Photo By Sgt. Allyson Parla | Sgt. Christian Delgado (right), a gunner for the Personal Security Detachment for the...... read more read more
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – Iraq is sometimes referred to as “Belad al Rafidain,” or “the country of two rivers,” referring to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that connect in southern Iraq in an area known as the Basra province. The rivers have historically been an important transport route in a largely desert country.
During convoy operations, soldiers stationed at Joint Base Balad often pass through areas surrounding these rivers. To help protect and prepare them in case of a vehicle rollover or submersion, approximately 20 soldiers with the 77th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command participated in shallow-water egress training here at the indoor pool July 9. The class was aimed to prepare soldiers with the skills, knowledge and confidence to deal with a real underwater escape situation.
The instructors worked hard to create a scenario as close as possible to what would actually occur while travelling in a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle rolling over into a body of water. The students were tasked to complete an underwater obstacle, equipped with body armor, “black out” goggles, and an Army Combat Helmet, said Sgt. Christian Delgado, a gunner for the Personal Security Detachment with the 77th Sust. Bde., instructor for the class, and a Queens, N.Y., native. Delgado was joined by another instructor, Spc. Zachary Schechner, a gunner for the PSD for the 77th Sust. Bde. and a native of Tinicum, Pa.
Training the soldiers on rollover procedures when travelling on roads close to water is essential to ensure that everyone in the vehicle is able to escape with minimal injuries, said Sgt. 1st Class Marc Acevedo, the non-commissioned officer in charge of operations for the PSD with the 77th Sust. Bde., and a native of Somerset, N.J.
Delgado, a former Navy diver knows the importance of underwater egress training.
“We have to do this training because it’s going to save our life,” said Delgado. “For me, it’s not about going underwater and breathing for 30 seconds – anybody can do that. If you actually roll over, it’s going to be pitch black, and you’re just not going to be able to see anything.”
The idea was for the soldiers to feel as close as possible to what would happen in a real life situation and prepare for the worst case scenario.
Equipped with more than 30 pounds of protective equipment and having no visibility underneath the water, the soldiers were tasked to breathe underwater using a compressed air tank. Using their fingers to feel for a cord located at the bottom of the pool, they felt their way through an obstacle, an improvised egress hatch made from a hollowed out garbage can cover.
“The garbage can is four inches smaller than the [actual] egress hatch,” said Delgado, who once held the job of diving underneath nuclear submarines for the Navy while stationed in Connecticut. “If they can fit through that, then they can get through an actual hatch.”
Many soldiers have difficulty maneuvering out of the MRAPs during escape drills using an egress hatch in broad daylight, added Delgado.
One of the major concerns conducting the training is making sure that the soldiers are safe at all times, because water egress training carries a high potential for hazards.
A soldier’s tendency to panic underwater in a stressful situation can easily lead to death by drowning, said Delgado.
Panicking can cause one to hyperventilate, which in turn creates carbon dioxide. Breathing in compressed air and not properly surfacing can lead to arterial gas embolism, the condition that causes gas bubbles in an artery, which may stop blood flow to an area fed by the artery.
“It can happen even in five feet of water,” said Delgado. “People can die, [and] people have died.”
The class proved to be successful, as 100 percent of the students who participated passed.
“I think they kind of underestimated it. They thought it was going to be easy,” said Delgado.
Some of the soldiers did not know what to expect during the training.
“At first, I was a little nervous when I did it the first time”, said Spc. Michael Blount, a driver for the PSD with the 77th Sust. Bde., and a native of Egg Harbor Township, N.J. “The second time, I was able to succeed.”
Although training certification is needed just once to travel off base, Delgado believes that in order for soldiers to be competent and comfortable underwater, one must continue to train.
“It’s not a one-time deal. Whoever is not comfortable with the training will go through it until they feel comfortable,” said Delgado. “Once they say, ‘this is too easy,’ then I know they’re good to go.”
While the Tigris and Euphrates rivers will always pose a threat to service members travelling on the road, the Army takes great pride in reducing the risks associated with threats. When it comes to training, there can never be enough.
Muscle memory, or learning by repetition, is critical for the success of the mission, said Blount.
| Date Taken: | 07.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2011 03:39 |
| Story ID: | 73857 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 547 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Water egress training tests soldiers’ confidence, by SGT Allyson Parla, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT