Sling load training delivers

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

06.24.2016

Story by Sgt. Benjamin Kullman 

4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade

Forty-eight Soldiers from units across Fort Carson and the 4th Infantry Division experienced Sling-Load Inspector Certification Courses (SLICC) training the week of June 13-17.
Delivery of essential goods, equipment, and vehicles to forces in need on the front line is mission essential doctrine for sustainment brigades and those units tasked to transporting materials.
The ability to get those items, whether it be a crate of ammunition or a tactical wheeled vehicle, may be compounded and difficult if they need to be delivered to an otherwise inaccessible area through traditional means such as convoy operations.
The capability to meet these requests demands the need for alternate means to transport resources necessitating the need for logistics and transportation.
This training provided Soldiers that substitute means of completing their mission for their respective units by the use of attaching equipment loads and vehicles to rotary aircraft for transport to austere environments or remote locations required.
The SLICC training event was hosted and coordinated by the 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and conducted by a team of instructors from the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps and Quartermaster School at Fort Lee, Va.
According to Lloyd Franklin, SLICC Instructor, the course is a five-day training opportunity for E-4 Soldiers and above to learn about basic sling load operations and become certified in sling load inspections. Students are trained in the following areas: types of helicopters and their limitations, cargo hook reach pendants, 10,000 and 25,000 pounds sling sets, cargo carrying devices, preparation and set up of landing zones, safety equipment, hook-up team and signalman duties & responsibilities, and the proper rigging and inspection of loads.
“[This type of training] is very important due to when we go to environments such as the Middle East or an area with a lot of mountain terrain, with sling load you can actually drop supplies closer to the unit and the unit will not have to sacrifice their concealment to get to it,” said Franklin.
Following the classroom instruction phase of the training the Soldiers were required to pass several written and hands on exams testing their knowledge on what they learned. Following the final testing phase, an actual sling load exercise utilizing a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and two HMMWV (Humvee) vehicles was conducted in the Fort Carson training area allowing the students to put into practice what they had learned in the classroom.
“This gives another avenue to do aerial delivery, as far as means of resupply operations,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Anthony Haiduk, 4SB senior warrant advisor, who organized the training. “They are trained in sling load operations as well as low cost low altitude operations. What it boils down to is building bundles and then kicking them out the back of a flying aircraft, either a rotary wing or some kind of small take-off landing type aircraft.”
With the training complete, the Soldiers who finished the course will be able successfully apply what they have learned should the need arise and paves the way for continued sling load training.
“It’s definitely beneficial for all the units to have their Soldiers trained [in SLICC operations] as another tool for material delivery,” Haiduk added.
Haiduk says that another SLICC course is scheduled for early next year.


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• Date Taken: 06.24.2016
• Date Posted: 06.24.2016 15:13
• Story ID: 202419
• Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US