Call-for-fire trainer and the joint fires observer

FA Journal, March-April, 2005 by Stephen D. Mitchell

There are advantages in buying a CFFT over some other system. It is warranted by the Army and any repairs or maintenance are paid for. Also, with software drops, units will get all the updates of the production modules as they are developed.

Finally, units will get a trainer designed to meet the rigid requirements developed by the Field Artillery School, which also provides scenarios, training support packages (TSPs) and new equipment training (NET) to get unit trainers up and running.

The CFFT is the training simulator for the FA's future that the school will continue to develop to train all JFOs for joint interdependency.

By Colonel Stephen D. Mitchell

Colonel Stephen D. Mitchell is the Director of the Training and Doctrine Directorate (DOTD) and G3 of the Field Artillery Center and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was the Senior Fire Support Observer/Controller (O/C) at the Combat Maneuver Training Center (CMTC), Hohenfels, Germany, and a Reinforcing Artillery Battalion Trainer and S3 Operations Trainer at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California. He commanded the 2d Battalion, 82d Field Artillery, (2-82 FA), 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, and C/2-9 FA (Pershing), 56th FA Command in Germany. Among other assignments, he was the Division Artillery Executive Officer and Deputy Fire Support Coordinator in the 2d Armored Division, also at Fort Hood. He holds two master's degrees, including a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania