BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – More than 30 Soldiers assigned to the 498th Transportation Company, 419th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, completed the 10th Sustainment Brigade Convoy Escort Team Academy July 30 through Aug. 7 here to teach the Regional-Command South convoy veterans the standards, procedures and policies of Regional-Command East.
The CET academy is used to ensure Soldiers are properly trained in the day-to-day procedures of an operating as part of a CET.
For the Soldiers of the 498th TC, the mission is nothing new. The 498th TC previously operated in RC-South but was tasked with covering down on the outgoing 114th Transportation Company’s responsibilities.
First Lt. Ethan Evans, a New Brighton, Minnesota, native, convoy commander assigned to the 114th TC, along with a handful of noncommissioned officers, instructed and provided guidance for the Soldiers attending the academy.
The first and second day of training was concentrated on the incoming convoy commanders and assistant convoy commanders. They received a study guide and a briefing explaining what would be covered throughout the training exercise.
On the third day of training, the entire CET sat in a classroom environment and received briefings and presentations to prepare them for the training still to come.
A few of the briefings covered topics such as convoy operations, convoy composition, mission planning and roles and responsibilities of each member of the CET and individual truck responsibilities.
Rules of engagement and tactical driving directives were emphasized to guarantee each Soldier understood what is expected of them while conducting missions out on the road.
The following day, the Soldiers were split into two separate CETs and reviewed some battle drills via sand table demonstrations for different combat situations such as how a convoy should react to small arms fire or an roadside bomb attack.
They also received a medical brief, similar to a combat lifesaver refresher course, by the CET medics, which covered buddy aid, tourniquet drills and calling up a 9-line medical evacuation request.
The instructors then asked the Soldiers questions to ensure they were retaining all of the information being provided.
Evans said these Soldiers already have the skills and know this information; it’s just a different environment in which they are learning to apply them.
The Soldiers were also brought up to speed on the most current enemy activity and attacks in RC-East, by the battalion’s intelligence section, to give them an idea of what goes on in their new area of operation. They were also given tips on the proper ways to utilize their interpreter while conducting CET operations.
The interpreter’s brief was followed by communication training where the Soldiers would receive a refresher on the radios. Soldiers have used the trucks primary radios in the past, however some of the upgrades were new to many of the Soldiers.
Recovery and mine roller briefs would provide guidance for the Soldiers on the proper uses and capabilities of the recovery assets the CETs would normally roll out with. They were also retrained on how to attach and detach the mine roller to the mine resistant ambush protected vehicles.
The following day, the Soldiers were tested on their knowledge of the weapon systems used during CET operations on a daily basis. They proved themselves knowledgeable on the M2 .50-caliber heavy machinegun, M240B machinegun, M249 squad automatic weapon and the M4 carbine.
“They really did exceptionally well,” said Sgt. Sean Nagle, a Bemidji, Minnesota, native, mission commander assigned to the 114th TC.
A live exercise and dust-off training concluded the academy.
The live exercise was a simulated mission on the base for the newly retrained CET. The teams did everything they would normally do prior to executing as real-time mission.
Instructors acted out possible situations the CETs may run into such as a local national truck breaking down in the middle of the convoy or possible attacks.
The dust-off training was a way for the Soldiers to familiarize themselves with the capabilities of the medical evacuation helicopters. Soldiers learned how many casualties the helicopters are capable of supporting. They also conducted litter training where they would properly load and unload a simulated casualty off and on the helicopter.
“I’m confident that this team will do just fine,” said Evans.
| Date Taken: | 08.11.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2014 06:53 |
| Story ID: | 139053 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Hometown: | BEMIDJI, MN, US |
| Hometown: | NEW BRIGHTON, MN, US |
| Web Views: | 260 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Task Force Guardian hosts convoy escort team academy, by SSG Michael Selvage, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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