Aviators and aircrew train for Kuwait

Photo By Sgt. Sebastian Nemec | Capt. John Penshorn, an aviator with Headquarters Company 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, and his aircrew are rescued by special forces during a personnel recovery exercise at Fort Hood, Texas, on June 21, 2014. The exercise was a part of mobilization training for the 34th CAB. (Minnesota Army National Guard photo by Spc. Jess Nemec/ Released)  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

06.21.2014

Story by Spc. Sebastian Nemec 

34th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade

FORT HOOD, Texas - Aviators and aircrew members with Headquarters Company 34th Combat Aviation Brigade conducted personnel recovery training on June 21, 2014 at Fort Hood, Texas.

Soldiers with 1/383rd Training Support Battalion, headquartered out of Des Moines, Iowa, provided the training.

The 34th CAB soldiers went out in teams. Each team had approximately five to seven soldiers. A lane walker also accompanied each team to conduct the training.

The lane walkers do 90 percent of the work, said Master Sgt. Garth Swisher, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the exercise.

The exercise started with a simulated helicopter crash. Soldiers then had to make contact with friendly forces using a combat survivor evader locator, CSEL. Once they made contact, the soldiers moved onto an extraction point. Some teams encountered enemy fire at the first EP and had to make their way to a different EP.

Once the teams made it to the EP and met with friendly forces, they were brought back to their base.

The exercise was part of the the 34th CAB's mobilization training.
The 34th CAB soldiers are scheduled to deploy to Kuwait later this summer.

• Date Taken: 06.21.2014
• Date Posted: 06.23.2014 12:07
• Story ID: 134054
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US