Unless you have been hibernating this winter, you have surely heard the booms and blasts emanating from Fort Riley. The live artillery exercises are slated to continue until the end of February, however, there may be a lull in action next week as the army switches training exercises. Kirk Hutchinson, Fort Riley Public Affairs Specialist, said he has received countless phone calls inquiring about the increase in action on post.
“The loudest part we’re hearing is the division artillery readiness test,” said Hutchinson. “Those are the big guns — and they sound big.”
The tests are invaluable for the division, according to Hutchinson. Computer simulations can only train soldiers to a certain extent.
“In the end, when you’re trying to make sure your soldiers are ready for what they’re supposed to do, live training is the best.”
Hutchinson apologized for any inconvenience this may cause to the surrounding communities. If you are interested in learning more about the artillery training schedule and any noise training advisories, Hutchinson said a description of the exercises and the time frames can be found at riley.army.mil.
