Photo By Sgt. Samantha Stoffregen | Soldiers with Company B, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Soldiers with Company B, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division stepped up training with their Kentucky National Guard members from Frankfort, Kentucky, at Johnson Field,Tuesday.
“The purpose of the day’s training was to familiarize Soldiers with the UH-60 Black Hawk [helicopter] and air assault operations in preparation for an air assault to be conducted next week at our platoon live fire exercise,” said 1st Lt. Miles Kirwin, a platoon leader with Co B, 1st Bn., 327th Inf. Regt.
Soldiers conducted both cold and hot load training with their National Guard partners. Cold load means that the aircraft is shut down and the blades are not turning; hot load is where the blades are spinning and the aircraft is ready to take off.
“Our training objective was to work on entering and exiting the aircraft at a landing zone safely, securely and per the unit’s standard operating procedures,” said 1st Lt. John Kerr IV, a pilot with Detachment 1, Company C, 238th MEDEVAC, 63rd Aviation Brigade, Kentucky National Guard. “We’re very pleased with how the training went, I think they training objectives were met and everybody was thrilled to be able to spend time in the aircraft.”
Because of current deployments and training cycles, 1st Bn., 327th Inf. Regt. reached out to the Guard to assist in their training operations.
Kerr said they understood aviation assets are limited and that they were glad to be able to support.
“A continued partnership is always important with Fort Campbell Soldiers because they occupy within the state same as we do,” Kerr said. “Working with active duty is great because – especially in the aviation community – being able to share ideas and lessons learned, specifically on safety issues, has always been a priority.”
Working together not only provides the Soldiers with the tools needed for the training they are conducting, Kerr said, but it also allows the Guard to stay sharp on their skills.
“The biggest benefit of working with National Guard Soldiers from Kentucky was their expertise and motivation to support our training,” Kirwin said.
“These Soldiers demonstrated superior technical and tactical competence in air assault operations, as well as a unique dedication to supporting our mission. They even went as far as to allow one of our Soldiers to reenlist during a flyby around Fort Campbell.”
Kerr added that maintaining strong relationships between active duty components at Fort Campbell and Kentucky National Guard members in garrison is key to having strong relationships when deployed.
“All of our aircraft carry the unbridled spirit Kentucky logo on them, so they know we are the Kentucky guardsmen,” Kerr said. “They know that we go down range with them, so they know they are getting the best to work with.”
More than 90 Soldiers successfully completed the day’s training, with everyone feeling confident in the upcoming platoon live fire exercises.
“The training was outstanding,” Kirwin said. “I could not have asked for more from our National Guard partners.”
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.02.2015 13:22 |
| Story ID: | 183274 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US |
| Hometown: | FRANKFORT, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bulldog, National Guard Soldiers get hot, by SGT Samantha Stoffregen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT