Load out and fly away: Validation exercise

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Davis | Approximate 44 Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and airmen from the 535th Airlift Squadron, 15th Wing conduct a load out and fly away validation exercise using two M1126 Strykers and a C-17 Aircraft as part of the 25th ID Contingency Response Force mission. The CRF mission is designed to rapidly deploy Soldiers within the Pacific’s area of responsibility to provide humanitarian assistance and or combat operations. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carlos Davis, 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs/Released)  

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HI, UNITED STATES

12.10.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Carlos Davis 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and airmen from the 535th Airlift Squadron, 15th Wing conducted a load out and fly away validation exercise Dec. 10 on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam using two M1126 Strykers and a C-17 Aircraft as part of the 25th ID Contingency Response Force mission.

The CRF mission is designed to rapidly deploy Soldiers within the Asia-Pacific’s area of responsibility to provide humanitarian assistance and or combat operations.

“By conducting this type of training, it demonstrates that we are mission-capable and mission-ready to deploy if needed,” said 1st Lt. Kyle Goodroe, originally from Michigan, a platoon leader assigned to Company A.

The two services worked together to enhance the interoperability of the units to provide proper airlift capabilities.

“This type of training benefits both branches of service,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Fullmer, from Seattle, an evaluator load master assigned to 535th Airlift Squadron, 15th Wing. “In our particular unit, we typically don’t get a lot of experience or exposure to diverse vehicles, such as the Strykers. It provides a great opportunity for our young airmen to come out here and learn the different procedures that go along with this type of training that they normally would not be able to see. For the Army, it allows them to be able to see and work in different training environments with different personnel that will overall prepare them for future airlift operations."

The training allows the units to gauge their crews as a team and hone their deployable readiness in order to be able to accomplish its mission safely and effectively.

For Pvt. Dillen Filley, from St. Louis, an infantryman assigned to Company A, conducting this training safely and effectively is the only thing on his mind.

“My leaders told me to watch out for passing troop and don’t hit any of the aircrafts,” he said.

Building a foundation in a real-world environment; this training provides the units a better understanding of what all is required if they are needed to deploy without notice.

“This is the first time we are loading Strykers on C-17 aircraft as a unit in a long time,” said Goodroe. “By conducting this type of training, it demonstrates that we are mission-capable and ready to deploy if needed and, not only that, but also provides a great arsenal in our weaponry.”

• Date Taken: 12.10.2014
• Date Posted: 12.12.2014 15:30
• Story ID: 150224
• Location: JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HI, US
• Hometown: SEATTLE, WA, US
• Hometown: ST. LOUIS, MO, US