FORT STEWART, Ga. – Soldiers of Company D, 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, conducted sling load operation training on a hot and muggy Fort Stewart morning, Aug. 14.
Company D, commonly known as the Mad Dogs, is a forward support company attached to 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th IBCT, and is responsible for providing logistic support to the Mustang Battalion.
“Sling load operations help to provide fast and timely support to our forward-deployed Mustangs during combat operations,” said 2nd Lt. Kevin Dallesasse, the platoon leader for Distribution Platoon, Company D, who hails from Suwanee.
The Mad Dogs sling loaded a Humvee and a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle on to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned with the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd ID, out of Hunter Army Airfield.
“Most of the platoon has never executed a sling load on a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle,” said Staff Sgt. Danny Blake, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the platoon sergeant for the Distribution Platoon. “This is a great opportunity for our soldiers to not only see this event take place but to also help execute this difficult and dangerous sling load.”
“Due to the heavy weight of this vehicle, a lot of things can go wrong once the pilot decides to pick up the truck,” said Sgt. Rodric Booker, a petroleum supply specialist and squad leader who hails from Valdosta. “It’s our job to ensure the sling leg rigging is correct and does not get twisted around, which can cause the load to shift in the air and possible bring down the aircraft.”
During the training, Mad Dog soldiers sling loaded the LMTV to the Chinook and the LMTV was transported to another training area where soldiers from the Maintain Battalion’s Company G, 703rd BSB, another FSC attached to 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th IBCT, were waiting to unload the vehicle. Once the LMTV was unloaded, the Humvee was sling loaded and transported back to the training area where the Mad Dog soldiers stood ready to receive the vehicle.
As the Mustang Battalion trains and prepares for reconnaissance missions, the Mad Dogs’ ability to sling load equipment and vehicles is important to provide support when ground movement is limited.
Date Taken: | 08.14.2014 |
Date Posted: | 08.20.2014 13:07 |
Story ID: | 139945 |
Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
Hometown: | BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA, US |
Hometown: | CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, US |
Hometown: | SUWANEE, GEORGIA, US |
Hometown: | VALDOSTA, GEORGIA, US |
Web Views: | 91 |
Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Maintainers demonstrate sling load capabilities to support Mustang operations, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.