Four-Soldier Team Executes Sling Load Operations

Photo By Maj. Khoran Lee | From left to right, Spc. Oscar Betancourt-Vasquez, 1st Lt. Trey Benson, Spc. Trinity Presler and Spc. Alec Newton.  

YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER, WA, UNITED STATES

08.17.2021

Story by Maj. Khoran Lee 

416th Theater Engineer Command

Units trained in a multi-component and joint operational environment in the Yakima Strike wet gap crossing exercise to demonstrate their expertise in August 2021 at Yakima Training Center, Wash.

The wet gap crossing included the 671st Multi-Role Bridging Company (MRBC) engineers who secured and controlled an area of water and used a floating platform to allow bulky fighting and transport vehicles to cross.

While Soldiers with the 671st MRBC set out to execute their role in the mission and offload bridge erection boats and rafts into the water safely, a team of four Soldiers played a pivotal role in executing a sling load operation at a landing site near the river.

The team comprised of 1st Lt. Trey Benson, Spc. Alec Newton, Spc. Trinity Presler, Spc. Oscar Betancourt-Vasquez and Medic/Radio Telephone Operator Spc. Issac Eads.

Benson, the officer in charge, was responsible for the team’s preparation, control measures and maintaining lines of communications with the aircrew from Company F, 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion.

Before the mission, Benson had to ensure operations were safe to proceed and the team members trained and rehearsed during a four-day phase of sling load operations.

Benson and Newton, who are both air assault qualified, taught two others members about hook up procedures and how to prepare a sling load. “It varies from whatever equipment you're hooking up for sling load,” said Benson.

Sling load rehearsals consisted of the team of four training with the air crew to conduct elevators lifts.

Spc. Trinity Presler, an (91 E) Allied trade specialist, who was recently trained on the process, said she had fun learning the hook up procedures. “It went really well the first couple times. We just watched some of the air assault guys do it and they showed us how to do it, and then we got to try it out and hook it up ourselves,” said Presler.

As a freshman in this class of sling load operations, Presler said she sees the importance for other Soldiers to gain the experience.

“I would recommend that they give it a try. It's worth it. Just to make sure you're paying attention because a big part is making sure your partner doesn't get hit by the Chinook.”

• Date Taken: 08.17.2021
• Date Posted: 09.30.2021 16:46
• Story ID: 406331
• Location: YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER, WA, US