25th CAB travels deadliest road to kick off PTA

Photo By Staff Sgt. Bryanna Poulin | Staff Sgt. Shawan Wilden with 605th Transportation Detachment guides a vehicle from the CW3 Harold C. Clinger. The vehicles which were shipped from Oahu were in preparation for the 25th CABs exercise at Pohakuloa Training Area which began April 23.  

UNITED STATES

05.03.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Bryanna Poulin 

25th Combat Aviation Brigade

By Sgt. Bryanna Poulin
25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

HILO, Hawaii,- It's been about six months since Soldiers with 25th Combat Aviation Brigade have redeployed from Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; with block leave and long weekends over, Soldiers have geared up for the largest training exercise since their departure from Iraq.

Beginning April 23, the first wave of Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters company 25th CAB, 3rd Battalion 25th Aviation Regiment and 209th Aviation Support Battalion prepared for the arrival of the rest of the brigade at Pohakuloa Training Area.

Located on the island of Hawaii between Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the Hualalai Volcanic Mountains, PTA is the largest Department of Defense installation in Hawaii; and is used to accomplish various types of training for 25th CAB Soldiers, according to Global Security. PTA has more than 50,000 acre impact area, which is 10 times the size of the area located at Schofield Barracks.

"Despite the fact that the 25th CAB is an aviation unit where air support is the primary mission; to prepare for the large exercise the equipment and vehicles were transported from Oahu by ship, to Kawaihae (K-Dock) and convoyed to PTA by Soldiers with 209th ASB and 3-25 AVN," noted Staff Sgt Zoe Deville a mechanic with HHC, 209th ASB, one of the many Soldiers who stayed at K-Dock ensuring all equipment was moved to PTA.

The entire operation of moving vehicles and equipment will take approximately six days," Lt. Col. Erskine Ramsey Bentley, commander for 209th ASB said during the first day of K-Dock operations. "We brought Soldiers in from 209th ASB, 3-25 AVN, and 65th Engineer Battalion ... it's been a combined effort to get the equipment transported."

From fork lifts to recovery vehicles Soldiers and crewmembers worked diligently to download and convoy about 128 vehicles using Saddle road, Capt. Benjamin Junko of S3 operations, HHC 25th CAB said.

Although the port operation at K-Dock was a feat in itself, the real accomplishments were the Soldiers convoying on the infamous Saddle Road; a road having the highest accident rates of any road of its classification in Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation.

Moreover, while local travelers are familiar with the characteristics: narrow lanes, limited lines of visibility and numerous roadside dangers like one-way bridges, rough edges on roads and potholes, Soldiers traveling Saddle road for the first time had to be on top of their game.

To prepare the large convoy across the deadly road, Soldiers were given a convoy brief, reminded to keep their interval [distance between vehicles] and how to safely drive the steep hills.

"The road being narrow was the hardest part of convoying the vehicles," said Sgt. Claudia Sandoval, convoy Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) with E. Co 3-25. "Also the drivers had to remember to keep their distance between one another to avoid any fatal incidents."

Finally, Sandoval noted most of the Soldiers had previous combat driving experience, making convoy across the deadly road a success and a great first week for the start of PTA.

• Date Taken: 05.03.2008
• Date Posted: 05.03.2008 18:29
• Story ID: 19076
• Location: US