Soldiers train on Army's biggest truck

Courtesy Photo | Personnel from the 155th Cargo Transfer Company out of Fort Eustis, Va., winch aboard an M1A2 Abrams onto a Heavy Equipment Transport Dec. 18 on Camp Taji, Iraq. The HET training was a 14-day period of instruction that included how to load and unload the Abrams.  

TAJI, IRAQ

01.12.2006

Courtesy Story

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CAMP TAJI, Iraq " Personnel from the 155th Cargo Transfer Company finished a two-week training session on the heavy equipment transport (HET) Dec. 20 given by 4th Sustainment Brigade driving instructors.

"It goes with the American saying: the bigger, the better," said Sgt. Kevin Cox, master driver with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, describing the sheer size of the vehicle.

While the 155th personnel had experience with a wide variety of Army vehicle sizes, none had dealt much with the "king of trucks," the nickname for the 90,000 pound behemoth.

"Before this, the biggest thing I"d driven was a humvee," said Spc. Joshua Pollock, a cargo specialist with the 155th.

Those from the 155th trained in HET operation will assist with the company's recovery mission.

The HET can haul every Army tracked and wheeled vehicle, the heaviest of which is the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank. Part of the HET training involved loading and unloading a disabled M1 tank, relying only on the HET's winches to pull it aboard.

"There are so many things that could go wrong with [loading a disabled tank]," said Sgt. 1st Class Gustavo Soto, 4th Sustainment Brigade personal security detail NCOIC, also a HET driving instructor. "We're here to teach these guys how to do this by the book so they are ready for anything out there."

"If they can handle [a tank], they can handle anything out there," Cox said.

Careful coordination between the HET crew is required during an operation like loading a disabled M1A2. The vehicle's two winches are each rated for 55,000 pounds and can quickly be damaged by the 68-ton tank if not synchronized.

Other areas of training included proper PMCS, how to change any of the vehicle's 40 tires, turning and backing up with the 51-foot trailer.

• Date Taken: 01.12.2006
• Date Posted: 01.12.2006 12:21
• Story ID: 5100
• Location: TAJI, IQ