Palletized Load System School Talks Big and Backs it up

Photo By Savannah Baldwin | The 1460th Transportation Company, 246th Transportation Battalion conducts Palletized Load System training on Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center August 5, 2017 during Northern Strike 2017. Northern Strike 17 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting approximately 5,000 service members from 13 states and five coalition countries during the first two weeks of August 2017 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, both located in northern Michigan and operated by the Michigan National Guard. (Michigan National Guard photo by Spc. Savannah Lang)  

GRAYLING, MI, UNITED STATES

08.05.2017

Story by Spc. Savannah Baldwin 

126th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

Despite staying busy running support missions for most of the units participating in Northern Strike 17, the 1460th Transportation Company, 246th Transportation Battalion out of Midland, Michigan is still finding the time and personnel to train their newer Soldiers.
In the midst of the chaos of running ammo and water, among other things, to most of the ranges on Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center, the 1460th is conducting drivers training for all of their Soldiers that aren’t licensed on the unit’s main vehicle, the Palletized Load System (PLS). Their instructors are some of their most veteran drivers, with multiple deployments among them all.
The driver training encompasses all of the capabilities of the truck, including loading and unloading of the pallets, coupling the trailers, and backing up with a trailer. By the end of the two week training every Soldier will know everything they need to know about the PLS.
The 1460th is also using this course to give some of their Soldiers the chance to refine their skills on the truck. They allowed some of the Soldiers in the unit that are already licensed, but haven’t had much time behind the wheel to jump in with the other Soldiers to get some extra training, which is an opportunity that many units don’t get.
The instructors are doing their best to give as much drive time to each Soldier going through the course by taking them not only off post on the main roads and highways, but also out and about Camp Grayling in some of the wooded trails to really show the students the capabilities of their equipment. While driving through the vast amount of trails on Camp Grayling, the instructors can show the Soldiers how to use the 10-wheel drive to get out of some tight spots, and how to use the Central Tire Inflation system to deflate or inflate their tires from inside the truck.
“I just enjoy teaching others how to operate this big piece of equipment,” said Sgt. Steven Braley, the 1460th’s Master Driver and Assistant Truck Master, who has been with the unit for 16 years and has been an instructor for the PLS School for 12 of those years. They all enjoy teaching new Soldiers and helping older Soldiers stay proficient in their job. The newly accredited NS 17 demonstrates the Michigan National Guard’s ability to provide accessible, readiness-building opportunities for military units from all service branches to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command, air, sea and ground maneuver integration, together with the synchronization of fires in a joint, multinational, decisive action environment.

• Date Taken: 08.05.2017
• Date Posted: 08.07.2017 17:31
• Story ID: 244095
• Location: GRAYLING, MI, US
• Hometown: MIDLAND, MI, US