Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Zach Sheely | Soldiers with 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Infantry...... read more read more
Active-duty aviation Soldiers working with special operations forces personnel on a National Guard weapons range.
Just another day at Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range near Salina, Kansas.
Soldiers with the 3rd Helicopter Assault Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, partnered with a special operations forces unit and the Kansas National Guard to conduct a combat aviation exercise during the first week of May 2016.
The 3-1 CAB sent approximately 200 Soldiers and eight helicopters including Black Hawks, Chinooks and Apaches to the exercise. The Soldiers used the facilities of the Kansas Regional Training Center for logistical needs, and Salina Airport to stage the helicopters, in addition to Smoky Hill.
According to Lt. Col. Jennifer Reynolds, 3-1 CAB Task Force commander, Salina and Smoky Hill offer the perfect training venue for this realistic training scenario.
“The facilities in Salina are outstanding,” said Reynolds. “I really couldn’t ask for a better partnership than we’ve had with our National Guard brethren here.”
The Soldiers used the massive land space and mock urban villages of Smoky Hill to conduct air assault, aerial maneuvering and gunnery missions as part of the exercise.
A Kansas National Guard facility operated by the 184th Intelligence Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, Smoky Hill is no stranger to frequent active-duty customers.
“The time to figure out how to work together isn’t downrange, it’s here,” said Maj. Todd Kavouras, operations officer, Smoky Hill. “Hopefully we can provide a realistic training atmosphere for them to come together and figure out their tactics, techniques and
procedures.”
Reynolds said that Smoky Hill is well tailored for her units’ needs for many reasons.
“One, being that it’s so big,” said Reynolds. “Two, the Air Force trains here. If we go anywhere, it’s not just the Army, we train and go to combat together. Using Smoky Hill is just enhancing what we have at Fort Riley and I absolutely hope (the partnership) continues.”
Spc. Daulton Wallace, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter maintainer, 3-1 CAB, said the unfamiliar territory accentuated the realism.
“Being away from our normal training area gives you more realistic training,” said Wallace. “The ranges (at Smoky Hill) are good for we need to do. Their tower is perfect for us and there’s plenty of space there to maneuver.”
The Soldiers were tested day and night to prepare them for what they might face on a deployment.
“We start hitting them with different scenarios without the regulation and they realize they can handle it, it just builds their competence and their confidence at the same time,” said Reynolds.
| Date Taken: | 06.01.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.01.2016 15:18 |
| Story ID: | 199667 |
| Location: | TOPEKA, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 194 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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