Photo By Sgt. Ryan Scribner | U.S. Army Spc. Darwin Flores, a signal operations support specialist with the 187th...... read more read more
Ten Soldiers with the New York Army National Guard’s 369th Sustainment Brigade conducted Humvee training at the Camp Smith Training Site during the brigade’s inactive duty training weekend in April 2024.
The Humvee gets its name from the sound of its initials – HMMWV. It stands for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle.
Humvee training consists of instruction on the maintenance and operation of the vehicle, preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) with the utilization of a technical manual for precise inspection, vehicle operator and ground guide practice in the brigade’s motor pool and testing on a driving course.
The course allows Soldiers to operate the vehicle with a multi-terrain environment that requires adaptability, strategic thinking, and technical proficiency. Sgt. Juan Rodriguez, a non-commissioned officer with the brigade’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), who led the driver’s training, expressed confidence in his unit’s increased readiness for future vehicle-related missions.
“When Soldiers understand how to properly check and operate vehicles, they are in control,” Rodriguez said. “They realize that nine out of ten times, they will have an answer to any circumstance that will arise simply by understanding the vehicle’s manual, properly operating the vehicle, following posted signs and obeying traffic laws.”
Rodriguez was quick to credit his fellow HHC NCOs Sgt. Erik Morales-Rivera, a qualified driving instructor, and Sgt. Ryan Archibald, who assisted with PMCS, ground guide instruction and driver evaluation.
During the road tests, Morales sat on the passenger side, guiding the training driver with safety instructions, while Archibald evaluated the driver’s operation of the vehicle and their adherence to proper procedures.
The individual driver then applied, on the road, what they had learned. Spc. Brianna Green, a human resources specialist with the brigade’s administration section, said that the hands-on training, while not necessarily pushing her out of her comfort zone, equipped her with additional skills.
“If there was ever a situation outside of training where I needed to drive a Humvee, I feel confident that I would drive well,” Green said.
This training experience marked the first encounter with Humvee operation for some Soldiers in their military careers.
For Pfc. Carlton Smith, a tactical generator specialist with the brigade’s HHC, the training initially seemed more daunting than the reality, which proved to be quite straightforward. He expressed that he found it not only manageable but everything he was tested on, he was prepared to handle through the combination of thorough instruction, using the technical manual and practice.
Spc. Erlin Santana, a logistics specialist with the brigade’s support operations section, said that if she was ever part of a mission that required her to operate a Humvee, she felt qualified to do so.
According to the Army, driver’s training is imperative for Soldier safety, preserves public trust in combat and tactical vehicles and facilitates long-term mission accomplishment.
Pfc. Yeralkis Gomez, a network communication systems specialist with the brigade’s 187th Signal Support Company, said that learning about the PMCS process and the correct gears to use for a Humvee—decisions that depend on the terrain—helped her better understand vehicle operations and significantly boosted her assurance in managing various driving conditions.
Every individual Soldier from Basic Combat Training onward is instilled with skills and a set of core values that embodies a deep history and heritage.
Beyond foundational training and principles, continuous skill enhancement plays a critical role.
According to Rodriguez, when Soldiers master vehicle operations, they further their own expertise and strengthen the readiness of their entire unit.
“When units are maintained by Soldiers who know more and do more,” Rodriguez said, “the Army as a whole becomes better prepared and more successful.”
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2024 16:33 |
| Story ID: | 468610 |
| Location: | CORTLAND MANOR, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 121 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Sustainment Brigade Soldiers Hone Tactical Vehicle Skills, by SGT Ryan Scribner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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