Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Pfc. Sidney Brady, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Task Force...... read more read more
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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Luckily for the Soldiers of Task Force Knighthawk, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, TF Falcon, their Headquarters and Headquarters Company, the “Helldivers,” acts as the nerve center supporting Soldiers as they support the fight.
“The purpose of HHC, TF Knighthawk, is to provide administrative support to Task Force Knighthawk and coordination between other task forces throughout Regional-Command East,” said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Richard Szlachta, HHC, TF Falcon, from Feeding Hills, Mass. “We accomplish this in many ways, thus allowing the Soldiers to focus on their missions and not on the smaller issues that may arise during the deployment. Our goal is to enable your enabler, meaning, we provide the Soldiers of TF Knighthawk the ability to focus on the task at hand, regardless of what that might be.”
The company is made up of Soldiers from many different backgrounds including communications, supply, operations and support. The Soldiers of HHC, TF Knighthawk, ensure all the line companies have everything they need to successfully accomplish their missions.
“We do everything,” said U.S. Army Spc. Jacita Upshaw, a flight operations specialist in HHC, TF Knighthawk from Enterprise, Ala. “We issue radios, we give them weather and we are the voice of the battalion. Because we are the [operations office] everything goes through us. If you considered the task force as a human then HHC would be the heart that beats and pumps the blood to the rest of the companies.”
In addition to providing material for the companies within TF Knighthawk, the company also operates the task force’s tactical operation center. The responsibilities of the TOC include knowing what is occurring on the battlefield, analyzing data and planning and coordinating missions.
“In an extremely dynamic and kinetic war, it is imperative to have real-time battle tracking and constant communication with all line companies as well as keeping the chain of command informed of all missions,” said U.S. Army Capt. Ryan Welch, company commander of HHC, TF Knighthawk, from Springfield, Va. “The TOC provides this vital role. It provides all aircraft with mission changes, meteorological information, and updated threats throughout our area of operations ensuring 100 percent mission accomplishment.”
The Soldiers of HHC, TF Knighthawk, not only support Soldiers with military matters, they also provide spiritual, safety and medical assistance. The chaplain supports Soldiers by providing spiritual support in the form of chapel services, Bible studies and by offering a willing shoulder or a friendly ear to Soldiers. The safety and standardization officers constantly review missions, tactics, techniques and procedures in order to ensure mission success and Soldier safety. The task force’s flight surgeons say they take pride in ensuring each Soldier’s medical needs are met.
“Task Force Knighthawk’s flight surgeons are among the best in the Army,” said Welch. “From minor ailments to significant injuries they ensure each Soldier receives the proper medical care enabling them to return to duty and become combat multipliers. They also rotate through the MEDEVAC Company providing expert medical care to injured Soldiers, Coalition forces, and Afghans that require medical evacuation.”
“The company provides dynamic support and guidance necessary for the line companies to be successful in combat, said U.S. Army Capt. Jeffrey Bess, the assistant operations officer for TF Knighthawk, from Cottage Grove, Minn.
“Being a Helldiver is like being the head of an extremely large family,” said Bess. “From managing personnel status to tracking aircraft employment across the battlefield, we keep the companies on the road to success. ‘Helldivers are strong, assertive leaders who are not afraid to step up and take the fight to the enemy at a moment’s notice. Perfection is our goal, excellence is our watchword, no mission is too great, and no task is too small.”
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2010 22:23 |
| Story ID: | 51568 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 219 |
| Downloads: | 103 |
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