Story by: Spc. Chris Stump
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan ---- After receiving the "go" hand signal, the Soldiers exited the CH-53 Sea Stallion through the "hellhole," a trap door on the deck of the helicopter.
Sliding down a rope for more than 40 feet, the assault team of the 25th Infantry Division (Light)'s Long Range Surveillance Detachment made their way to the ground in just seconds.
With an enemy that uses Afghanistan's vast, rugged terrain and tight urban areas to stage attacks and fade into the shadows, Coalition forces must be ready at a moment's notice.
The LRSD assault team stands ready to deploy, engage and apprehend anti-Coalition militants, using several methods to quickly bring the fight to the enemy.
One of these methods is the fast rope insertion and extraction system -- using a rope as a quick means to deliver the team from a helicopter into nearly inaccessible areas, such as mountain tops and small urban spaces, said Staff Sgt. Ryan Brophy, LRSD assault team leader.
"It's one of our practiced techniques," he said. "It works for getting into tight areas where the birds just can't land."
The team prefers to air land and dismount, but the unforgiving Afghan terrain doesn't always allow for it. So the team trains on infiltrating by means of a rope hung from a hovering helicopter.
One at a time, the LRSD Soldiers grabbed the rope and slid out of the helicopter, maintaining positive control with just their hands and feet.
Making a safe descent is all about using the hands to apply the right amount of pressure on the rope to slow or speed up.
"It will get you into a 12 foot square," said Brophy. "It's perfect for getting onto a mountain where an insurgent may be, or getting onto a building where you can't land."
But it's not as simple as just going out of a helicopter on a rope. It takes skill and training to build and maintain proficiency, so when the time comes, the mission can be accomplished.
"If you don't train, you get complacent," said Spc. Kevin Hartnett, LRSD assault team member.
"If you forget the basic skills, or let them deteriorate, you can get confused on the mission and people can get hurt," he said.
With constant efforts to maintain proficiency, the LRSD Soldiers feel confident in their ability to get in and perform their mission when they are called.
"Knowing how to fast rope sets us apart from other units. Not everybody gets to do it," said Spc. Lee Williams, LRSD assault team member.
"We are prepared," he said. "Getting out and practicing a mission essential skill like this is very important."
Maintaining skills such as fast roping can mean the difference between mission success and mission failure.
"With this technique, in addition to the other techniques, we can get anywhere quickly," said Brophy. "We can rope onto a mountain or into a village to do our job as fast as possible."
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2005 16:35 |
| Story ID: | 941 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 101 |
| Downloads: | 79 |
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