Photo By Spc. Landon Evans | U.S. Army 2-285th Aviation Regiment conducts external cargo pickup zone operations in...... read more read more
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FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Tennessee National Guard’s, A troop, 278th Regiment Squadron Support (RSS) and Arizona National Guard, 2-285th Aviation Regiment work together to conduct sling load operation training, 5 June, at Fort Cavazos, Texas.
Army sling load operations are complex military maneuvers that involve loading supplies or equipment onto a helicopter’s cargo hook for air delivery. Utilizing sling load operations is beneficial in remote and hard to access locations with difficult terrain. This form of logistical movement is essential when Soldiers may be in a dangerous situation and in need of supplies in a timely manner.
Arizona National Guard Maj. Ryan Matchey, 2-285th battalion executive officer, oversaw the mission conducted by his unit.
“This morning 2-285th Aviation Regiment supported the 278th RSS in conducting external cargo pickup zone operations,” said Matchey. “This was to conduct a rehearsal of concept for sustainment operations that will take place during the unit’s next deployment.”
Without the assistance of the Arizona National Guard, the sling load operation would not have been possible for Tennessee Soldiers.
“During the mission, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Todd Johnson from Alpha company 2-285th Aviation Regiment performed duties of air mission commander, 1st Lt. Michael Matter from headquarters company 2-285th acted as the PZ controller, while Sgt. 1st Class Louis Garcia and Sgt. Jonathan Atcity from bravo company 2-285th inspected the loads and assisted with sling load hook up operations,” said Matchey.
The helicopter that was transporting materials for the exercise is known as the UH-60 Black Hawk. The black hawk has twin engines which have the capability of transporting up to 9,000 pounds of cargo externally by sling. In addition to weight and size of cargo being transferred, the aviation unit also has to consider other factors during their sling load operations such as: altitude, temperature, humidity, wind and fuel amount in the helicopter. The black hawk is also designed for various other missions including troop transport and medical evacuation.
The members of the Arizona aviation unit and Tennessee Soldiers both worked together to maintain safe flight and ground procedures during this training process. These joint exercises enhance coordination, communication, and operational readiness.
The training consisted of numerous iterations of the exercise in order to familiarize each Soldier with the task at hand. The operation requires a team of Soldiers on ground to ensure the cargo or equipment is properly hooked onto the helicopter. The cohesive collaboration of the sling load exercise was fundamental for the growth development amongst the Tennessee Soldiers.
Capt. Sarah Sellers, A troop commander, 278th RSS, said, “This was an incredible training opportunity for our Soldiers and one that they do not get to experience often. It was great working with the Arizona National Guard to improve our readiness and enhance our operational capabilities in different environments.”
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| Date Taken: | 06.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2024 14:53 |
| Story ID: | 473432 |
| Location: | FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 171 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Precision in the sky: Tennessee and Arizona National Guard conduct sling load operations training, by 1LT Tessa Lindsey, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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