Black Hawk maintainer discusses supporting gunnery training at Fort McCoy; helo's capabilities

Photo By Christopher Jones | Spec. Alexander Barthel with the Wisconsin National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment stands near a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter May 31, 2024, at Fort McCoy, Wis., that he was completing maintenance on. Members of the unit regularly complete training operations at Fort McCoy and the unit also supports numerous training events at the installation each year. According to the Army fact sheet for the Black Hawk, its mission is to provide air assault, general support, aeromedical evacuation, command and control, and special operations support to combat, stability, and support operations. The UH-60 also is the Army’s utility tactical transport helicopter. The versatile helicopter has enhanced the overall mobility of the Army due to dramatic improvements in troop capacity and cargo lift capability over the years as well. (U.S. Army Photo by Christopher Jones, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

06.25.2024

Story by Christopher Jones 

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Keeping the Black Hawks ready for training is important, and that’s what Spec. Alexander Barthel with the Wisconsin National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment, stationed in Madison, outlined while supporting the battalion’s gunnery training at Fort McCoy in May 2024.

“Our mission here is to provide essential maintenance support for Alpha and Charlie Company’s gunnery exercises,” said Barthel. “We’re responsible for ensuring that our fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters is in peak operational condition.”

Barthel emphasized the rigorous maintenance procedures required to keep the helicopters airworthy.

“We conduct daily checks and preventative maintenance to address any issues that could affect flight readiness,” he explained. “Our goal is to maintain the highest standards of safety and performance.”

The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are versatile assets used for personnel transport and mission equipment deployment by the Army. They require skilled Soldiers with advanced training to ensure they operate safely.

“With four years of experience in this unit, working on these helicopters has been both challenging and rewarding,” Barthel said. “We do have quite a longer advanced individual training period for this MOS (military occupational specialty). And it’s around 16 weeks that gives us the ability to even step foot on these aircraft. Throughout our careers, we are constantly doing training every single time we come to drill. And there’s always going to be higher experience needed when it comes to supervising, so it’s constant ongoing training. There are definitely multiple layers of safety that goes into who can get work done on aircraft and what exactly they can do.”

Supporting flights and required maintenance for annual gunnery training plays a crucial role in maintaining proficiency among crew chiefs.

“The flight company handles logistics, flying from Madison to Fort McCoy with necessary equipment,” Barthel noted. “Our role is vital in supporting their transportation needs to facilitate this essential training.”

Barthel mentioned the helicopters’ involvement in both military operations overseas and humanitarian missions domestically.

“While some have seen combat deployments, others support critical missions such as firefighting efforts in California,” he added.

Working in Army aviation was an easy choice for Barthel, who highlighted the wide range of opportunities available to those interested in the field.

“Army aviation is an amazing spot to be, especially on the National Guard side. It correlates a lot to skills that are applicable to civilian life as well,” Barthel explained. “I think it’s a great career choice to get into this kind of job in this kind of unit. Whether in maintenance, administration, supply, or aspiring to become a pilot, Army Aviation offers diverse career paths.

Many of our pilots also say that flying helicopters is a lot cooler than flying planes, so it’s a great route to take.”

Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.

The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.

Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”

Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”

• Date Taken: 06.25.2024
• Date Posted: 06.25.2024 16:05
• Story ID: 474825
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US