JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii - Operating in the Pacific Theater requires teamwork, interoperability and a dedication to maximizing unique capabilities like the ones demonstrated here during maritime rappel and sling load training Feb. 11.
During the at-sea exercise, U.S. Army Pacific Waterborne Soldiers aboard the 8th Theater Sustainment Command's U.S. Army Vessel Lt. Gen. William B. Bunker, Logistic Support Vessel-4 and Air Assault and Aviation Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division joined forces to conduct operations that increase readiness and support across the region.
The Air Assault Soldiers, from 25th Infantry Division's Lightning Academy Air Assault School, using CH-47 Chinook helicopters from 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th ID, traveled to and then air assaulted down onto the deck of the vessel while it was underway miles from its home station here.
"Our day-to-day is working with all kinds of organizations across services, across branches of government and across nations," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Francis Lloyd, the vessel master for LSV-4.
The vessel and other Army Watercraft assets play a key role in the U.S. Pacific Command when it comes to transporting vehicles, equipment and personnel to any location across the theater, in addition to providing platforms for forward projection and support operations in support of Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief and other contingency operations in the region.
This training demonstrated that versatility, and its goal was to conduct maritime sling load operations to hook up cargo to be aerially transported from the deck of the boat.
"It goes to demonstrate the humanitarian aid capabilities and close support capabilities that we can provide and shows how adaptive our leaders are with their ability to work together and overcome any situation," Lloyd said.
LSV-4's orange rescue boat sailed alongside the boat during the training to ensure safety and exercise readiness in rescue operations if necessary.
"For us to do this is right up our alley," Lloyd said. "It just reinforces again how versatile we are."
The Soldiers from the academy were also given the opportunity to watch the vessel crew conduct man-overboard and other underway drills and training and the 8th TSC and 25th ID troops also interacted and shared experiences throughout the event.
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