10th Combat Aviation Brigade adds value to ground forces’ training in Germany

Photo By Sgt. Thomas Scaggs | A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from A Company, 2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion, arrives at the pickup zone at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on April 6. The aviators were taking part in part of a joint-training exercise with Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, in anticipation of working together during future Atlantic Resolve missions. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Thomas Scaggs) 170406-A-TZ475-151  

VILSECK, GERMANY

04.06.2017

Story by Spc. Thomas Scaggs 

10th Combat Aviation Brigade

Aviators from 2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion and 3-10 General Support Aviation Battalion, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (LI), provided air assault capabilities to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Soldiers during a training at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on April 6.
The use of UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters to move ground troops during an exercise provided real-world movement technique capabilities to an ongoing defensive training being executed by 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
“This helps build our interoperability by us working with 2nd Cavalry Regiment,” said Cpt. Trevor Roberts, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot with A Company, 2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion. “We’re going to be supporting these same Soldiers during Saber Junction, so this ultimately enriches that mission as well.”
By involving aircraft support, ground troops not only practice the proper procedures for on and offloading aircraft in a controlled environment, but they are able to understand the sequence of events needed to call in the lift assets.
With ground troops and air capabilities working in tandem, doing training that mimics real-world scenarios, Aviators and Soldiers both experience a growth in their knowledge base and expertise. This leads to greater success during the larger exercises planned as part of Atlantic Resolve and future conflicts in which the U.S. Army may find itself.
“This allows us to project our combat power much more quickly than we can on our Strykers,” said Cpt. Russell Tabolt, 3rd Squadron “Lightning Troop” commander. “Although we love our Strykers, and we use them to their maximum potential, you can’t drive a Stryker as fast as you can a Black Hawk or a Chinook.”
After the troops left the pickup zone, they arrived quickly at their landing zone and rushed to their fighting positions. The helicopters departed, but the 2nd Cavalry Regiment Soldiers day was far from done. They would complete a nine kilometer ruck march, facing various training scenarios along the way, before returning to Vilseck, Germany.

• Date Taken: 04.06.2017
• Date Posted: 04.06.2017 11:39
• Story ID: 229373
• Location: VILSECK, DE