FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Feb. 6 — This is not a traditional war and there’s not a lot of call for artillery.

Soldiers of the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, after firing 20 105mm rounds against militant positions Tuesday afternoon.

So a lot of the soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, have been pulling other duty.

Sometimes they go on patrols like other grunts.

Four of them were in the provincial headquarters of Karbala Jan. 20 when the fleet of Suburbans showed up with guys in American uniforms speaking English and were let through the gate. They were not who they seemed.

Spec. Robert Lipovsky hauls away spent casings.

One of the artillerymen from Fort Richardson, Pfc. Johnathon Millican, was killed when the infiltrators tossed a grenade. Three others, 1st Lt. Jacob Fritz, Spec. Johnathan Chism and Pfc Shawn Falter, were kidnapped. So was a soldier on loan to the Fort Richardson-based brigade, Capt. Brian Freeman. They were later found executed.

But sometimes they are called on to fire their howitzers, emplaced on a far corner of this sprawling base, away from most activity.

Capt. Tom Morris, Alpha Battery commander. His home is on Fort Richardson with his wife, Manda.

This afternoon, the men of Alpha Battery fired off 20 105mm shells over the perimeter wall, passed some houses on the other side, and out several miles. They weren’t being specific what they were shooting at — only that they were “denying the enemy free movement.”

Afterward, as they cleaned up, they posed in front of one of the howitzers they used.