Spc. Eric Haines, a gunner from D Company, 2nd Battalion,

Spc. Eric Haines, a gunner from D Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Illinois Army National Guard, surveys the landscape for potential threats during Rising Thunder 19 at Yakima Training Center, Yakima, Washington, Sept. 5.
“My main mission is to provide suppressive fire and support by fire so that our force can get through their operation successfully,” said the 25-year-old Sumner, Illinois, native.
Multiple iterations are done for their mounting exercise, from a dry run to a blank run, culminating with a live fire. Haines said that the significance of doing multiple iterations, first is safety, while also being fluid with movement, and working out kinks between the dry and blank runs.
“By the time we roll up to the live, everyone knows their job, where they are aiming and staying safe,” said Haines.
Rising Thunder 2019 is an annual exercise between the U.S. Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and is part of Pacific Pathways 19-3. RT19 is a USARPAC-sponsored capstone event. U.S. Army Units participating include the 7th Infantry Division and the Illinois Army National Guard's 108th Sustainment Brigade and 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The exercise consists of company/platoon unilateral and bilateral training events in two phases, culminating with a bilateral live-fire exercise. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Camacho Roberts) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Camacho Roberts)