Email   Print   Share By Sgt. Maria Kappell, 69th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

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1st Sgt. Steve Hall, first sergeant of Btry. E, 4-5 ADA Regt., talks to his deploying troops at Fort Hood’s Soldier Field, July 31. Sgt. Maria Kappell, 69th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

Lt. Col. Mark Holler, commander of 1-44 ADA Regt., talks to Family members of Soldiers from Btry. E, 4-5 ADA Regt., at Fort Hood’s Soldier Field, July 31. Sgt. Maria Kappell, 69th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

Staff Sgt. Alex Clark, an air defender in Btry. E, 4-5 ADA Regt., spends time with his mother, Lisa Flood, at Fort Hood’s Soldier Field, before departing for a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan, July 31. Sgt. Maria Kappell, 69th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

Soldiers from Battery E, 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, left Fort Hood July 31 for a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan.

The small group of approximately 30 Soldiers from the deploying unit will be responsible for running Sentinel radar operations in various locations throughout the country.

The Soldiers will be using the Sentinel radar, which scans the surrounding areas at all times, to create a clear picture of what is happening around the forward operating base. The system allows early detection of any people or situations that could be hostile to deployed troops, said 1st Sgt. Steve Hall, the first sergeant of Echo Battery.

In order to prepare for this mission overseas, the air defenders trained for three weeks on the Base

Expeditionary Targeting Surveillance Systems-Combined. This system is a surveillance and security system, like the one they will be using throughout the duration of their deployment. The training was hands-on and afforded the Soldiers the opportunity to become comfortable with the equipment before being confronted with it down range.

In addition to completing warrior task and battle drills that are essential to all deploying Soldiers, the air defenders were able to put their Sentinel radar skills to the test when they went on a mission to Arizona in mid-February to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection security efforts. This helped them become proficient on their tasks, Hall said.

Family members, friends and other Soldiers from the unit gathered at Soldier Field here to bid farewell to their departing comrades. Family members were able to spend several hours with their deploying Soldiers before they boarded on the bus and headed to the air field.

“I am always proud of (my son) going, but as a mom, you worry,” said Lisa Flood, the mother of Staff Sgt. Alex Clark, an air defender in the battery.

Clark has been in the unit since September and is a veteran to deploying, this being his third deployment. For others, like Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kellum, the supply sergeant for the unit, this will be their first deployment.

Lt. Col. Mark Holler, the commander of the 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, also stopped by Soldier Field to say goodbye to the exiting unit. He reminded the Soldiers to make the most out of their time away and told them the time would move quickly.

“Understand how important good order and discipline is,” he said, “and take care of one another.”