‘Guardians’ hook it up in Kuwait

Photo By Bernhard Lashleyleidner | Soldiers with HHC, 101st BSB brace themselves as sand and rocks are kicked up from the rotor wash of a Black Hawk helicopter as it moves into position to establish the sling load Oct. 9 at Udari Airfield, Camp Buehring, Kuwait.  

KUWAIT

10.31.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Bernhard Lashleyleidner 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – More than 35 Soldiers with the 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division teamed with the 2nd Battalion, 147th General Support Aviation Battalion, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade to conduct sling-load training Oct. 9 at Udari Airfield.

The training familiarized Soldiers with the ground crew fundamentals of hand and arm signals, proper rigging
and hookup and release procedures.

First Lt. Justin Peterson, platoon leader, Company C, 2nd Bn., 147th GSAB, 34th CAB, and a native of Boone, Iowa, said sling-load training involved externally loading cargo underneath an aircraft by a cargo hook, and lifting and maneuvering the equipment.

“Having a confident and competent ground crew is very important in ensuring loads are properly hooked up,” Peterson said. “It minimizes our hovering time in an area, which reduces our vulnerability of being a target.”

Sgt. Jared Higgins, ammunition specialist, Company A, 101st BSB, and a native of Bakersfield, Calif., said Soldiers learned how to properly rig and configure loads for different aircraft and how to inspect loads for proper link count during the three-day course.

“The classroom portion of the training was very intense,” said Spc. Tauheedah Muhammad, supply clerk, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 101st BSB. “This was an awesome opportunity to get some hands-on experience.”

Muhammad, a native of Clearwater, Florida, said the best part of the hands-on training was properly rigging equipment and watching it fly away.

The day began with the hands-on portion of the training. Soldiers prepared and rigged a cargo trailer, SURE-Pak, 400-gallon water trailer and inspected equipment before it was transported by a Black Hawk helicopter.

“We enjoyed the opportunity to increase 101st BSB Soldiers’ knowledge of sling-load operations,” Peterson said. “We look forward to follow-on training opportunities.”

• Date Taken: 10.31.2014
• Date Posted: 10.31.2014 01:33
• Story ID: 146647
• Location: KW
• Hometown: BAKERSFIELD, CA, US
• Hometown: CLEARWATER, FL, US