Photo By Spc. Mary Gonzalez | Soldiers from Charlie Company, 101st Division Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne...... read more read more
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By Spc. Mary L. Gonzalez
Combined Joint Task Force -101
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Winds blasted the landing pad and everyone nearby. Above, the Chinook helicopter lowered itself slowly until it was mere feet from four Soldiers on top of a humvee, who struggled against the winds to sling-load the tons of cargo.
During a sling-load, heavy items or those too big to fit inside the aircraft are hooked up beneath the aircraft and hang by chains or cables during flight. This time, it was a communications system called a Joint Networks Node that was headed for a forward operating base in Paktya province.
Soldiers with Charlie Company, 101st Division Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, were tasked especially with this sling-load mission that took place, Oct. 16, 2008.
The existing system for communications was just not enough to support the expanding forward operating base, said Sgt 1st Class Humberto Tamez, unit hub node platoon sergeant with C Co., 101st DSTB, a native of Ventura, Calif.
It would be replaced by the superior JNN.
The JNN is a relatively new system, said Pvt. Guadalupe Nunez Jr., a JNN operator with 337th Signal Company, 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade from Fort Polk, La.
"When they first started training on these a year and a half ago, there were only four units that had these systems," said Nunez, an Onterio Ore. native.
The system is now more widely available, which is a good thing because of its capabilities.
"This is everything," Tamez said of the JNN. "Internet, phones...basically, if I can compare it to anything, the system they are on right now has multiple users [bases in the same area] all on the same bandwidth; all have to wait for their turn to talk. Well, with this new system, the JNN,...they are going to have their own bandwidth which nobody else shares. It's pretty cool."
Once operational, it can support 10,000 users, Nunez said.
The JNN is comprised of its shelter that looks like a camper on the back of a two-seater humvee and a large, separate satellite dish that the humvee tows behind it. For this mission, two Chinooks were needed to sling-load the humvee and the dish separately.
When the Chinooks hovered above the equipment to be hooked up, it was the first time taking part in a mission like this for some of the C Co. troops.
Spc. Micheal Dwayne Ellerbe Jr., a systems support specialist with C Co., 101st DSTB, was one such troop.
"During the first [hook-up] I held my sergeant to stabilize him," said Ellerbe, a native of Fayetteville N.C., "to make sure he was alright, and the rotor-wash did not knock him off while he hooked it up. During the second hook-up, I was the hook-up guy."
"It was wild," he said. "The adrenaline was rushing, you got the wind blowing you all around on a wobbly surface. You only have one guy stabilizing you while you are trying to hook something up."
While the second hook-up was in process, it took a rather alarming turn.
"There was a miscommunication and [the Chinook] came down too low," he said, "and there I was between the JNN and the wheel. I just wanted to get out from underneath however much that helicopter weighs."
Overall, Ellerbe walked away with a bump and bruise or two, he said, and a good outlook on the experience.
"It's something I will keep with me if I end up in that position again as a leader," Ellerbe said. "I'll be able to figure out different ways of handling things like that, no matter the mission."
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.18.2008 10:55 |
| Story ID: | 25179 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 533 |
| Downloads: | 402 |
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