Photo By Master Sgt. Andrew Lee | A soldier from Task Force Dragon, Rhino Platoon, takes a quick rest between convoy...... read more read more
BAGHDAD -- The trucks are ready and moving to the pickup location on Victory Base Complex. The morning starts with roll call for the manifested passengers.
“I’m going to call out your numbers you respond with your name,” said Sgt. Cridland, a Sandpoint, Idaho resident. “Speak up, I don’t hear so well in my old age. You will receive your truck number. If the truck rolls over ensure to say rollover, rollover, rollover. Remain calm my crews will get you out.”
The safety brief continues to ensure the safe operations in a mine resistant ambush protected vehicle or MRAP. The passengers move to their respective MRAP to receive another briefing.
The truck commander will cover the main safety precautions for the MRAP and explain the importance of ear and eye protection. The gunner will go through the emergency exits on the vehicle, the type of vehicle and the fire suppression system.
“If the fire suppression system goes off, try not to freak out,” the gunner said. “We will assist you out as fast as possible. From there all of the commands come from the TC no matter what the rank structure-the TC is the head honcho.”
The gunner will also tell everyone to put their weapons in a green status throughout the duration of the convoy to prevent accidental discharges. Finally, they cover the combat door lock use during emergencies.
The passengers then load the different MRAPs to start their journey towards the international zone. Along the way they will stop to escort other prepositioned supply trucks.
“We start our mission down the most secure route to ensure the safe transfer of our passenger and cargo to their destination,” Sgt. Carr said. “Most routes are safe, but we have seen explosions.”
Rhino Platoon takes every measure to maximize safety with efficiency.
“To ensure a quick convoy for the passenger we manifest them and line up the supply trucks at the same time,” he said.
As the truck commander, our purpose is to get to and from our destinations in a safe manner and get our passengers there fast and safe, according to Sgt. Rogers, a Coeur d’Alene, Idaho native. At times, we do encounter challenges where our training comes into play like navigating the roads with the local population.
“A good day is when everything goes smoothly, and we get to our destination in a timely fashion,” he said. “Arriving on time is an enormous benefit. We have had a doctor ride in our truck and after the mission told us that without us they wouldn’t be able to perform their medical mission.”
Truck commanders know the importance of getting people from point A to B. This however is not accomplished alone but as a team with the driver and gunner for each truck working together playing the same music in harmony.
“In the beginning we started as individuals soldiers,” he said. “Shortly though, we progressed together as a team, and I feel confident my driver and gunner are of one thought.”
“My importance is if we come under fire is to get us out of there,” said Spc. Longwill, driver. “Not to mention, I have to navigate through traffic and mitigate hazards like IEDs or (vehicle-born) IEDs.”
The gunner also plays a critical role, Longwill commented. The gunner’s main purpose is over watch and has 360 degrees of sight.
“You are the eyes and ears for the whole crew,” Spc. Payne said. “The gunner is the safe haven for the passenger and with sharp focus, he will see minor details or any threats.”
Payne understands the importance of keeping his mind sharp because of previous mentors as this is his first deployment.
“My friends who have deployed before me gave me examples of how gunners save lives,” he said. “I take a personal perspective, I love being up there, just ask my TC. I take my title as a gunner very seriously.”
When the passengers travel outside the wire on the Iraqi weekend it is pretty easy, but other days civilian drivers do not understand the situation they are putting themselves into the convoy.
“Every once in a while a couple of vehicles don’t want to listen, that kind of brings the gunner more into his position,” Payne said. “Anyone can go up there wave their arms or turn on a flashlight, but once a vehicle becomes a threat to our convoy—I take it seriously.”
In one recent situation, he was able to make full use of his months of training prior to his deployment to save lives using non-violent means.
“On a daily basis, it is pretty much waving my arms and telling vehicles to get on the side of the road,” he said. “In one situation, a car was becoming a threat. I went through all of my escalations of force waving, shouting, etc. He finally got the point when I fired my weapon in the air. His actions were putting himself, my passengers and crew at risk. It definitely proved all of my training went to good use to save the life of the Iraqis in the car and in my MRAP.”
On other days, Payne gets to cheer up the local populace becoming a U.S. ambassador.
“A little Iraqi kid looked down. I decided to wave at him and his parents nudged him,” he said. “The parents indicated, we were waving at him. Very quickly he had the biggest smile you can image—it gives me hope for the future.”
No two convoys are alike, to think so will put a soldier’s life at risk, according to Sergeant Nicander, truck commander. All actions in the movement and how the mission runs are a direct reflection of how well a truck commander conducts business.
“When stuff hits the fan…that is when I come in handy as a combat veteran,” said Sgt.Nicander, deployed four times to Iraq and every year since 2006. “I use my experience to pull out a box of ‘what if scenarios.’ If all hell breaks loose, they have someone to with experience to get everyone out safely.”
Ideally, the truck commander ensures the casualty evacuation goes smoothly and gets the rest of the convoy to safety, he continued.
The convoy will continually move four to six more times a day transporting people and things.
“We have a truck we use for baggage,” said Sgt. Cridland, a Gillette, Wyo., native. “We have even moved whole offices. One time the Army Band fill our entire truck with band instruments”
To remain focused, Sgt. Nicander keeps it simple.
“I don’t know the passenger’s business…I don’t ask the why’s but the do’s,” he said and a Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, native. “I keep it black and white. As a soldier, you are given a mission and you do it.
“Command is sending us in harm’s way. I would like to think it is for a good reason. Every time you leave the wire regardless of the situation it is dangerous. The insurgents are always looking for targets. We are not looking to give it to them. I think part of me being here is so other people don’t have to come.”
| Date Taken: | 04.18.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.18.2011 08:27 |
| Story ID: | 68903 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 303 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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