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Patriots protect people, partnership

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  They're the 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, but when it comes to defense and deterrence, these Soldiers are first.

The unit is collocated with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing and is the primary line of defense against any theater ballistic missile attack with their weapon of choice: the Patriot weapon system.

The Patriot gained notoriety in the early '90s when they were used to intercept Scud missiles during the Gulf War. Today Soldiers use them to defend 380th AEW Airmen and citizens of the host nation. They're responsible for the air defense of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in resources and equipment.

"Our job is to protect the people and assets at this location from anyone who might use theater ballistic missiles as a threat against us or our allies," said Army Lt. Col. Rich Harrison, the battalion commander and Sunbury, N.C., native. "Patriots were extremely successful in the Gulf War, so it's reassuring for anyone deployed here and our host nation partners to know that we're on the job."

The Soldiers, deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C., are part of a theater-wide system of Patriot missile sites stationed across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. They maintain radar and detection sites as well as work with sister service units to track any and all missile activity.

"With the upgrades over the last few years, the Patriot system is the most capable it's ever been when it comes to defeating theater ballistic missiles," Harrison said. "They have an incredibly high probability kill rate, and our adversaries know our capabilities versus their systems. So there is a big deterrence factor there - they know it's not even worth it to try firing at us because we'd shoot it down."

If any one of several detection systems across the region did identify a missile launch, Patriot system computers instantly calculate the impact area as well as a firing solution to defeat the incoming threat. Experts at higher headquarters are in place to make the judgment call on which unit has the best chance of destroying the threat before it reaches its target. Once given the order to execute, they blow it out of the sky, Harrison explained.

"The system takes into account where debris might fall as well as the best time to fire so if there is a miss, there is still time to take another shot," Harrison said. "But as much as we're aided by computers, it's always a person who actually hits the fire button. As incredibly accurate as it is, it's still important to maintain that level of control over the system."

One of those people would be Army 1st Lt. Susana Santiago, a tactical control officer from Orlando, Fla.

"If we ever did have to launch, the pressure would be on, but there would be no hesitation because we all know what we have to do to be ready for an engagement," she said.

To stay battle-ready, Patriot system crews hold regular drills where every aspect of their mission is tested and evaluated. The exercises assess everything from performance in a large-scale air battle to moving entire launch vehicles.

When it comes to the launchers themselves, Soldiers like Army Pfc. Jose Nunez make sure the Patriot systems are always ready. Nunez, a Los Angeles native, is one of several Soldiers who perform corrective and preventive maintenance on the actual launch vehicles. For him, the Patriot mission is all about "making sure people don't have to watch the skies so they can focus on their job."

"It's exciting to know that if there ever is a threat, my job is to make sure we can neutralize it," Nunez said. "I think it helps people to know that we're here because we'll keep them safe. I like what I do; maintenance is important because if our equipment isn't taken care of, it won't be effective and we won't be able to protect the area."

In a recent exercise, representatives from the host nation military observed how Soldiers ensure the systems are ready at a moment's notice.

"Our partners in the host nation are very excited about the Patriot system," Harrison said. "We're glad to have them come out so we can show them the great job our Soldiers do in helping defend this base and the area. Training is great for building partnerships because we're allies and we work together to keep this region safe."

The biggest challenge for Harrison is helping Soldiers maintain their morale during their yearlong deployment. He uses things like intramural sports and award programs to boost spirits and unit pride to keep his troops going. In addition, Harrison wants to broaden internet capabilities so Soldiers can stay in touch with friends and family back home.

"When you do the same job day in and day out, it can tend to get monotonous, so we have to fight complacency and make sure our Soldiers are always focused on the mission," Harrison said. "The easiest way to do that is just talking to people and getting to know them because I want all my Soldiers to know they're important to me and to our mission.

"I look at it as taking care of family, because everyone in this unit is family," Harrison added. "What we do here and now is critical and being deployed is difficult, but it's about being part of something bigger than yourself. When we go home, we'll know that we made a difference in people's lives. There's no greater honor than that."