Task Force Thunder prepares at Fort Bliss for Afghanistan

Photo By Lt. Col. Deanna Bague | A CH-47 Chinook airlifts a simulated downed aircraft during sling load operations training conducted at McGregor Range, N.M., by 563rd Aviation Support Battalion, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade.  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

10.22.2010

Story by Lt. Col. Deanna Bague 

Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office

MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – About 1,200 soldiers from the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade (Task Force Thunder), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), are training here in preparation for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.

“We came to Fort Bliss on purpose,” said Maj. Hank Perry, operations officer for the 159th CAB. “Fort Bliss absolutely replicates [parts of] Afghanistan – as you look around the altitudes are very similar – the brownout conditions are exactly what we want to train to as we prepare to go to Afghanistan in support of [Operation Enduring Freedom].”

Perry said during their drills here, pilots have already encountered visibility restrictions, or brownouts caused by wind and sand.

In addition to transporting troops, the 159th CAB brought equipment that includes vehicles, helicopters and communication assets. Perry said the training is a brigade command and control event in which the unit establishes a footprint and exercises every aspect of a deployment.

“From rear detachments pushing out from Fort Campbell, Ky., to setting up a complete reception, staging, on-ward movement and integration process,” said Perry.

The brigade has command and control nodes throughout main Fort Bliss as well as at McGregor, said Perry. The 159th facilitated bringing each battalion here to a desert environment where they can actively pursue their training objectives as each of their commanders dictates, Perry added.

One of the battalions reaping the benefits of the region is the 563rd Aviation Support Battalion, which supports the entire brigade and just about every class of supply they manage. Lt. Col. John Smith, commander of the 563rd ASB, said the soldiers are motivated and alert during their training.

“The soldiers are focused because you don’t have the distracters that you would have back at home station,” said Smith. “Having the whole brigade [engaged] here –is one of the few opportunities in which we will ever exercise every logistical function that we have – even in theater we will not be doing as many simultaneous operations as we’re doing now.”

Smith said his logistics planners in the support operations cell who are responsible for coordinating the entire logistical move into theater are a major piece in supporting the exercise here. He also credits the positive reception the unit is receiving from Fort Bliss.

“It’s incredible the amount of support that we’ve received from the Mobilization and Deployment Brigade, the Range Control folks and Fort Bliss proper,” said Smith. “They have truly facilitated our training; pretty much getting us anything and everything we’ve asked for – and have been very, very flexible with us.”

Staff Sgt. Marvin Whitney, a team leader of the 563rd ASB’s B Company, described the enthusiasm of his soldiers during a sling load operations exercise. He said the scenario required the soldiers to recover a downed aircraft. Whitney said the terrain and winds made it tough to recover the aircraft.

“It’s very challenging to come out here in the middle of nowhere,” said Whitney.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Qiong Wang, a platoon leader for A Company, 563rd ASB, was responsible for transporting soldiers from the downed aircraft recovery team to the simulated crash site.

“We had to get them out here in a timely manner, secure and safely,” said Wang. “The whole point of the mission is to come in safely and get out as quickly and safely as possible.”

Brigade officials said soldiers are exposed to situations they may face in Afghanistan. According to Whitney, the DART team did not know the downed helicopter’s configuration – just like in theater.

“I expected the aircraft to be in one piece … when we got here it was just like, ‘Man what is this –it’s broken in half and there are pieces everywhere,’” said Whitney.” But it’s training – we’re training for the worst.

“I hope every unit and every Army post has hands-on training like this … we’re training for the fight.”

• Date Taken: 10.22.2010
• Date Posted: 10.26.2010 18:32
• Story ID: 58873
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US