Photo By Spc. Joshua Zayas-Sabogal | Sgt Jacob Hagler, a CH-47 crew chief assigned to the 2nd General Support Aviation...... read more read more
FORT CARSON, Colo. – Within the rugged terrain of Fort Carson lies a promising Soldier whose dream of working in aviation became a reality.
Sgt Jacob Hagler, a CH-47 Chinook crew chief assigned to the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, began his journey into Army Aviation with the decision to join the Army. This decision led him to become a CH-47 Crew Chief, which is a pivotal position in the flight of any aircraft.
"I just joined for a better opportunity in life," said Hagler. "I've always been passionate about aviation; after going to an army recruiter and enlisting, picking my job as a CH-47 Helicopter Repair, I saw this helicopter, and I said to myself, 'I've never seen anything like this, the way the mechanics work, it just blew my mind.' At that point I knew I had made the right choice."
Staff Sgt. James Harty, his platoon sergeant also assigned to 2nd GSAB, 4th CAB, 4th Inf. Div., highlights the crucial role of crew chiefs in supporting pilot command and control. This provides valuable insights into helicopter maintenance and operations.
"Crew chiefs are subject matter experts on all maintenance and operation of the helicopter they crew," said Harty. "The pilots are in command and control the helicopter, but the crew chiefs are the rearview mirror for those pilots and say when and where they can move. Without the 360 view the crew chiefs have, the pilots would not be able to perform their duties, so when things tend to happen, they're the first answer and the first to be called."
Fort Carson's high-altitude environment enables pilots and crew members to train at a level not typically seen in other installations. The mountains that pose challenges in far-off deployments become a classroom for pilots preparing for real-life scenarios. The significance of this training ground emphasizes Fort Carson's unique position as a place for honing aviation skills.
“Most duty stations don't have the amount of variety Fort Carson has,” said Hagler. “Soldiers who train at places such as Fort Campbell won't experience the same thing as us when its mostly low altitude and flat terrain; they're not going to experience things such as hypoxia. Whenever we deploy to places like Iraq and Syria, it's all a higher opportunity to explore these conditions because you're more vulnerable to those specific situations.” said Hagler.
Hagler mentions the pleasure of having the opportunity to train with his team and other units like the 10th special forces group and forming unique bonds while training for real events.
"The camaraderie is the most rewarding part of this job,” said Hagler. “Its always an awesome time during the training when we go TDY (Temporary Duty) and hang out, going out of town on mission and just doing our job realistically, especially when working with 10th SFG, we're always doing some realistic missions having them rappel out of helicopters, dropping off snowmobiles, picking them up, doing helo cast, were it's always something new.”
Hagler mentions the discipline that comes with working with these machines every day. It's a machine that defies the laws of physics, and because of that, they have pilots and crew that must know their job, their responsibilities, and their competence level.
“Our pilots don't have complacency with our airframe because it's such a unique airframe; it's a large helicopter that requires multiple people to navigate, so explicit communication and discipline are required.”
Hagler's commitment to his role and overall leadership has captured attention within his unit, with accolades as knowledgeable and hardworking. Harty sees him as an up-and-coming flight engineer, noting, "The next step after the crew chief is flight engineer, and with as much as he knows, he should become that easily enough, he’s the model crew chief. He's dedicated, knows his aircraft, is hardworking, and can never stray away from a task.”
In the challenging terrain of Fort Carson, Sgt Jacob Hagler's aviation journey symbolizes achievement. Choosing to be a CH-47 Crew Chief out of a deep interest in aviation, Hagler's commitment and leadership shine. His work with units like the 10th Special Forces Group highlights the rewarding aspects of his job. His story stands as a demonstration of the idea that dedication and passion can propel anyone to achieve their goals.
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| Date Taken: | 01.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 01.18.2024 13:50 |
| Story ID: | 462027 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 334 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Flying High: Nurturing Expertise and Unity with the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, by SPC Joshua Zayas-Sabogal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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