Published:
205th brings HEAT to Kosovo-bound Soldiers
205th brings HEAT to Kosovo-bound Soldiers
By Spc. Cheryl E. Dinges
70th Public Affairs Detachment
The Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer, sits upside-down as part of the demonstration of training that the soldiers will endure shortly at Camp Atterbury on April 24, 2008
|
CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - "Last year alone there were six Hummvee rollovers in Iraq, two in Afghanistan and 30 rollovers in Kosovo," said Sgt. D'metri W. Bailey, a 205th Infantry Brigade trainer here.
Training to combat roll-over accidents is a hot button issue as Kosovo Forces 10, Multi-National Task Force (East) prepares its Soldiers for deployment.
"Rollovers will be a real concern for those Soldiers on maneuver patrols, due to the mountainous terrain in Kosovo," said Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Sgt. Bruce Jolliff, KFOR 10, MNTF (E). "The chance is there, we are not sure how great, but the chance is there."
Spc. Sarah Lupescu scans the area around her Humvee after she exited the flipped mock vehicle during H.E.A.T. training April 24, 2008, at Camp Atterbury, during one of the many training exercises for the upcoming Kosovo Force 10, Multi-National Task Force (East) deployment.
|
The Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer is a Humvee cab attached to a mechanical base that allows the 'vehicle' and passengers to be rolled with the push of a lever. This carnival like ride allows the mock vehicle to "roll" to 25, 30, 90, 180 degrees and then back to the starting position.
This training is anything but a joy-ride, the vehicle operates with five passengers inside, four are snugly seat-belted in and the fifth passenger, the gunner, wears a harness as he or she stands in the turret.
"The most important thing I learned was that your gunner is not seat belted in," said Pfc. Gary Plaskett, HHC, KFOR-10 MNTF (E). "He or she is more likely to get hurt or hurt others. It is very important that every Soldier is aware of their surroundings and is able to react if and when such an accident is to occur."
A Soldier prepares his gunner harness before the H.E.A.T training starts for the after noon on April 24, 2008, as part of the training for the Kosovo Force 10, Multi-National Task Force (East) deployment.
|
"Everybody has an understanding of what a rollover is like," said Jolliff. "Even though it was slower than an actual rollover, the Soldiers know what positions they are going to be in."
After Plaskett had completed his rotations in the H.E.A.T trainer he said, "Safety is the number one rule, not only for yourself, but for your buddies."
"The training was very realistic and can apply to everyone, no matter what their Military Occupational Skill is," said Spc. Mandi Kempker, HHC, KFOR-10 MNTF (E). "If I was really in a rollover, I think that things I learned here will definitely help me to survive the accident."
judythpiazza@newsblaze.com
Tags: Tags: World, , indiana
_ _
Search News
Daily News
