Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Sgt. Broderick DeArmas, Company B, 122nd Aviation Support Battalion, 82nd...... read more read more
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by U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Nicki Valentin and Spc. Madelyn Powe
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Seasoned with a number of Downed Aircraft Recovery Team (DART) missions under their belt, the Phoenix troops of Company B, 122nd Aviation Support Battalion, were chosen to brush up their skills during a two-day mission, Jan. 12-13, with their Air Force counterparts of the 440th Maintenance Squadron at Pope Army Airfield.
During their most recent tour to eastern Afghanistan the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade called on the aviation maintenance company more than a dozen times to recover aircraft in the toughest terrains. The company felt more than prepared to take on what they thought would be a more intricate and much larger aircraft, the C-130 Hercules aircraft.
Even though four times the weight of the CH-47 Chinook helicopters the unit is used to recovering, “the C130 is not that different,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ernie Muna, a technical inspector with Bravo Company.
The Air Force’s Crash Damage Aircraft Recovery (CDDAR) mission is similar to the Army’s DART mission. While the aircraft may be different, both missions are put in place to recover immobile, inoperative or abandoned aircraft from their current positions and return them to operational status or a maintenance facility for repair.
“It was essentially DART training for a C130 with a different name; it was more intimidating because of the size. But unlike in theatre (Afghanistan), the terrain is a little more in your favor,” Muna said.
The training began with a review of Air Force instructions, joint operating instructions and technical orders meant to prepare the units for hands-on exercises. This was followed by introduction of the equipment used to conduct CDDAR missions and the successful moving of a C130.
During the second day, Phoenix soldiers briefed DART concepts to the airmen. The training then concluded with a lift exercise and individual feedback from the participants.
The two-day event provided useful training to the soldiers, as they were given the opportunity to get back into the heart of what they do. It was also a successful joint training event that allowed sister forces to come together for a common purpose. Bravo Company will continue to train for any mission that comes their way.
| Date Taken: | 01.13.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2013 13:41 |
| Story ID: | 102387 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 309 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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