3rd CAB Soldiers stand down for safety

3rd CAB Soldiers stand down for safety

Story by Spc. Scott Lindblom

HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga.--The Soldiers of 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade stepped away from their helicopters and into the classroom during the Army Aviation safety stand down on Hunter Army Airfield December 3-7.

Army Forces Command ordered the stand down after the Army suffered a loss of three helicopter crews in separate crashes within only 10 days.

Aviators and helicopter maintainers attended several classes focusing on safety standards and their units operating procedures in an effort to prevent future aviation accidents and loss of life.

Sgt. 1st Class Casey Haugen, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment shared personal experiences with fellow enlisted aviators during safety classes conducted in the field.

"We have to bring up the issues that cause accidents such as human factors, engineering factors and other variables," Haugen said. "We are getting more people involved, we'll find the issue, we'll fix the issue, and we'll get back into the fight."

Haugen described a humbling experience after a technical inspector found that he had crushed two washers during a maintaince task he rushed through. He carries the two washers in his pocket to remind him of his complacency.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Nearn, production control officer, Co. D, 2nd Bn. 3rd Avn. Regt. walked pilots through flight log programs and the importance of correct procedures.

"Any time we have loss of this caliber it is a good idea to stop and see what is going on," Nearn said. "Mistakes are going to be made. However classes like todays and people in in the right places can minimize those mistakes."

Maj. Jacqueline Stilwell, commander, Co. B, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion spoke with her Soldiers about her first hand experiences with aviation accidents.

Stilwell lost her commanding officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom in a helicopter accident that killed 14 Soldiers. The investigation found foreign object damage caused the tail drive shaft to fail shortly after takeoff.

"We have to make sure that everything is being done to ensure that every product that is push out the door is of good safe quality," Stilwell said. "This training is serious, we take this serious, and it is very import that we are doing this."