Photo By Master Sgt. Vernon Moore | Master Sgt. Mike Mayfield, a boom operator with the 155th Air Refueling Wing, prepares...... read more read more
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MEAD, Neb. - A UH -60 Black Hawk helicopter from the Nebraska Army National Guard’s Company C, 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion, hoists a troop during the Nebraska Air National Guard’s survival skills refresher course, June 2, 2012, at the Mead Training Site near Mead, Neb. Aircrews used the training to refresh their skills if they encountered a real-life survival situation.
Lt. Col. Chris Collins, commander of the Nebraska Air National Guard 155th Operations Group, flashes a signal mirror during a survival skills refresher course, June 2, 2012, at the Mead Training Site near Mead, Neb.
Tech. Sgt. Isaac Cepek, a boom operator with the Nebraska Air National Guard 155th Air Refueling Wing, applies face paint during a survival skills refresher course, June 2, 2012, at the Mead Training Site near Mead, Neb.
Nebraska Air National Guard members, Maj. Chris Shannon, instructor pilot with the 170th Group, applies a splint to Tech. Sgt. Brian Wood, a boom operator with the 155th Air Refueling Wing, as Maj. Kent Leonard, a pilot with the 155th ARW, watches during a survival skills refresher course, June 2, at the Mead Training Site near Mead, Neb.
Amidst the tall green prairie grass blowing from rotor wash of the Nebraska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk rescue helicopter, Nebraska Air National Guard airmen found themselves like fish out of water.
Accustomed to flying aircraft, the last place aircrew want to be is on the ground in a hostile environment, navigating to a distant rendezvous point, after surviving an aircraft going down. Still, despite the rarity of an aircraft going down in enemy territory, this scenario is something every pilot, navigator, boom operator and aircrew member must be prepared for.
Recently, Nebraska Air Guard aircrew flight equipment staff and ground personnel from the Lincoln-based 155th Air Refueling Wing assisted in training approximately 75 Airmen from the Omaha-based 170th Group and the 155th ARW in a survival skills refresher course, June 2, at the Mead Training Site near Mead, Neb. They received assistance from the Nebraska Army National Guard’s Company C, 2-135th General Support Battalion.
According to members of the Nebraska Air Guard’s Aircrew Flight Equipment section, this year’s training concentrated on several different things, part of a three year retraining requirement. While at the Mead Training Site, the life support specialists taught the Guard aircrews about land navigation, evasion, signals and recovery, personal protection, combat intelligence and an overview of water survival.
Crews also worked to refresh themselves on reading GPS systems, applying camouflage, using flares safely and properly, and what to do if they are captured.
“We try to give them field training and give emphasis either on water or combat. This year we are doing combat, so that’s why we are doing field training,” said Senior Master Sgt. Sarah Dawson, aircrew flight equipment superintendent.
“Today we are emphasizing the combat side of the house,” she added. “We will be doing some evasion techniques in the field and we will be doing some personal protection and shelter building.”
A big part of the training for this section was helicopter extractions by the Nebraska Army National Guard Company C, 2-135th GSAB’s UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew.
“The helicopters are going to come out and hoist the crews so they can put an emphasis on recovery and how that works,” said Dawson. “They will use the radios; (they) will be ‘camo-ing’ up and getting dirty today.”
Participants also had a chance to apply their knowledge during a practical exercise. Groups of four to six aircrew members were given a scenario, a vest filled with basic first aid supplies, a GPS system, camouflage face paint, and a radio. They were then told when and where to meet their rescue helicopter.
Hostile forces – in this case, members of the Nebraska Air Guard’s Survival Equipment section carried M-16s with blank rounds. The aircrews were told that they may meet hostiles, friendlies or just someone who would not even acknowledge them.
Once the group made it to their designated point they were required to make radio contact with the rescuing pilot and then wait to be rescued. Individuals hid patiently in the woods for their turn to run from the protection of the woods to a clearing where they strapped on to the “penetrator” and were quickly hoisted to safety.
Maj. Chris Shannon, instructor pilot for the 170th Group, said the helicopter hoist was interesting.
“In the event that the aircraft went down, it’s good to be current in understanding the proper procedures when the guys come to get us out and how to do that,” said Shannon.
Dawson said the purpose of the day’s events was simple. “This is an important training. They only get it every three years,” said Dawson. “It is safety, in the event that something would go wrong. You always have to plan for when things go wrong. If they were to end up in a survival situation, whether in a combat zone or in a non-combat zone, how they would take care of themselves until rescue came.”
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 01.06.2013 12:39 |
| Story ID: | 100022 |
| Location: | MEAD, NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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