2nd Battalion 29th Field Artillery Regiment ( United States ) The 2nd Battalion , 29th Field Artillery Regiment ( United States ) is a unit of the 4th Armor Brigade Combat Team ( 4th ABCT ) of the 1st Armored Division , United States Army . The battalion is currently garrisoned at Fort Bliss , Texas . Unit Structure . The battalion consists of two firing batteries of M109A6 Paladin 155 mm Self - Propelled Howitzers . Each firing battery consists of eight guns , eight Field Artillery Ammunition Supply Vehicles ( FAASV ) , two Fire Direction Control ( FDC ) vehicles , and various support vehicles . Firing batteries are staffed with approximately 100 men , sub - divided into three platoons ( 1st , 2nd , and Headquarters ) . The battalion also contains two non - firing batteries . The forward support company ( FSC ) of Palletized Loading System ( PLS ) resupply vehicles , fuelers , cooks , and logistics support services sections . The headquarters battery and headquarters element , collectively known as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery ( HHB ) , consists of battalion command and staff , with supporting equipment and personnel in each of the staff sections ( S1 – S6 ) . Early History . Constituted 5 July 1918 , the 28th Field Artillery , the 29th Field Artillery , and the 30th Field Artillery , became the principle artillery elements of the 10th Division . The 29th Field Artillery was demobilized 4 February 1919 at Camp Funston , Kansas , then reconstituted 24 March 1923 in the Regular Army as the 29th Field Artillery . The regiment was subsequently reassigned 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning , Georgia , as part of the 4th Division , with 2nd Battalion activating at Fort Hoyle , Maryland . The 29th Field Artillery participated with the 4th Infantry Division in the D - Day invasion at Normandy , firing over 10 , 000 rounds of indirect fire as the Allies advanced into the Cherbourg area . The unit inactivated 14 February 1946 at Camp Butner , North Carolina , was reactivated 15 July 1947 at Fort Ord , California , and once again deactivated 1 April 1957 at Fort Lewis , Washington and relieved from assignment from the 4th Infantry Division . In April 1984 the battalion was reorganized under the Army ' s new regimental system , with 2 - 29 FA becoming a part of the 8th Infantry Division in Baumholder , Germany . Desert Storm . In 1991 the Pathfinders deployed to Southwest Asia as part of the 42nd Field Artillery Brigade in support of Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm . As a compliment to air strikes in mid February , 2 - 29 FA shot cross - border missions to identify and demoralize Iraqi defenders . On 23 February 1991 the advance party teams entered Iraq and began preparing gun positions . The next day on 24 February 24 , 2 - 29 FA participated as part of VII Corps Artillery in a massive artillery prep that would further soften Iraqi forces and clear the way for advancing VII Corps armored divisions . The battalion continued north into Iraq encountering small pockets of resistance and elements of two Iraqi Republican Guard Divisions ( Tawakalna and Medina ) . After service in the Gulf War the 2 - 29 FA returned to Baumholder , and the 8th Infantry Division , in May 1991 . In 1994 , the battalion was assigned to Fort Lewis , Washington . Finally , in 1996 , 2 - 29 FA was deactivated as part of the Army ' s drawdown plan . Fort Bliss . In 2008 the 4th Brigade , 1st Cavalry Division was reflagged as the 4th Brigade Combat Team , 1st Armored Division ; The 5th Battalion , 82d Field Artillery Regiment was reflagged as 2 - 29 Field Artillery and the battalion found its current home at Fort Bliss , Texas . Since 2008 the " Battle Ready " Battalion has deployed twice to Iraq , once in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 2009 to April 2010 , where they conducted security and stability operations in Maysan Province in southern Iraq , and again in support of , where they conducted stability operations in Mosul and Erbil from July 2011 to November 2011 . In 2012 - 2013 , the soldiers of 2 - 29 FA deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom ( OEF ) , where they formed several Security Forces Advise and Assist Teams ( SFAAT ) . In this capacity the Redlegs of 2 - 29 FA served as combat advisors alongside the Afghan National Security Forces ( ANSF ) in an effort to build capacity and combat effectiveness of the Afghan National Army , Police and Border Police .