BAGHDAD — The addition of the heavily armored family of mine resistant ambush protected vehicles to the military arsenal has increased survivability for U.S. forces considerably.
Soldiers continually train on the massive trucks for almost any situation; including roll over due to terrain, roadside bombs or operator error.
The MRAP Egress Trainer teaches Soldiers what a roll over is like and increases their chances for getting out quickly and safely. Using a remote controlled MRAP Maxx Pro suspended by device that literally flips the entire vehicle 360 degrees, Soldiers receive a realistic training experience in the event of a roll over.
Senior MRAP Egress Trainer, Stacey Hines of Cairo, Ga., credits the training with an 80 percent drop in MRAP roll-overs since June.
Soldiers are taught to think ahead and plan out the steps they would take.
"Just keep in mind your load plan," Hines told members the 225th Engineer Brigade. "When you are going through water, think, 'What are your actions?'"
"You can talk it over in your head a thousand times, but until you are upside down, you don't know how you'll react," Sgt. Charles Williams of Bush, La., explained. "It feels like a roller coaster ride except you get stuck at the top — and you have to get out."
Sgt. Kyle Clark, a driver from Baton Rouge, La., found himself in an odd position while trying to unbuckle his safety belt and exit the vehicle.
"I found myself pinned," he explained. "My head and feet were both hitting the ceiling [at the same time]. My body made a pyramid. It was an awkward position!"
There are ten training modules located throughout Iraq for any Soldier, with three in the Baghdad area. It is now mandatory Soldiers receive the training in Kuwait before moving forward into Iraq.