As an ADA second lieutenant, your may serve as a Patriot Fire Control Platoon Leader, one of the Army's most exciting and rewarding jobs. The fire control platoon includes a platoon headquarters and a fire control section. The platoon is capable of sustained operations and is fully mobile. Fire control section equipment-commonly referred to as the "Big Four"-includes the Engagement Control Station, Radar Station, Electronic Power Plant and Antenna Mast Group. A three-man team installs and operates the Antenna Mast Group, which furnishes UHF multi-channel communications. The platoon has personnel to operate the EPP and perform diesel maintenance.

Part of your job will be to direct your platoon of highly skilled specialists as they initialize and operate the Patriot's Information and Coordination Central; Engagement Control Station; Patriot Phased Array Radar; Identification, Friend or Foe Interrogator; and Antenna Mast Group.

Patriot units are normally among the first units deployed in crisis situations. When rapid deployment orders come down, your platoon will prepare the Patriot equipment for deployment. And when the Air Force C-14 Galaxy touches down in a faraway land, your soldiers will emplace the Patriot system components and ready them for instant action.

Acting as the tactical control officer, you'll monitor the Patriot display screen inside the Engagement Control Station, identifying and tracking friendly as well as hostile aircraft. Alerted by satellite broadcast warnings of a hostile tactical ballistic launch, you'll watch for the sinister, pyramid shaped icons that represent incoming tactical ballistic missiles to appear on the screen. You'll issue the launch command that sends salvos of Patriot missiles streaking toward their intercept points.