3rd Battalion 29th Field Artillery Regiment ( United States ) The 3rd Battalion , 29th Field Artillery Regiment ( United States ) is a unit of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team ( 3rd BCT ) of the 4th Infantry Division , United States Army . The battalion is currently garrisoned at Fort Carson , Colorado ( Colorado Springs ) . 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 ( FAASVs , also referred to as CATs ) , 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 service battery consists 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 ) . Lineage . The 3rd Battalion , 29th Field Artillery Regiment , was originally constituted on 5 July 1918 in the National Army as Battery C , 29th Field Artillery , an element of the 10th Division . It was organized on 11 August 1918 at Camp Funston , KS , where it demobilized on 4 February 1919 . It was reconstituted on 24 March 1923 in the Regular Army as Battery C , 29th Field Artillery Battalion , and activated on 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning , GA , as an element of the 4th Division ( later redesignated as the 4th Infantry Division ) . It was reorganized and redesignated on 1 October 1940 as Battery C , 29th Field Artillery Battalion . The unit inactivated on 14 February 1946 at Camp Butner , NC . It reactivated on 15 July 1947 at Fort Ord , CA , and inactivated on 1 April 1957 at Fort Lewis , WAn , and relieved from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division . Redesignated on 30 April 1959 as Battery C , 29th Artillery , it was concurrently , withdrawn from the Regular Army , allotted to the Army Reserve , and assigned to the Second United States Army . It activated on 1 June 1959 at Westminster , MD . It was relieved on 1 January 1966 from assignment to the Second United States Army and assigned to the First United States Army . The unit was redesignated on 1 September 1971 as Battery C , 29th Field Artillery , before inactivating on 16 September 1979 at Westminster , MD . Withdrawn on 1 April 1984 from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army , it was concurrently redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery , 3rd Battalion , 29th Field Artillery , assigned to the 4th Infantry Division and activated at Fort Carson , CO , with its organic elements concurrently constituted and activated . Operation Iraqi Freedom ( OIF 1 ) . The 3 / 29th FA BN was deployed to Iraq in April 2003 , under the command of Lt . Colonel Jeffrey Springman , as a part of the 4th Infantry Division invasion force . The battalion initially moved north into Kurdish controlled territory to establish a security presence in the area . They met little resistance during that initial push , however , and the brigade command began a reorganization of battalion Areas of Operation . During that relative calm , the battalion detached its Alpha battery to take up a detainment facility guard position in the vicinity of Taji , Iraq , and the battalion was assigned a Multiple Launch Rocket platoon from 2nd Battalion 20th Field Artillery ( MLRS ) and elements of the Brigade Recon Team . The Pacesetter battalion was soon ordered to move back south to support the ongoing operations to quell the insurgency in the vicinity of Samarra , with Bravo battery establishing a forward operating base ( FOB ) at the Samarra East Airfield . Its mission was to provide fires to coalition forces conducting sorties into Samarra , and to conduct patrols in the nearby towns and villages . Firebase Paladin was established to provide " calls - for - fire " support , and began providing operation forces with , initially , illumination fire . As the insurgent presence escalated , the battalion began conducting combat fires on reported enemy positions , as well as counter - battery fire to suppress mortar attacks on the FOB and surrounding area . As the insurgency gained more confidence and began performing more frequent attacks on patrols in and around Samarra , Charlie battery was dispatched from their base of operations near Kirkuk to reinforce Bravo battery , followed closely by the HHB and Service batteries . With the additional forces on - hand , 3 / 29 FA continued presence patrols in the Duluiyah area and simultaneously provided firebase support to coalition forces and combat patrols in the surrounding " trouble " spots . As the insurgent activity in the area intensified the battalion began conducting cordon and search , scout , raids , and checkpoint operations to hinder insurgent activity . In addition to combat operations , the battalion established security for civilian infrastructure , provided training to Iraqi Civil Defense Forces ( ICDC ) , and conducted community programs to educate the populace on the units mission and its commitment to bringing increased security and stability to the area . The battalion was relieved in the spring of 2004 by elements of the 1st Infantry Division . The Pacesetter battalion redeployed with the 4th Infantry Division to Ft . Carson , Colorado , in the spring of 2004 . Post OIF I . In the early Summer months of 2004 , Lt . Col Jeffrey Vuono took command of the " Pacesetter " Battalion , which would eventually take the name of " Task Force Pacesetter " upon deployment . In December 2004 the 3rd Battalion , 29th Field Artillery Regiment , transitioned from the 4th Infantry Division ' s Division Artillery ( DIVARTY ) and became an exclusive part of the 3rd Brigade 4th Infantry Division . This transition was made as part of the Army ' s move towards self sustaining modular divisions . Operation Iraqi Freedom 05 - 07 . In November 2005 , Task Force Pacesetter deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05 - 07 with the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team , of the 4th Infantry Division . Upon their arrival to the CENTOM Area of Operations , the 3rd HBCT fell under the 101st Airborne Division ( Task Force Band of Brothers ) . At this point , Task Force Pacesetter consisted of the 3 – 29 FA Battalion , along with D Co 1 – 8 IN , and B Troop , 2 – 9 Cav , Civil Affairs Team A - 25 B Co 445th Civil Affairs Battalion , and later on , Civil Affairs Team A - 5 B 404th Civil Affairs Battalion . Alpha Battery of the 3 – 29 FA provided fires from FOB Warhorse while sending out Sensor Battery and various other personnel to conduct MITT Operations in the BDE Area of Operations . The majority of Task Force Pacesetter was based at LSA Anaconda at which they conducted Combat Patrols to minimize the insurgent activity in their Area of Operations . Their efforts encompassed from Abyachi to Albu Hishma and Yethrib , over to Ad Dijual and their western areas up to . The Task Force went from a traditional Artillery Battery , to conduct a very diverse mission which they had never done before , to include counter - insurgency operations , non - kinetic ( non lethal ) operations , fire support , and creating high quality soldiers for the Iraqi Army . The Task Force was extremely successful in all aspects of their operations in Iraq . The Task Force eventually gave up their elements of 1 – 8 IN , and 2 – 9 Cav in June 2006 , in support of other priority operations , along with CAT A5 B Co 404th Civil Affairs Battalion . Due to the reduction in assets , the Task Force reduced its Area of Operation to a smaller size so more emphasis could be placed on areas where it was needed , both lethal and non - lethal . In August 2006 , Task Force Pacesetter was moved under the operational control of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team , 101st Airborne Division due to the realignment of battle spaces and provinces . In November 2006 , Task Force Pacesetter redeployed to their home at Fort Carson , CO along with the rest of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team , 4th Infantry Division . Operation Iraqi Freedom 07 - 09 . In December 2007 , Task Force Pacesetter deployed to the International Zone , commonly called the " Green Zone " . There they helped with the security of the Green Zone by controlling the Entry Control Points or ECP , and assisted in the transport of military personal and civilian contractors to the Baghdad International Airport . The Pacesetters were instrumental in redesigning the ECP and increasing the overall security of the International Zone . Around August 2008 , Alpha Battery was reassigned to three different areas outside the Green Zone . Alpha was tasked with increasing the overall security situation in the areas of Suleikh , Adamiyah , and FOB Callahan . While there , Alpha conducted area patrols , terrorists searches and detainment , force protection and public interaction . Alpha distributed grants for schools and businesses , and helped to train the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army in the areas . Task Force Pacesetter lost three of their number while deployed to Iraq this time : one to EFP , one to sniper fire , and one to combat vehicle rollover . The Pacesetters redeployed to Fort Carson , Co in February 2009 , completing a 14 - month deployment . See also . 4th Infantry Division United States Army