79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducts massive air assault operation

CAMP ROBERTS, CA, UNITED STATES

06.24.2014

Story by Spc. Matthew Dixon 

79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

CAMP ROBERTS, Calif. -- The U.S. Army Infantry is the oldest branch of combat arms in the United States, however that hasn’t stopped the Army and Army National Guard of taking advantage of modern war-fighting assets.

Soldiers of the 1-184th Infantry proved their ability to respond quickly and efficiently by conducting air assault operations using UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif. to Camp Roberts, Calif., throughout annual training 2014.

“We wanted to execute a battalion air assault because it fosters and builds teams both vertically and horizontally,” said Col. Jeffrey D. Smiley, Commander 79th IBCT. “It also directly applies to our State Civil support mission giving us the capability to deploy faster and get resources to an impacted community when they need them. “

The state of California has a vast and diverse landscape; it is the only state in the country with an extensive coastline, high altitude mountains, and deserts. The Soldiers of the California Army National Guard need to be ready to respond and operate in all terrain. It is the infantry that needs to be the first ones to respond to state emergencies such as wildfires and earthquakes, and also the first to fight if called into combat.

The 40th Combat Aviation Brigade based in Fresno Calif., supported the aviation lift and was a significant contributor to the PZ and LZ planning process.

UH-60 helicopters belonging to the 40th CAB have a max speed of 183 mph, and that benefits light infantry units, that otherwise would have to walk or convoy with heavy gear and equipment. In the case of a civil emergency, such as a wildfire or flood in which infrastructure may be compromised, the experience these Soldiers have gained will be beneficial if they need to be brought in by these helicopters.

“If we didn’t have air assault capabilities we’d be hiking these mountains for hours or maybe even days,” said Staff Sgt. Richard Main, squad leader, Charlie Co., 1-184th Infantry. “This allows us to move a mass amount of Soldiers at one time so we’re not trickling in slowly.”

Main commended the job the Guard has done coordinating a movement of this size by saying this is the first time, including his active duty time, that he’s seen an entire battalion participate in an air assault.

First Lt. Sesar Gonzalez, Commander of Charlie Co., 1-184th Infantry Battalion based in Auburn, Calif., oversaw his company’s evolution from the initial rehearsal until his last Soldier unloaded from the helicopter.

“We started off slow, and trained our guys on how to properly get into PZ posture, how to carry and load our gear on the aircraft, and most importantly how to execute these maneuvers safely,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said that in order for these Soldiers to be successful with moving in these aircraft, they first had to be proficient in their individual tasks that generations of infantrymen before them had to master in order to complete their objectives.

“It was important for us to start with a crawl phase, practicing land navigation, radio communication, and movement techniques,” Gonzalez continued.

For National Guard Soldiers in every state, time is often a factor in making sure maximum proficiency is achieved, and if you ask Gonzalez for his take, all he needs is four words, “We made it happen.”

• Date Taken: 06.24.2014
• Date Posted: 05.02.2015 13:28
• Story ID: 162045
• Location: CAMP ROBERTS, CA, US