DIVARTY cases its colors for Army transformation

OAHU, Ha., (Army News Service, July 8, 2005) – When the 25th Infantry Division (Light) Division Artillery cased its colors June 15, it became the first division artillery brigade to deactivate in the Army’s transformation.

Presently, there are 16 division artillery brigades, but after the transformation, only five or six will remain, said Col. Gary H. Cheek, DIVARTY commander.

The headquarters elements of his DIVARTY will be consolidated and restructured within other combat brigades. Units like Battery F, 7th Field Artillery, or FA, Regiment, are inactivating, while direct support battalions like 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment will fall directly under their supported brigades.

“This is a pretty tough thing to go through,” Cheek said. “It’s kind of like being cut from a team.”

Cheek has commanded DIVARTY for three years, preparing the unit for combat and leading them in a new role through battle. Now, along with his Soldiers, he is witnessing the end of an era, and the transformation of the Army. But instead of being downhearted, he encourages his “redlegs” to look upon the experience in a positive light. “[You] can be bitter and kick stones,” he said, “or [you] can take this on as a challenge. The Army is adapting to the future, and [you] can be part of that future.” DIVARTY is the first division artillery brigade to inactivate,” Cheek said.

Fully aware of the bitterness that some artillerymen may have been feeling during the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Eric T. Olson, 25th Inf. Div. (L) commander, reminded the Soldiers of their strong heritage and stressed the importance of carrying that heritage with them.

“Your history has been filled with glory and honor,” Olson said. “You need to continue your proud heritage.”

For more than 60 years, the 25th fought thorough World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and most recently, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Division artillery was formed in 1941, then labeled the 11th FA Brigade, and was tasked with providing fire support to the newly formed 25th Infantry Division. Since then, its battalions have fought valiantly during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In the past year, the two direct support battalions went their separate ways to accomplish their mission: 2nd Battalion, 11th FA Regiment, joined 2nd Brigade Combat Team in Iraq, while 3rd Battalion, 7th FA Regiment, served under the 3rd BCT’s Regional Command South in Afghanistan.

The Soldiers of each battalion adapted to a nontraditional role for artillerymen. They often left their howitzers and picked up their individual weapons, often taking to the streets on presence patrols and cordon and searches. But the mighty blow of the howitzer still came in handy at times. The headquarters of DIVARTY assumed command of Afghanistan’s Regional Command East, based out of Forward Operating Base Salerno. The maneuver elements they commanded looked to the howitzer sections for protection. “I know I will never forget when the big guns and the ‘Eyes of thunder’ came together and made history,” Olson said.

But combat is only one area where DIVARTY has written history. Since 1979, the Soldiers of the brigade have worked hard to foster a positive relationship with the people of Waianae on Oahu’s west side. From Veteran’s Day and Christmas parades to community cleanups and reading to schoolchildren, they’ve established a great presence in the community, said Waianae community leader Albert Silva.

“They’ve also developed an excellent relationship with the veterans who live in our community,” Silva added.

Now, other units will step in to fill the void that will be left after DIVARTY disburses.

Cheek said that the Soldiers of the two artillery battalions will hopefully maintain friendships within the community.

“With all the sorrow comes an undercurrent of excitement. The face of artillery is changing, and the Soldiers who proudly stood in formation on Sills Field are part of that change,” Cheek said. “Now, there’s only one thing left to do. Make the Army’s future great and keep the fire in your eye."

American Artillery has changed the course of so many engagements.....in the Civil War, Federal artillery proved to be one of the decisive factors in winning the Battle of Gettysburg.

On the first day, the six field pieces (3-inch James rifles) of 1st Lt. John Caleff's Battery (A/2 US Arty), and the six James rifles of Capt. William Graham (K/1 US Arty) were the DIVARTY for BG John Buford's 1st Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, and combined with the breechloading Spencer and Sharps carbines of his cavalrymen (who fought dismounted in threes behind fence rail breastworks, using their horses to gain crucial mobility and shift manpower along the line as needed....just as modern cav uses Bradleys to gain mobility) to halt for two hours the advance of MajGen Harry Heth's Confederate infantry division.

On the second day, at Little Round Top, Lt. Charles Hazlett's Battery (D/5 US Arty, 6 10 pound Parrot rifles) provided firepower to keep Col. Strong Vincent's 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Corps from being pushed off that vital hill. Lt. Hazlett was killed in that engagement.

The third day saw the entirety of the Army of the Potomac's artillery force, under the command of BG Henry Hunt, poured devastating counter fire into the infantry of Maj Gen George Pickett, as well as the Confederate artillery of Lt. Col. E. Porter Alexander. Hundreds of Federal artillerymen died at their guns as the shattered brigades of Pickett's force attempted to penetrate the Federal lines. 1st LT Alonzo Cushing, A/4th US Arty, died at his position, keeping his guns from being turned and used on his fellow Union soldiers.

The bravery, dedication and skill of American gunners is legendary. That Donald Rumsfeld would so cavalierly begin stripping US divisions of needed firepower is a crime. I hope he never has to hear the agonized radio calls of an infantry company under intense enemy fire as they call for "Fire mission! Coordinates.....FIRE FOR EFFECT!" and that firepower isn't there. I hope he can sleep knowing how many grunts he's just sentenced to death.

It is just not DivArty that is being sacrificed in transformation, the entire array of U.S. Army ground forces has been cut. We are down from 18 active Army divisions and 10 Guard divisions (total: 28) to 10 active and 6 Guard (total: 16).

As a point of reference (while acknowledging different technology of the day); this goes to talk about "boots on the ground" which is paramount in winning any conflict, we committed 52 U.S. divisions to France and Belgium in WW I, of which 43 were on deck and fighting on Armistice Day to rid our "grateful" allies, France and Belgium, of the Germans. In WW II, the U.S. Army fielded 68 divisions in Europe out of a total of 106 to rid a "grateful" Europe of the Nazis. These were arrayed in five field armies (the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 9th in western Europe and the 5th Army in Italy). The other 38 plus 6 Marine divisions were in the Pacific Theater of Operations fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. In WW I each division was two brigades to four brigades, each brigade having two regiments, with between 22,000 to 27,000 men. A WW II division depending on type, was from 15,000 (airborne) to 22,000 (mechanized infantry) each reorganized in the late 1930's into three regiments of infantry and one of artillery plus supporting/specialized separate battalions.

Additionally, as a point of reference, to fight a current MRC, such as Korea, we deployed nine divisions to Korea (eight Army divisions plus one Marine division) arrayed in three corps (I, IX and X) plus two regimental combat teams; supported by the Fifth Air Force and the Seventh Fleet - all rather robust outfits by the end of the war. In Vietnam, we rotated 11 divisions (9 Army, 2 Marine) arrayed in four corps-level units (I FF, II FF, XXIV Corps and III MAF) and five separate Army brigades (three of which formed the 23rd Div for a while) through that 10 year conflict - at our peak, having 9 total in country. (Note: it took the Imperial Japanese Army to conquer all of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, just 45 days, but then again, they did not have LBJ or McNamara.) In the first Gulf War, we deployed 10 U.S. divisions (8 Army, 2 Marine) plus we had 2 Marine Expeditionary Brigades off shore and two Army SF groups. The navy rotated six carriers through there for 24/7 ops. The Brits put in a full Armored Division, and the French sent in what they termed as a "light" armored division - whatever that is. Counting divisions, that is a total of 12 plus other Arab coalition forces.

Finally, in Gulf War II (Op Iraqi Freedom) we sent in elements of 6 Army divisions, 1 USMC division and 1 UK armored division - total of 8 plus the separate Army brigades. We would have had a total of 9 divisions had the Turks let the U.S. 4th Inf Div (M) across Turkey to come in from the North. We planned for a equivalent of 9 divisions, the equivalent of 8 made it.

Now, in light of the above, you can argue whether or not we have enough major combat elements to fight China/NK and/or Iran while we are presently engaged in the War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. We can not. In order to do the Korean War, it was NINE divisions; Vietnam, NINE division equivalents at our peak; Gulf War I, again NINE; Gulf War II (OIF), we planned for nine (incl allies) but only elements of EIGHT got there, but we planned for NINE. What does that tell you? To fight TWO MRC's, one in the middle east and one in the far east/Asia, we need NINE for each, which means you need another NINE for training, rotation, sustainment and replenishment for a total of 27 ACTIVE divisions. This does not count Guard or Reserve divisions (those need to be extra for sustainment in major war); the Marine divisions should never be counted in this total (trump card so the theater commander can weight the battle - icing on the cake to ensure victory).

Pretty soon, we are not going to be able to fight anywhere, we will not have DivArty, nor will be have sufficient air power or carriers. This seems like transformation is not giving us the bang for the buck, especially where ground troops and firepower is concerned.

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