National Training Center experience invaluable for Task Force 'Hammerhead' Soldiers

Photo By Master Sgt. Tyrone Marshall | Soldiers from D Co., 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, serving as part of Task Force 'Hammerhead,' roll out at the Rotational Unit Field Maintenance Area to turn in their vehicles at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., Oct. 25, 2008.  

UNITED STATES

11.07.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Tyrone Marshall 

25th Combat Aviation Brigade

By Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

FORT IRWIN, Calif. – The Soldiers of Task Force "Hammerhead" used their recent National Training Center rotation to further sharpen their technical and tactical expertise and take back lessons learned from Fort Irwin.

TF "Hammerhead," led by Lt. Col. Gregory Baker, commander, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, and augmented by Soldiers from the CAB's other elements, provided a multitude of aviation support functions to the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, 93rd Military Police Battalion, and 4th Engineer Battalion, during the 25th CAB's last of a series of rotations to NTC.

Whether it was the first time or not, Soldiers from the task force learned invaluable lessons that should further their combat experience while maintaining the brigade's lethal functionality. Much of the emphasis was placed on training new Soldiers or other team members heading toward their first deployment.

"I like this more for the new guys to show them how things work and get them used to being away from home," said Spc. Alan Morgan, an aviation electrician, D Co., 3-25th Avn. Regt. "It allowed the new [Soldiers] to get better on the aircraft and give them a little more hands-on time. We have a lot of different people from different units in the task force that never worked on either Blackhawks or Chinooks. We were able to go out there and cross-train with them and let them know how everything works on both sides."

Even senior leaders within the task force used the rotation as a training platform to help accomplish refining their younger Soldiers 'skill sets.

"I think that I've accomplished training my Soldiers," said Sgt. 1st Class Lynn Irvin, S-1 NCOIC for TF "Hammerhead." "I have four Soldiers. None of them have ever deployed. Before they came out there they didn't have any sense of the procedures for personnel accountability, how to process casualties and casualty operations. Now that we've been here they know all the procedures and they know what to do."

Sgt. 1st Class Julia Krampe, first sergeant, D Co., 3-25th Avn. Regt., who has had previous experience at NTC, also enjoyed training and learned new things.

"There's lots of more training that I remember last time I was here because I was a crew chief," said Krampe. "I learned a lot while I was out here, mainly about how to do my job better with personnel and weapons accountability, and systems – I've never been through this before with turning in the miles [gear] and the dukes. The next time it will be a lot more fun because I will be more proactive than reactive."

The task force worked together to keep their aircraft off the ground and in the fight, according to Morgan.

"Everyone worked really well together, because we ended up with [like a] 97 to 99 percent overall rate of pilots being able to fly," said the Alexander City, Ala., native. "We all worked together and let the guys that haven't deployed yet see that you have to rely on other people. And if you don't then the mission is not going to get done. You're going to be fighting each other and nothing's going to get taken care of."

One clear key in the task force's success was communication.

"The lesson that I've taken from this training is basically communication," said Irvin, a 16-year veteran. "That's very important with the battle staff and everything going on in daily operations. I would say that communication is very important."

Teamwork and cohesion are critical in task force operations since there are often external units involved in its operations. TF "Hammerhead" worked early on to set conditions for success.

"Our integration with 1/1 CAV started with our leadership recon in July. The early recon gave us a great chance to get know each other and talk about objectives for the rotation," said Baker. "We went to Fort Hood in late August for our leadership training program. It was another great opportunity to integrate with the units. By the time I got [to NTC], I really felt like they were part of the family. It allowed the rotation to go very well, smashing success."

Baker, on his seventh NTC rotation, also saw the advantages of the task force's efforts.

"There are tons of lessons learned on this rotation. I think participating in three rotations in a row is going to be a great benefit for the brigade. I know coming back next year in March, those commanders, leaders and Soldiers that trained here will be able to take the lessons learned from this and the last two rotations, re-apply them and get even better as we prepare for our next trip down range."

• Date Taken: 11.07.2008
• Date Posted: 11.07.2008 23:40
• Story ID: 26079
• Location: US