HOHENFELS, Germany – Four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, manned by Soldiers from Company C., 2/147th Aviation Battalion, Task Force Griffin, Multinational Battle Group East, departed from the airfield in Hohenfels, Germany and transported approximately 80 Polish MNBG E soldiers to a nearby training site that imitates Gracanice/Gracanica, Kosovo, Wednesday, June 23.
“Our mission today was to transport three Polish platoons to Gracanica, where they will pull security around the monastery there for the next few days,” said 1st Lt. Aaron S. Rosheim, the air mission commander for Wednesday’s mission and a pilot with the 147th.
The four aircraft flew three trips to Gracanice/Gracanica. Each of the first two flights transported 40 Polish soldiers per flight and the third flight transported the soldiers’ bags, containing the equipment and personal items the troops will need for the mission.
“This was kind of a big mission”, said Rosheim, an Ames, Iowa native. “Anytime we have four aircraft flying together it’s a big mission. This mission went well. The customer needed everything there by 9 a.m. and we got them there at 8:55 a.m.”
“Our goal is to hit the window for the customers within five to 10 minutes for event driven missions like this one,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zane McGlade, a pilot with the 147th.
“We’re usually on target within two minutes. The other day, we touched down within two seconds of the window,” said McGlade, a Council Bluffs, Iowa native.
The Soldiers of the 147th call their passengers “customers” because the 147th’s role is to assist other units in accomplishing their respective missions, Rosheim explained.
“We try to make sure we meet the ground unit commander’s intent,” said Rosheim. “We’re here to take care of them.”
On their way back to Hohenfels, the crews took the opportunity to survey what was happening in some of the towns within their area of operation and reported activities based on the priority information requirements from their commander, said McGlade.
“It would’ve been a waste if we didn’t look down, since we were flying over those towns anyway,” he added.
Upon returning to the airfield, the 147th performed a “hot refuel,” meaning they refueled the aircraft with the engines running and the blades turning.
“Hot refuels are quick and they get us mission ready immediately,” said Rosheim. “They’re a really valuable asset, so we do them as much as we can.”
Following the refuel, the aircraft lifted off again, and were moved into their respective places on the airfield. With another successful mission under their belts, the Soldiers of the 147th began preparing themselves and their aircraft for the next time they’ll be called upon to serve their customers.
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2010 07:19 |
| Story ID: | 52021 |
| Location: | HOHENFELS, BAYERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 180 |
| Downloads: | 130 |
This work, Task Force Aviation moves coalition force for training, by SSG Jerry Boffen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
