Pure Drinking Water for Thristy Soldiers

Photo By Lt. Col. John Hall | The Water Purification team offload their equipment to ready it for operation in support of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.  

ITALY

01.11.2018

Story by Lt. Col. John Hall 

173rd Airborne Brigade

VICENZA - At the height of Ancient Rome, those who maintained the water supply to the Empire were regarded as among the most important citizens. Water is no less important today to our civilization and armies. Supplying continuous, clean water to the 4,600 paratroopers who are the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, with sustained operations throughout the region, is a tall order.
To ensure the Light Water Purifier (LWP) team is prepared to execute their support mission, the 173rd Airborne, Brigade Support Battalion, Water Purification Platoon conducted a day and night tactical movement to emplace their equipment, and once on site, to have it operational within the Army Standard of 45 minutes.
The operation began at a tactical assembly area where 1st. Lt. Natalie Bader collected her platoon. She then lead the Fuel and Water platoon through a dismounted patrol through an urban area. Once they had selected a suitable water source, they went to work to put their air droppable LWP into operation.
“This purification system is capable of producing 2500 gallons of clean water per day,” proudly stated Bader. This team and system dropped into Bulgaria last summer to support the 173rd Airborne Brigade in the Saber Guardian Exercise. “In the past year we have not only fueled the wheeled vehicles of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, we have also supported flight operations for Apache and Blackhawk helicopters as well as FARPs (Forward Area Refueling Points) for operations throughout Europe supporting our paratroopers and NATO allies.
The airborne water purification team quickly unloaded the meticulously packed 1097 HMMWV. The platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Anthone Nice, a Ranger qualified Water Purification NCO, described the action as “organized chaos”. In careful choreography, the Paratroopers worked to offload the heavy pumps and reverse osmosis systems, while other Soldiers set up the generator and laid out the electrical wiring, and others laid out the water hose and connected the system. From the time they began assembly until they primed the pump and purified water was flowing, only 40 minutes had passed.
“I am so proud of my paratroopers,” beamed Bader. “In this platoon we have both 92F fuelers, and 92W ‘water dogs’. To ensure we can always meet the needs or the 173rd Airborne Brigade “Sky Soldiers”, we have cross trained every Soldier. Every fueler is trained to filter water and every water treatment specialist can assist with fueling operations.”
“My Paratroopers are like a team of chemists, testing and adding chemicals,” said Bader, a Quartermaster officer with a degree in Biochemistry from Lehigh University. “My platoon will make sure the 173rd Airborne Brigade and our allies have the water to win the fight.”
"In all of the armies, in all of the world, this team right here, are the only Soldiers who jump out of airplanes and create clean water at the brigade level. For a forward deployed fighting force like the 173rd Airborne Brigade, sustained, clean water for our paratroopers makes us even more lethal," said Brigade Support Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Christopher Baker.
The “Sky Soldier” water purification platoon is trained, tested and ready to support the 173rd Airborne Brigade mission to provide rapidly deployable forces to face any adversary. The Water Purification Team is an essential element in this airborne force that is always fast, light and ready to fight, and win.

• Date Taken: 01.11.2018
• Date Posted: 01.11.2018 07:40
• Story ID: 261828
• Location: IT