Photo By Master Sgt. Alex Ramos | Two Soldiers and an instructor observe as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lifts a Humvee...... read more read more
FORT CARSON, Colo.- Soldiers turn away, shielding their eyes from tumbleweeds as the sounds of rotors churning escalate.
A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter draws closer to a group of Soldiers waiting for the next rotation of sling loading operations. Its return marks the culmination of a week of training.
The 43rd Sustainment Brigade hosted a Sling Load Inspector Certification Course April 21-25, at 4th Brigade Combat Team motor pool, with the live sling load portion taking place the last day of training at Fort Carson’s training area eight.
“Sling load operations are important for deployments,” said Sgt. 1st. Class Nivian Pickett, brigade schools noncommissioned officer in charge, 43rd SB. “If they have to get equipment out or equipment in and they can’t do it through other venues, then this is a good way to do it.”
The course certified 47 Soldiers from different units within Fort Carson in rigging, hooking a sling load package and verifying that a sling load is ready to be lifted and transported.
The actual live rigging was not planned or mandatory, but ended being a bonus, explained Staff Sgt. Micah Voss, transportation management coordinator, 573rd Movement Control Team, 43rd SB, who served as liaison officer for the training.
“It’s not required, because we learn on the ground how the (rig and sling) is supposed to be,” said Voss. “But it’s nice to see the stuff up in the air.”
Providing the aerial support and carrying the sling loaded cargo were Soldiers and aircraft from 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, who also benefitted from the training by providing pilots with an opportunity to get hours with the cargo attached.
“It worked out better for us, because they actually ended up taking off with it,” said Voss. “They flew around, so we knew it went over the road and it came back to us. We know that we did the sling right.”
The Soldiers enrolled in the course were taught by a Mobile Training Team based out of Fort Lee, Va., who traveled to Fort Carson upon request from 43rd SB.
The 43rd SB’s mission is to provide support to 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson and to train. The SLICC course helped them prepare to better assist more units in the future.
"I think for us, it's easier than any other brigade because we're a sustainment brigade, so we have most of the equipment already," said Pickett.
One individual who is used to coordinating equipment and who had an integral part in the planning process is Chief Warrant Officer 3 Anthony Haiduk, aerial delivery officer, 4th SB.
No such bumps occurred however, throughout the entire process. A factor that can be attributed to Haiduk's expertise explained both Voss and Pickett.
Haiduk said the support the brigade offers in hosting training such as the SLICC course contributes to the overall success of the installation.
"For us to sponsor (the training) and run the courses… so the brigades don't have to deal with it … it allows the brigade's to stress less over planning, and they are able to just send Soldiers
to the course," said Haiduk.
| Date Taken: | 04.25.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.15.2014 15:45 |
| Story ID: | 129991 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, 43rd fulfills mission, trains on sling load, by MSG Alex Ramos, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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