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3 Company Sit Rep as at 2nd Dec 07
(Archive)
3 COMPANY REPORT FROM FIRE SUPPORT GROUP (FSG)
I thought that it would be time to place an article on the Army
Net site just to let you guys at home know how the lads are
getting on out here in Afghanistan. At the moment we are all
split amongst the rifle platoons which I shall introduce to you
in a moment. We have a GPMG(SF) gun team consisting of two
Drummers and a Javelin team also consisting of two men who are
provided from the Anti Tank Platoon, both teams are attached to
each platoon within Number Three Company. The main reasons that
the Company Commander has done this is to enhance the Fire
Support of each Rifle Platoon and also to sustain each tasking
the Platoons undergo whilst we are undertaking the demanding
cycles out here. To that end the command structure of the FSG
has remained together as there is now a fourth platoon known as
Number Twelve Platoon, myself Drum Major Ben Roberts is the
Platoon Sergeant, Lance Sergeant Scott Fitzgerald, Lance
Sergeant Chris Parker is the section commanders and Lance
Sergeant Mat Wallis is the Javelin team member within the
platoon. As you can see Lance Sergeant Will Pates is missing off
the list he is attached to Nine Platoon as a section commander.
As I said earlier I will now introduce you to the guys of the
FSG, for faces please view the images below for the Platoon
Members).
*ShinyCapstar Note: names are displayed under each image.
DRUM MAJOR BEN ROBERTS
LSGT SCOTT FITZGERALD
LSGT CHRIS PARKER
LSGT MATT WALLIS
LSGT WILL PATES
LCPL RYAN CLARKSON & DRUMMER DANIEL HANNA
DRUMMER LIAM ROWLEY & DRUMMER ADAM KERRIDGE
DRUMMER STU BROWNLIE & DRUMMER PAUL BLAKELOCK
LANCE CORPORAL ANDY HAWKSBY
GDSM JASON ZAWASIA & GDSM MATHEW GRISDALE
Now that you are introduced to the crew I shall let you know
what we have been up to since we have been here.
When the company do deliberate operations whether it be in the
Green Zone or out in the desert the FSG come together and our
role is to provide protection and also give Fire Support to the
company group if and when needed, when we deploy we mainly go in
vehicles manning the heavy weapons, these consist of the Heavy
Machine Gun and Grenade Machine Gun which is capable of putting
40mm High Velocity Grenades through a window out to a range of
2km. As seen in the images below:
HEAVY MACHINE
GUN(HMG)
GRENADE MACHINE GUN(GMG)
FSG IN SUPPORT OF OP TRICKLE TREAT
JAVELIN
When we do platoon operations in the Green Zone we give that
Platoon an extra gun and an extra Javelin team, so as you can
see the fire support just for a platoon is very impressive. The
Drummers have found the preferred way of not deploying with
tripods for the guns but to take an extra GPMG in the light
role. This is due to the fact that the Green Zone is very
difficult going just with normal kit, let alone with the tripod.
Don’t worry the tripods are being used but only in the static
positions which gives everyone a warm fluffy feeling when they
go to bed each night knowing that we have so much fire power on
each position so that is very good. The Javelin guys are proving
to be an extremely important asset to the company. We mainly use
them in the observation mode however we have had to call on them
sometimes to fire three missiles and yes they were successful.
On the welfare side of things, the lads have been getting loads
of mail, however we have to wait for a Chinook to come in that
is what brings our mail, in other words a very expensive Royal
Mail Van. So please keep the E-Blueys and parcels coming as its
doing the lads a world of good, so thank you very much to all of
you for supporting your loved ones so much whilst we are out
here. The company have done very well so far in making our camp
as comfortable as it can be, ranging from an excellent welfare
room with T.V, DVD, brew making facilities and an excellent
internet service, which we all get on whilst we are on the guard
cycle so that is good. Also the use of Satellite Phones now that
is a very good asset which the lads use on a very regular basis.
We now have electric so charging of laptops and ipods is no
longer a drama.
Overall the lads are doing a second to none job out here, going
through some tough times and also going through some very good
times. Hopefully I shall be posting another article next month
about the FSG so if you have any ideas that you would like me to
put on the next article please let your loved one know and he
can pass it on to me. Once again thank you very much for all the
support that you have shown so far and please keep it coming.
Drum Major Ben Roberts
FSG Commander
Number Three Company
NULLI SECUNDUS
SEE THE SHINY CAPSTAR SHINING IN THE SUN
NOTE:
ANYONE FOUND LINKING DIRECTLY TO THESE IMAGES (IN FORUMS ETC)
WILL BE IN BREACH OF OUR DISCLAIMER AND COULD FACE DISCIPLINARY
ACTION. PLEASE POST A LINK TO THIS PAGE.
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