Live-Fire Artillery Training in U.S. Army Light Divisions.

This study questions the appropriateness of live-fire artillery training as outlined in the current Field Artillery Mission Training Plans and Department of the Army Pamphlet 350-38, Standards in Weapons Training, in preparing direct support cannon battalions in America’s Light Divisions to meet the fire support needs of the infantry brigades they support. In response, this thesis examines how these artillery battalions can address this challenge by determining which artillery fire missions they should execute during live-fire training. Using collective observations and experiences from infantry operations at the Joint Readiness Training Center and the National Training Center, this study develops a base of infantry combat missions and determines fire support tasks, along with the contributing artillery fire missions, that are essential to their successful execution. This thesis compares these results with the fire missions provided in training doctrine. This study concludes by offering a recommended list of specialized fire missions for direct support cannon battalions in U.S. Army Light Divisions to execute during live-fire training to best prepare them to help meet the fire support necessities of the infantry units they support.