Photo By Sgt. Spencer Case | Soldiers in the 109th Quartermaster Co. prepare to fire their armored security...... read more read more
By Spc. Spencer Case
Soldiers in the security platoon of the 109th Quartermaster Company zeroed and test fired four Armored Security Vehicles (ASV) at Objective Hawaii, Oct. 25, in an exercise to prepare them for providing combat logistics patrol security during their tour in Iraq.
The active duty Soldiers of Fort Lee, Va. maneuvered four vehicles to the objective and fired several hundred rounds of ammunition from two weapons systems as a culmination of six days of ASV familiarization training. Brooks Hubbard IV, a Department of Defense civilian who is a training instructor for the ASV, said training like this will become more common as the Army puts the vehicle into larger production.
"Right now the ASV is important," Hubbard said. "The Army is looking for a secure platform for Soldiers to accomplish their missionsâ?¦. The ASVâ?¦ is able to take more of a punishment than the 1114 [humvee,] the Soldiers have more confidence, and basically, it saves lives."
The ASV, made by a company called Textron Systems, was originally contracted for Army MP's. The vehicle features an enclosed turret for better gunner protection, highway speeds exceeding 60 miles per hour and a weapon station with an improved 40 mm MK 19 grenade launcher and .50-caliber machine gun. The ASV is suitable for a variety of uses, including reconnaissance, personnel carrier, or engineer vehicle. There are currently about 160 ASV's in Iraq and the Army plans to bring that number up to about 700 in the near future, Hubbard said.
Units deploying to LSA Anaconda receive their issue of ASV's from the ASV Fielding Center. Units then undergo 40 hours of operational training and 20 hours of tactical training over a period of six days. Soldiers learn to drive the ASV during daytime and nighttime conditions, perform basic maintenance and use the weapons systems.
Since the vehicles come straight from the factory, the units receiving the vehicles install basic issue items such as mirrors and straps.
After completing the familiarization process with the ASV, Soldiers of the 109th expressed confidence in the new vehicle.
"I feel safer in this vehicle than any other vehicle so far in the military," said Spc. Donte Massenburg, a gunner for the 109th.
"I think it's a great vehicle," added Sgt. 1st Class Rich Winn, a platoon sergeant in the 109th. "It can take just about anything the enemy can dish out to us right nowâ?¦. It will provide better security for us out there during engagements."
| Date Taken: | 11.08.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2005 14:08 |
| Story ID: | 3670 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 335 |
| Downloads: | 50 |
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