No Worries About The Weather

By Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

HILO, Hawaii - When a Soldier's occupation involves flying aircraft in the blue skies of Hawaii, asking about the weather isn't simply just small talk - its big business.

For the experienced airmen of the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) weather flight, who are routinely called upon to forecast weather for and during training and combat operations, it is their livelihood. Their most recent mission was providing weather support to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB).

"We provide support for all the crews that fly," said Tech. Sgt. Lisa M. Smith, Staff Weather Office (SWO), weather flight, 25th ASOS. "We pretty much support anyone [whenever] there is a need for weather support."

The weather flight's overall mission is to facilitate and integrate the most effective use of air power and weather support into the joint and combined battle plan. SWO is a critical player in the planning of movements and battle-tracking of troops during operations.

Tech. Sgt. Omar Nurse, and Tech. Sgt. Lisa Smith, airmen with the Staff Weather Office (SWO), 25th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS), examine information while preparing a wind advisory for the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), at the Pokahuloa Training Area (PTA), June 2. The SWO team advised the brigade from Bradshaw Army Airfield of local weather in the area. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr., 25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs)

As the 25th CAB continued to train at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), on the big island of Hawaii, they remained on constant alert of dangers to their pilots and ground crews while conducting training in the mountainous area.

"That is a major challenge," said Tech. Sgt. Omar D. Nurse, SWO, weather flight, 25th ASOS. "Any forecaster can forecast … when you go someplace new that you're not familiar with, it takes someone years to build up an idea of what the weather in an area is going to do on any given day."

Tech. Sgt. Lisa Smith, Staff Weather Office (SWO), 25th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS), answers a radio call at Bradshaw Army Airfield, while providing weather forecasts and data for the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), June 2. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr., 25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs)

He continued speaking from PTA, "Just being here for three weeks, you're not ever going to get accustomed to the day-by-day changes in the weather. You have to be really experienced to nail the weather here. That is the major challenge - not being familiar with the weather and having to forecast."

Smith, a 13-year Air Force veteran and native of Orlando, also spoke of the difficulties of predicting the weather from Bradshaw Army Airfield, having been Army support for 10 years of her career.

"I find myself reading the reference notes a lot more, because I know I'm not going to see anything consistently enough to learn it by just being here. I have to do the research for it."

Tech. Sgt. Lisa Smith, Staff Weather Office (SWO), 25th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS), uses the Tactical Meteorological Observing System, or TMOS, to determine weather patterns and process collected data in order to advise pilots from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of impending weather while conducting flight operations at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), on the big island of Hawaii, June 2. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr., 25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs)

The weather team is equipped with specialized equipment such as the Tactical Meteorological Observing System, or TMOS, to determine weather patterns and process collected data. There are also other methods used to meet the challenges of forecasting weather in such an unpredictable area.

"A lot of it is computers and different websites that we use to pull information down," said Smith.

"And we also have the TMOS outside that takes the weather data for our observations and tells us what's currently happening."

Once the experienced airmen put together the information they collected, they advised each unit training in their area of responsibility of current and projected weather for planning purposes.

When a mission is successfully completed, the SWO, behind the scenes, is happy knowing they've contributed.

"That is a rewarding feeling," said Nurse, an 11-year veteran and native of Barbados. Nurse has been a part of Army support for seven years and rotated to PTA seven times.

Tech. Sgt. Lisa Smith, Staff Weather Office (SWO), 25th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS), prepares weather data for Chief Warrant Officer Two Drew Barcley, Charlie Troop, 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), prior to a convoy live-fire mission support Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), 25th Infantry Division, while at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), June 2. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr., 25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs)

Smith agreed adding, "That's the ultimate when everything works out. It's even better when it does happen and you're recognized for it, because you don't always hear about it."

Pilots from the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation, 25th CAB, readily expressed their support for the weather experts.

"I think their job is invaluable," said Chief Warrant Officer Two Dillion Sapp, Blackhawk pilot, 2-25th Avn. "They give the pilots what they need to complete the mission safely without incident or accident and they are very knowledgeable and accurate."

"It would definitely put a bigger strain on us if they were not here," added Chief Warrant Officer Two Tom Leimkuhler, Blackhawk pilot, 2-25th Avn.

Both pilots explained how the SWO made their job a little less stressful.

"It's a huge load off my mind," said Sapp. "You don't have to worry about weather because they are the experts on the weather. The mountain structure is so technical its unusual. I couldn't look at anything and guess what's going to happen. When they add that to what I have to do it's a great help and they leave us all with a certain amount of relief."

The added factor of knowing what weather would be experienced that day also provided an additional boost to the pilots braving the winds of PTA.

"I think it builds our confidence and helps relax realizing they know what they are talking about," revealed Leimkuhler. "When things go the way they say they will go - you remember those guys' faces… I trust what their going to say."

With the addition of a skilled and knowledgeable weather team, the pilots of the 25th CAB were able to fly high on a daily basis knowing they wouldn't have to worry about the weather.

"They are the ones that help make it happen," reasoned Sapp. "Without them, we couldn't come close to predicting what they can."

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