Photo By Staff Sgt. Coltin Heller | U.S. Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 213th Regional...... read more read more
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CAMP RAPID, S.D. – Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 213th Regional Support Group, Pennsylvania Army National Guard provided communication assets to U.S. service members and foreign troops operating in the field during Golden Coyote located in the Black Hills, S.D., June 5, 2013.
Golden Coyote, an annual training exercise held in the Black Hills, provides U.S. service members from 11 states the chance to coordinate along with soldiers from four foreign nations, the opportunity to conduct tactical and logistical training as well as tackle real world missions.
“This is our first time doing a mission like this,” said Sgt. Jeremy Highlander, team leader with HHD. “It’s the best type of training for this job.”
The signal soldiers first set up communications at Camp Rapid, enabling the headquarters elements of the 213th RSG to have the ability to talk to Forward Operating Bases being constructed throughout the area.
The soldiers then moved to the field to FOB Custer and erected antenna’s and communication equipment in preparation for 213th RSG and other units to occupy the base.
“We’re charged with providing voice and data communication assets to the Regional Support Group,” said Capt. Frank Brown, communications officer for 213th RSG. “We’re also pulling voice and data from the signal support elements from the 443rd signal, providing [non-classified Internet protocol router] and [secret Internet protocol router] voice and data through those services.”
The team spent several hours running lengths of cables, for power and data, and assembling antennas and portable satellite systems and systems such as the deployed digital training campus, a system providing internet capability to units in the field.
“Today is our first day in the field,” said Brown, a native of Harrisburg, Pa. “We’re trying to get the [tactical operations center] established.”
Brown said he and his team also would provide voice and data services to the headquarters elements stationed in the field would have a smooth transition.
The soldier’s first challenge came in the form of how to power the equipment they brought with them. The connex brought by the unit provided a built in generator, but with dead batteries, forcing the soldiers to jump start the generator.
“Sometimes things go smooth, sometimes they don’t” said Highlander, a native of York, Pa., while preparing to hook up jumper cables to the generator.
After gaining power, the soldiers continued to set and power up the rest of their gear, and maintained a positive outlook on the days work.
Spc. Fernando Lemari, signal support systems operator, with HHD, gave his guidance during assembly of the gear, having prior experience when he served with 82nd Airborne Division.
“Some of this is a refresher for me. We used to set up the antenna during sergeants time when I was deployed,” said the Perkasie, Pa., native “That way we could do it in a pinch if we had to.”
For Pfc. Alexandria Vernon, also a signal support systems specialist, the time during Golden Coyote marks her first time operating in the field. She viewed her training as vital.
“This is the first time in three years I’ve been to the field,” said Vernon, who calls Downingtown, Pa., home, referring to her Army career. “Without this training in the field, we wouldn’t know what to do when deployed.”
The communications crew will remain in the field for the duration of Golden Coyote, traveling to each FOB and establishing communications, as well as traveling to sites that need maintenance.
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2013 01:17 |
| Story ID: | 108372 |
| Location: | CAMP RAPID, SOUTH DAKOTA, US |
| Hometown: | DOWNINGTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: | HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: | PERKASIE, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: | YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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