Note by Paul Roales: The article below discusses the role of the Ballistic Meteorologists in Iraq. Since my MOS no longer exists this is as close as the Army has today.
Weather experts keep Army on target
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
SPC SHERREE CASPER,
196TH MPAD
Danger Foreward (magazine of the First Infantry Division); November, 2004; Page 10
FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY,
Iraq - -“Okay, we’re ready to fly.”
With those words, one might expect a pilot to give
the thumbs up for flight.
Think again.
SGT Emeka D. Watson, a Soldier with Alpha Company,
1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, uttered these
words before he launched a large balloon recently into
the sky over Forward Operating Base Normandy.
And it wasn’t just any rubber balloon. The price
tag per launch is over $180.
The meteorologist from Tulsa, Okla. released the
weather balloon in an effort to gather an array of data -
- information used to determine wind direction and
speed, temperature as well as humidity. The collected
data will be used by Soldiers in the field who rely on
the statistics in order to accurately fire on targets.
“The purpose of launching a weather balloon is
basically for wind data, Watson said.
From mortar men to field artillery Soldiers, the data
supplied by each balloon flight is essential to accomplishing
their mission. He said the meteorologists’ main
mission is to support the field artillery assets.
Watson said the information collected from each
launch is also useful to military pilots and air traffic
controllers.
With five meteorologists assigned to Alpha Company,
1-6 Field Artillery, Soldiers rotate for two daily
balloon launches. No matter who is tapped for duty,
however, Watson said preparation is key.
“To get ready for a mission is all about preparation,”
he said. Without it, time and money are wasted.
And with helium a precious commodity in Iraq, lack
of preparation is not an option.
Watson pointed out that when the unit arrived in
country it had 17 tanks of helium from a camp in Kuwait.
It ran out in April and was not able to aquire another
shipment until July. Each tank contains about 650
grams of helium. It takes between 200 to 300 grams of
helium to fill one rubberized nylon balloon.
One balloon costs $35. The Vaisala Radiosonde
RS80 - an atmospheric measuring device - which is
attached to the balloon has a price tag of $150. A parachute
is attached to the device so it floats gently back
to earth when the balloon eventually bursts.
“It will float back down and not just fall back
down,” Watson said, noting that a cow once got
whacked in the head. Since then a parachute is employed
as a safety measure with each flight.
Once airborne, the instrument panel relays data back
to a meteorological measuring set in a trailer on the
ground. Even if the wind is gusting at 100 knots, the
sensors in the instrument can still be tracked.
Watson said the device can go as high as two miles
before the balloon bursts and falls back to earth.
“I’m an expert with the equipment that I use,”
Watson said, but when it comes to analyzing the information
he leaves that up to the “true meteorological
experts.”
PFC Christopher L. Smith, a meteorologist from
California City, Calif., said the data collected during
the balloon launches give accurate information to gunners
so they can hit the right targets.
Watson said the job of an Army meteorologist appealed
to him, and he has had the opportunity to launch
weather balloons in Germany and Korea as well.
“I really love it,” Watson said. “If they sent me to
Antarctica to do my job I would go.
Figure 1 (top of page left): SGT Emeka D. Watson gathers weather information from the Vaisala Radiosonde RS80 with a meteorological
measuring set in a trailer on the ground at Forward Operating Base Normandy.
Figure 2 (above left): SGT Emeka D. Watson, left, and PFC Christopher L. Smith, meteorologists with Alpha Company, 1st
Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, hold a rubberized nylon weather balloon as it inflates.
Figure 3 (above right): SGT Emeka D. Watson inflates a rubberized nylon
weather balloon.
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY,
Iraq - -“Okay, we’re ready to fly.”