ADAM Cell at Rodriguez Range Complex. The training provided the battery the opportunity to continue to build Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) knowledge and capabilities.

Sentinel Radar Operators Spc. Matteau Tanner, Spc. Nickolas Cruz and Pfc Kelvin Huynh said they use the radar to detect targets and participate in the Avenger training scenarios during the combined training event.

“This gives us a good opportunity to learn more about our job, and assist them (Avenger Crews) in qualifying,” Pfc. Huynh said. “We also had the opportunity to see how 210 runs drills.”

Capt. Norris Potter, Echo Battery Commander, said that this training offered them the ability to shoot more proficiently after every iteration and to conduct comprehensive training.

“This was a great opportunity for us to be able to perform combined training on sentinel crew drills and radio connectivity,” he said. “This is a way to rebuild and reconnect our partnership and evaluate each others crews.”

Spc. Cruz said this was his first field training to see how the radar is actually implemented in the whole operation.

“We don’t usually get this opportunity to train with a full scenario,” Spc. Cruz said. “It is great training.”

Spc. Tanner said that this type of training is a way of making sure they are always ready and proficient in their military specialty.

“It is essential that we are efficient and safe on march order and emplacement of the sentinel radar and shelter,” he said.

The training event also allowed the opportunity for radar operators to be evaluated and qualify on their equipment.