Task Force Storm becomes prototype for Army's new plan for aviation units

Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Patrick McDaniel, a crew chief in Stetson Troop and native of Ozark, Ala., works on the rotor of a UH-60 Black Hawk. Stetson Troop, a flight company from 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, from Fort Hood, Texas, is the newest addition to Task Force Storm. (U.S. Army photo/Sgt. Brandon Little, Task Force XII Public Affairs)  

TAJI, IRAQ

12.27.2007

Courtesy Story

Multi-National Division Baghdad

By Sgt. Brandon Little
Task Force XII Public Affairs Office

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – In theory, any UH-60 Black Hawk crew can get into any Black Hawk, cleared for duty, and fly it because both the crew and the aircraft are built and held to the same standard throughout the Army.

This type of 'plug and play' strategy is being applied to aviation units as the Army continues to transform into a more mobile fighting force.

Task Force Storm is one of the first aviation battalions to plug a borrowed flight company into their operations to replace a company that's been given another mission.

"We're almost like a prototype," said Task Force Storm Command Sgt. Maj. Chad Cuomo. "The Army has been doing (plug and play) for a long time in combat arms units, but this is fairly new to aviation."

Although the plug and play strategy might be fresh to many aviation units, this isn't the first time this Task Force XII battalion has incorporated another company into its operations.

"In Germany, we had an AH-64 Apache company and a CH-47 Chinook company attached to us during our mission readiness exercise," said Cuomo, a career crew chief and native of Troy, N.Y. "And at Logistics Support Area Anaconda we had Company B, 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, a Chinook company, attached to us for operational support."

The decision was made to leave Company B, 5th Bn., 158th Avn. Reg., and Company B, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment at LSA Anaconda, to help support operations, and make 'Stetson' Troop, 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment the newest addition to the task force.

'Stetson' Troop is the only Black Hawk flight company from Fort Hood, Texas' 4th Sqd. 3rd ACR in Task Force Storm, said 1st Lt. Delvin Goode, the executive officer for 'Stetson' Troop.

"Making adjustments is just part of the Army," said Goode, a Black Hawk pilot from Fort Walton, Fla. "We're still going through continuity, but we are eager to help any way we can to do the mission."

This flight company, along with 3rd Bn. 158th's Company A and Company C, will rotate through the battalion's three mission sets.

"One will do air assaults; one will take care of the air mission requests; and one will do special transport support," said Cuomo. "It's a positive aspect, to me, because that will give all the aviation people experience in doing the different missions."

Staff Sgt. Eric Holmes, the battalion standardization instructor, was sent down to help train some of their inexperienced crew chiefs and door-gunners, he said.

"Pilots have always been taught the same across the board," said Holmes, a native of California. "Now, with the Army getting more involved with crew chief and door-gunner training, their standards are the same as ours."

"'Setson' Troop is fully capable of doing whatever is asked of them," said Holmes. "I'm positive they'll blend right in (with our operations), and the only difference between us will be that they have on another unit patch."

• Date Taken: 12.27.2007
• Date Posted: 12.27.2007 17:03
• Story ID: 15036
• Location: TAJI, IQ