Military exercise begins at Fort Sill

LAWTON, Okla. (AP) -- Different branches of the U.S. military began a joint exercise Sunday aimed at preparing soldiers to react to a real-world threat.<br><br>The Joint Close Air Support exercise involves

Monday, May 3rd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LAWTON, Okla. (AP) -- Different branches of the U.S. military began a joint exercise Sunday aimed at preparing soldiers to react to a real-world threat.

The Joint Close Air Support exercise involves Air Force, Navy and Marines along with Army airborne, rocket and artillery elements. It will culminate on Thursday when 1,000-pound bombs from Navy F-16 and F-18 fighter jets are dropped from the sky over Fort Sill.

On Sunday morning, an observer saw an enemy formation and called in for cannon fire because it was close to a populated area, Col. Al Schneider, acting commander of III Corps Artillery, said.

A C-17 Globemaster III from Altus Air Force Base made three passes over the drop zone near Medicine Bluff, dropping two M198's, pallets of ammunition and other equipment around 9 AM.

Twenty-nine paratroopers were dropped about 9:10 AM and 27 more paratroopers came eight minutes later.

Members of the B Battery, 1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery, 18th Field Artillery Brigade (Airborne) showed they could deploy designated artillery packages by parachute assault, air, land or over the shore to deliver cannon, rocket and missile fires as needed, officials said.

Capt. Joseph O'Callaghan, who commands the B Battery, said the training benefits his soldiers by integrating artillery with the assets of the Navy and Air Force.

"This mission represents a contemporary operating environment. It's built around a real-world threat and how we would go about executing it," said Capt. Ken McDaniel, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 212th Field Artillery Brigade.

Pilot orientation and technical rehearsals will take place Monday, and F18's from Fort Worth, Texas, will drop live ordnance, live fire with rockets, cannons and fixed-wing aircraft on Tuesday.