287th Transport Company trains in support of 155th ABCT

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Connie Jones | Motor transport operators with the 287th Transportation Company, U.S. Army Reserve, pull a cable from a heavy equipment transporter during their wench operations July 29, 2015, at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Miss. The Soldiers were training to be able to move vehicles in support of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi National Guard, during an Exportable Combat Training Capability exercise. XCTC gives units the opportunity to strengthen their individual and combat readiness. (Mississippi National Guard photo by Sgt. Connie Jones, 102nd Public Affairs Detachment/Released)  

CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES

07.29.2015

Story by Sgt. Connie Jones 

102d Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP SHELBY JOINT FORCES TRAINING CENTER, Miss. – Wherever you have multiple moving vehicles, you’re bound to have a malfunction on at least one of them.

During Exportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) exercises, there are many vehicles present, which is why it’s necessary to have a transportation company on call.

Motor transport operators with the 287th Transportation Company, U.S. Army Reserve, conducted wench operations using M1070 Heavy Equipment Transport trucks in support of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi Army National Guard at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on July 29, 2015.

The Soldiers were training to load, move, and unload vehicles using wenches to connect vehicles to the HET, said Staff Sgt. Avery A. Autman, of Jacksonville, Alabama.

“We have to be able to drive and, once we get to the destination, we have to be able to load and unload whatever they have set for us,” said Autman.

There’s a misconception that it is just a job driving trucks but it’s more than that, which is what makes them an asset.

“It’s not just driving; we have to be able to do tie-down procedures, we have to be able to untie, download, upload, and know the specifics of your vehicle so that you can have it prepped for whatever type of equipment you’re picking up,” said Autman.

The training was conducted to prepare them for vehicle transport that may stop working during XCTC, said Capt. Derrick Simpson, commander of the Livingston, Ala. based 287th.

“The mission that we have here at Camp Shelby is to provide two HET recovery trucks for assets in the field when the Bradleys go down, we bring them back to the rear so that they can be worked on,” said Simpson.

An XCTC is a brigade field training exercise, which features all three Army components who train to one standard for total force effectiveness. The 155th ABCT is participating in the XCTC exercise from July 19 to Aug. 18.

• Date Taken: 07.29.2015
• Date Posted: 07.29.2015 20:30
• Story ID: 171513
• Location: CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, US