All American, Screaming Eagles work as one

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Hewitt | Pvt.Travis Harper Apache mechanic and crew chief assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, services the tail landing gear on a Boeing AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter on Geronimo Landing Zone during Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation 16-09 at North Fort Polk, LA, August 27. The 1st, 82nd is organic to the 82nd Abn. Div. and are present in support of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team in their mission at JRTC as the Global Response Force. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. L'Erin Wynn, 49th Public Affairs Detachment)  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

08.27.2016

Story by Sgt. Anthony Hewitt 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

By: Spc. Ryan Mercado, 3BCT 82nd Abn. Div, Public Affairs

FORT POLK, La. -- The sun rose over the Geronimo Drop Zone within the bayous of Louisiana, the quiet air was quickly disrupted by small-arms fire as a squadron of grounded Apache helicopters came under attack by the South Atropian People’s Army. The enemy forces were expecting an easy victory, but they encountered fierce resistance set forth by a joint collection of U.S. and British servicemembers, working in tandem to repel the assault. Soldiers assigned to the 82nd and 101st Combat Aviation Brigades of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were working to support Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div., during a simulated deployment to the fictional country of Atropia at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana, Aug. 27, 2016.

A very critical element to the battlefield is air superiority and the integrity of the equipment.

Crew chiefs assigned to the 82nd and 101st CAB held the responsibility for maintenance of their respective Apache AH-64s during the 12-day training exercise.

“Every time I work on a helicopter and I watch them take off, it brings that motivation to keep working on them and reminds me why I am here,” said Pvt. Travis Harper, a crew chief assigned to the 82nd CAB.

After every air mission, quality assurance and control are essential tasks for the equipment and crew`s readiness.

Harper said they thoroughly perform system maintenance and radio checks, while providing area security to those around them.

He works not only with the crews to ensure they are mission capable, but also alongside his counterparts from the 101st CAB spurring a friendly rivalry.

“They help us [and] we help them,” said Harper. “Every time we ask for a favor they’re there to give a hand, and we try to return the favor.”

Spc. Eric Hawkins, a Soldier assigned to 101st CAB said Its been great working with the 82nd, their pilots and command team. We have a little rivalry going between each other in regards to workload and eliminating targets during the exercise, but it`s been fun.


The friendly competition between the two CABs elicits a “one team, one fight” mindset that keeps motivation and morale alive not only within the CAB units, but also the 3BCT.

• Date Taken: 08.27.2016
• Date Posted: 08.27.2016 20:32
• Story ID: 208382
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US