FORT CARSON, Colo. (6/12/10) - Members of the Colorado Air and Army National Guard joined forces at Training Area 11 here in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Colorado National Guard.  

The event was open to the general public and more than 100 spectators arrived to see the historic event, which featured a special commemorative final firing of the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, along with a special demonstration of a joint live-fire exercise.  

To kick off the event, members of the COARNG’s 169th Fires Brigade fired a salute cannon, which was followed by COANG pilots flying F-16 Fighting Falcons in a low-altitude fly by as a show of force against mock insurgents engaging in small arms fire from a building in the training area.

From a distance, Snipers from the COARNG’s 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, engaged the enemy and eliminated the threat. 

A Special Forces Direct Action Team, inserted by UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters of the 2nd Battalion, 135th General Support Aviation, ambushed the building and searched for remaining occupants and spotters. After rescuing a mock hostage, all were extracted by the UH-60s.

Once the helicopters left the scene, artillery simulators exploded behind the crowd. After being shelled with mortars, Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 157 Field Artillery, fired the last of their rockets from the soon-to-be-retired MLRSes at the command of the ground forces commander.

This display of air and ground forces working jointly is imperative for combat readiness, and training with live ammunition has long been used by the armed forces as an opportunity to simulate combat situations.

“Our focus is to prepare for joint operations. In order to do that, we have to use combined arms and execute that synchronization,” said COARNG Col. Gregory Miller, 169th Fires Brigade commander. “As field artillerymen, we focus on precision, and that is what we’re doing today. We are combining aviation, Special Forces, artillery and air combat power all in one exercise to show the citizens of Colorado what the Guard is about.”

When a call goes out from the Army ground forces commander asking for air support, a joint terminal attack controller, who is already in place a forward location, directs the action of the fighter jets to engage in close air support, and calls for air strikes or a show of force to deter the enemy prior to going kinetic – dropping bombs and shooting bullets.

“The tactical air patrol party goes out and (those troops) are aligned with the brigade-echelon and battalion-echelon Army units when levying close air support and air power throughout the battlefield,” said Air Force Capt. Jonathan McCoy, 13th Air Support Operations Squadron liaison officer.  “The Air liaison officer helps manage their positioning to achieve the tactical effects desired by the various ground commanders while the Army provides us the logistical support to get men throughout the area of operations as well as provide any administrative needs.”

Today’s exercise demonstrated the combined firepower and warfighting capabilities of the Colorado National Guard and its trained Soldiers and Airmen, demonstrating to our citizens that the Colorado National Guard is ready to meet mission requirements at home and abroad.