THE 142ND FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE SPEARHEADED OPERATION WESTERN STRIKE, A MULTI-STATE, EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT READINESS AND FIELD ARTILLERY GUNNERY EXERCISE AT CAMP GUERNSEY IN WYOMING. FIVE BATTALIONS FROM THREE SEPARATE STATES COMPRISED THE 142ND AND WAS COMMANDED BY LT. COL. NICK JASKOLSKI. THREE BATTALIONS FROM ARKANSAS, ONE FROM ALABAMA AND ANOTHER FROM TENNESSEE PARTICIPATED IN THE OPERATION. 1ST BATTALION OF THE 142ND FROM ARKANSAS, AND THE 1ST BATTALION OF THE 181ST FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT FROM TENNESSEE, COLLECTIVELY FIRED OVER 100 REDUCED RANGE PRACTICE ROCKETS FROM THEIR MULTIPLE LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEMS AND THEIR HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEMS. THE MLRS AND HIMARS CAN FIRE ACCURATELY UP TO 26 MILES AWAY WITH GUIDED OR UNGUIDED PROJECTILES OR UP TO A DISTANCE OF 190 MILES AWAY IF FIRING AN ARMY TACTICAL MISSILE SYSTEM. THE 2ND BATTALION OF THE 142ND FROM ARKANSAS AND THE 1ST BATTALION OF THE 117TH FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT FROM ALABAMA FIRED OVER 24 HUNDRED 155 MILLIMETER ROUNDS FROM THEIR PALADINS AND TOWED HOWITZERS. BOTH WEAPON SYSTEMS HAVE AN ACCURATE FIRING RANGE SURPASSING 18 MILES WHEN USING ROCKET ASSISTED PROJECTILES. ARKANSAS’ 217TH BRIGADE SUPPORT BATTALION SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED OVER 80 SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION MISSIONS WHICH INCLUDED THE SAFE AND TIMELY DELIVERY OF OVER 40 THOUSAND GALLONS OF FUEL, MORE THAN 31 THOUSAND MEALS, NEARLY 500 THOUSAND SMALL ARMS ROUNDS AND OVER 100 ROCKETS. DELTA COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 153RD INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE ARKANSAS NATIONAL GUARD WAS UTILIZED DURING OPERATION WESTERN STRIKE AS SIMULATED OPPOSITION FORCES IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE REALISM AND OVERALL TRAINING EXPERIENCE OF THE BRIGADE DURING THE TWO WEEK LONG EXERCISE. PROVIDING MEDICAL SUPPORT DURING THE OPERATION WAS THE 213TH AREA SERVICE MEDICAL COMPANY FROM THE ARKANSAS NATIONAL GUARD. THIS WAS THE UNITS FINAL TRAINING EXERCISE AND OPERATION BEFORE FOLDING THEIR GUIDON COLORS AS THEIR UNIT IS BEING DISBANDED. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Spc. Stephen M. Wright