[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Calling for fire support from artillery, naval gunfire, and close air support comprise the doctrinal missions for a FSE. However, with Operation Iraqi Freedom’s major combat operations completed...

...The team now finds itself engaged in non-lethal missions which include delivering “Baghdad Now,” a community newspaper...analyze data with Counter Intelligence specialists to determine a community’s mood and provide force protection for the forward operating base and for convoys.

With 150 non-lethal missions and 253 hours of road time logged since their arrival in May 2003, the Soldiers of the “Ready First “ Brigade FSE have adapted well to their new missions but the transition hasn’t always been easy....

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1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division

"Ready First Combat Team"

~* FSE Info-WARRIORS *~

                

Bang! 

[annyokie]

Thanks! Forwarded to Airborne Artillery hubby.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Outstanding story! Thanks for the ping, Rags.

There are a lot of soldiers in a lot of units who are being tasked to perform duties and missions for which they were never intended. "Other duties as assigned," they call it. And they still have to retain proficiency in their primary mission skills.

Teddy Kennedy and some posters on FR will try to tell you that 1/1 FSE is entitled to Up Armored Humvees for running their newspaper route and if they don't that is proof of heinous malfeasance, negligence and incompetence on the part of the Commander-in-Chief, but you don't see these Redlegs whining about it.

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. OO-rah!

[where's_the_Outrage?]

I thought the Artilley could have done a much better (and dramatic) job of closing down that Iraqi Newspaper.