By Task Force Bon Voizen Public Affairs/Louisiana Army National Guard
GONAIVES, Haiti – Florida and Louisiana National Guardsmen conducted a personnel recovery exercise intended to simulate the retrieval of an isolated U.S. soldier as part of specialized training conducted by Task Force Bon Voizen, May 7, 2011.
A helicopter crewed by members of the Florida National Guard converged with Louisiana National Guard ground elements in a field near Gonaives, Haiti, and recovered Maj. Wynn Nugent of the Louisiana National Guard. Nugent was hoisted several feet into the air at the end of a recovery cable before being pulled safely onboard the helicopter. He was followed immediately by the hoist rescuer assigned to the mission, Sgt. 1st Class John Emery, of the Florida National Guard.
New Horizons Haiti 2011 – Task Force Bon Voizen is a Commander, U.S. Southern Command sponsored, U.S. Army South conducted, joint foreign military interaction/humanitarian exercise under the command of the Louisiana National Guard. Task Force Bon Voizen is deploying U.S. military engineers and medical professionals to Haiti for training and to provide humanitarian services. Task Force Bon Voizen will build a school, two medical clinics and one latrine facility, as well as staff three medical clinics and one dental clinic between April 28 and June 25 in the Artibonite Department.