Photo By Spc. Anthony Zane | U.S. Army Spc. Travis Wayne Stricklin, an infantryman with Headquarters and...... read more read more
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WARRIOR BASE, South Korea – Packing up equipment, strapping on gear, and heading out for a road march is no new concept for soldiers, but when it comes to a three-week exercise in the field with a 20-mile daily round trip commute to their work location, sometimes the help of transportation is necessary.
Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Eighth Army, are tasked with providing transportation by bus for soldiers who are participating in the Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2013 exercise Aug. 10-30.
With long days in a fast-paced exercise, buses run in two shifts, morning and evening, to transport soldiers from their barracks to their work location.
“It’s very important because without the buses it would be hard for soldiers to get back and forth from Warrior Base to New Mexico [Range],” said Sgt. Ronilo Navarro, infantryman, HHC, Eighth Army.
The buses not only provide a more convenient way for soldiers to travel to work, they also offer a safer alternative to walking.
The road can be dangerous for soldiers to walk on because civilians tend to drive fast here and they don’t always pay attention, said Spc. Travis Wayne Stricklin, infantryman, HHC, Eighth Army.
Stricklin, a former Marine and experienced civilian 18-wheel truck driver, is no novice to maneuvering sizeable vehicles through challenging terrain and traffic.
Drivers are not the only safety concern for soldiers, said Stricklin. The road becomes narrow at times and the vegetation is overgrown on the sides making a perfect hiding spot for wildlife such as snakes.
Traveling by bus increases safety of the soldiers and provides them more time to conduct training during the exercise.
Five buses operate each shift to transport soldiers between Warrior Base, the life support area, and New Mexico Range, the training area for the exercise. A morning shift and an evening shift ensure efficient transportation for soldiers.
The distance from Warrior Base to New Mexico Range is just over 10 miles, said Stricklin, a Poplar Bluff, Mo., native, long enough to warrant the need for bus transportation.
In previous years the road has been known to flood due to the Republic of Korea’s harsh monsoon season. This year Mother Nature has been kind during UFG 13; the rain has been light and the road has remained clear for travel.
The extreme heat and humidity poses another challenge as soldiers are at risk for heat exhaustion when exposed to such high temperatures for prolonged periods of time. The bus transit mitigates this risk to help keep the soldiers in training.
The dedication of the soldiers from HHC, Eighth Army, safely transporting UFG 13 participants from Warrior Base to New Mexico Range every day has been vital to the overall success of Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2013.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2013 03:10 |
| Story ID: | 112719 |
| Location: | WARRIOR BASE, 26, KR |
| Hometown: | POPLAR BLUFF, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 126 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Soldiers succeed by the busload, by SPC Anthony Zane, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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