Shaw Air Force-based Army Reserve unit to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Inherent Resolve

Photo By Maj. Michael Garcia | The 3rd Army Augmentation (3AA), Detachment 2, 76th Operational Response Command, based out of Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, conducted its Improvised Explosive Device (IED) awareness training brief during the unit’s mobilization training at Fort Bliss, Texas, May 11-12, 2016, prior to their departure.  

EL PASO, TX, UNITED STATES

05.12.2016

Story by Maj. Michael Garcia 

76th Operational Response Command

FORT BLISS, TEXAS – The 3rd Army Augmentation (3AA), Detachment 2, 76th Operational Response Command, based out of Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, conducted their last few days of mobilization training at Fort Bliss, Texas, May 11-12, 2016, prior to their departure.

“Don’t get complacent! Always clear route before you walk out. Don’t always take the easy route, make yourself unpredictable,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jose Anguiano, 304th Sustainment Brigade (SB) out of Riverside, Calif., during his Improvised Explosive Device (IED) awareness briefing. “Never travelling the previous route if possible. If you have to, you’ve got to be very alert!”

The unit also trained on HMMWV Egress Assistant Trainer (HEAT). The purpose of this training is to provide Soldiers on the effects of rollover, give them reaction, and a muscle memory to know what to do in case they ever are caught in that situation. “HEAT is very critical and all Soldiers need to validate. During emergency egress situations such as during convoy and they get hit by an IED; this training will provide Soldiers the confidence and overcome the fear and panic during rollover,” said Staff Sgt. Junior Burnham, HEAT trainer from 304th SB.

The Soldiers were provided an initial safety briefing and preliminary checks during the exercise. Once they were inside the vehicle, the Soldiers must be in a right seating position, buckled seatbelts, and secured weapons/belongings. These procedures will help prevent injuries during a rollover. Then, it is placed on a 25% critical rollover on an up armor HUMMWV; this is so the Soldiers know how it feels when it gets to that point, then shifted to a 90-degree angle to 180-degree, and back to its upright position. When the exercise was over where everyone exited the vehicle, the Soldiers and the instructors concluded with an after action review (AAR) and turned in their equipments.

“I’m very excited, it’s my first deployment and at the same time, I’m already missing my kids,” said Sgt. Kendra Newhart, 3AA, budget noncommissioned officer (NCO). Newhart has two girls at the age of one and four; her mom is taking care of her children while she is deployed. When asked about her plans to stay busy during deployment, she said she is planning to finish her pre-med degree online. She is a senior pre-med student. She has already applied to several medicine schools to include Indiana University and Washington D.C. University. During deployment, Newhart will be managing budget, as the Budget NCO.

The detachment is deploying for about a year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve. Its mission is to establish and conduct company mission command post operations in support of contingency command post operations as directed by the U.S. Army Central commander.

• Date Taken: 05.12.2016
• Date Posted: 05.17.2016 14:21
• Story ID: 198373
• Location: EL PASO, TX, US
• Hometown: SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SC, US