Area Guard unit hits the desert
Ontario outfit to train south of Boise
By Pat Caldwell
Argus Observer
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:38 AM PDT
Ontario — All the hard work and long hours during drill weekends throughout the year will finally be put to the test during the next two weeks south of Boise for members of Ontario’s Oregon Army National Guard unit.
Ontario’s citizen-soldier unit, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry kicked off its yearly annual training cycle Saturday.
Charlie Company, and other portions of the 3rd Battalion, will focus on a number of training tasks during the next two weeks, including tank gunnery skills.
The annual training stint is critical 3rd Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Kevin Sheehy, Union, said.
“It (annual training) is a big deal because it is a measurement of tank company readiness for the Pentagon. Like an achievement test,” Sheehy said.
This year’s training duty at the Orchard Training Area south of Boise marks a milestone in another fashion for Sheehy.
The training stint marks the first time the Union Oregon native will be in charge of the entire battalion. Sheehy served as the battalion’s second-in-command during last year’s annual training cycle and was the unit’s operations officer when it deployed to Iraq in 2004. He took over the reins of the battalion from former Ontario resident Lt. Col. Brian Cole in the spring.
“I’m excited about it. It is really my first opportunity to prove myself as a battalion commander,” Sheehy said.
As the battalion commander Sheehy will also be required to lead a tank crew and qualify on tank gunnery ranges, a duty he said he looks forward to.
While Sheehy conceded he will be navigating new ground as the unit’s commander, he also said in a real way the goals this year are the same as the 2007 annual training cycle.
“Our aim is not any different than what we did last year: Qualify tanks crews, as many as we can. I’d like to qualify somewhere around 18. We are going there with 21,” he said.
Capt. Seth Musgrove, the second-in-command of Ontario’s citizen-soldier outfit said he is excited about getting back out on the high desert south of Boise.
“Anytime you get on a tank and put rounds down range it is a lot of fun,” Musgrove said.
Musgrove also pointed out how important the tank gunnery evaluations will be, not only for Ontario’s unit but also for the rest of the battalion.
“It’s a huge deal. That’s why we work so hard from the end of last year’s AT to the next AT. That (tank gunnery skills) are the focus. We prepare and crews stay diligent and the command emphasis on gunnery is really high,” he said.
The 3rd Battalion consists of citizen-soldiers from Redmond, Prineville, Woodburn, Hood River, The Dalles, Hermiston, Pendleton, La Grande, Baker City and La Grande.
