July-August - Air Defense Artillery School

By Lieutenant Colonel Lloyd A. Corkan, Coast Artillery Corps I
The training of a separate battalion of antiaircraft artillery
may be divided into three phases, consisting of: the
initial period of training in the Antiaircraft Artillery Training
Center; the time spent in the Staging Area near the Port
of Embarkation and on board the transport, and finally, the
life of the Organization in the Theatre of Operations.
A commander and staff of a newly activated unit frequently
find their attention so occupied in carrying out the
many details of the l\'lobilization Training Program that
they lose sight of the goal toward which all of their efforts
must be directed. This training objective has been defined
for antiaircraft artillery as "the attainment and maintenance
of a complete state of readiness for field service and for
combat of individuals and units." Viewed from the maze of
activities occupying the battalion's attention in its first few
weeks of training. the time when such a state of readiness
must be reached seems far distant. However, the well p
pared unit commander realizes that the few months stretc
ing ahead offer all too little time to turn his newly arri\
fillers into soldiers, unless he makes the most of each ph
of instruction scheduled for his unit.
To achieve this means much long range planning on
commander's part if he hopes to bring his battalion into
theatre of operations well prepared for the task assigned
it. The program as outlined for the unit provides for
training as will best fit the new soldier for the dema
made upon him in modern battle. These may be di\'i:/
into several types of preparation, first, such training as \
build a sound body and a keen mind; second, the type of
struction that will best teach complete mastery of
weapons employed; and finally a course of mental
ditioning that will inoculate the mind of the young SO