FORT SILL, Okla. (July 31, 2015) -- With recent temperatures near 100 degrees and with heat indexes approaching 108 degrees, drill sergeants must closely monitor Basic Combat Training (BCT) Soldiers to prevent heat injuries.
Heat risk assessments are performed before an outdoors training event, Soldiers are allowed appropriate work-to-rest ratios to cool down, and drill sergeants remind their Soldiers to drink water.
In week four of their BCT, 240 Soldiers from A Battery, 1st Battalion, 79th Field Artillery spent a hot, humid day July 24, at the Cpl. Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. Modified Record Fire (MRF) 3 Range qualifying on the M16 rifle.
Battery leaders not only kept track of the Soldiers' qualification scores, but ensured the trainees followed procedures to stay cool and hydrated, said 1st Sgt. Anthony White, A/1-79th FA.
"In Oklahoma it gets very hot, so we as leaders have to make sure we take precautions to keep our Soldiers safe," White said.
There are several procedures battery leaders implement to minimize heat-related injuries in trainees, said Capt. Matthew Truax, A/1-79th FA commander.
At the MRF, there was a building with an environmental control unit (ECU) to provide air conditioning where the trainees could cool down.
At sites where there is not such a structure, a Base-X tent is erected with an ECU to provide cooling, said Truax, who has been battery commander for about one month. And, large tent-like solar shades are also raised to provide Soldiers relief from the heat and sun.
Mister-fans were also in operation in the chow areas to spray trainees with a fine mist of water to cool down.
Right before their field lunch of MREs, BCT Soldiers were required to do arm immersion in ice-cold water to help lower their core body temperature.
Soldiers with their Army Combat Uniform (ACU) tops still on lowered their arms in a large ice chest for 15 seconds, which was timed by another Soldier.
"I have them keep their ACU tops on that way they stay wet and the air keeps them cooler longer," the battery commander said.
Trainee Pvt. Lars Weigel, A/1-79th FA, was one of the Soldiers who immersed his arms.
"It was cold, but it was refreshing," said Weigel, who will graduate Aug. 28, with the rest of the battery.
In Heat Category 5 (temperatures of 90 degrees and higher), BCT Soldiers may unblouse their pant legs and roll them to two cuffs, and undo their wrist cuffs for a training event, the captain said.
"This allows a better airflow through the uniform, so Soldiers won't have heat issues," Truax said.
In Heat Cat. 5, when working outside, the recommended intake of water is one quart per hour, according to Fort Sill Emergency Operations Center guidelines.
A full, large potable water tank (water buffalo) was at the range, where Soldiers could fill their individual water bladders, i.e., CamelBak, as well as coolers, jugs and five-gallon water containers.
BCT Soldiers ferried bags of ice, five-gallon containers and water jugs up and down the range's safe area for the trainees' and cadre's consumption.
Drill sergeants constantly reminded idle Soldiers to drink water.
Every time a drill sergeant gives an order to drink water, the trainee drops to one knee and takes a drink, Truax said. If a formation is given an order to drink, then the whole formation will drop to a knee so the drill sergeant can see if everyone is consuming water.
If a Soldier suffers a heat injury, all drill sergeants have completed the Combat Lifesaver Course and can apply ice sheets (iced towels) to the injured.
If Soldiers suffers from heat stroke, they can be medically evacuated by ground to an ambulance exchange point where they would be transferred to a Reynolds Army Community Hospital ambulance.
As an extra precaution, landing zones have been established before the training event if there needs to be an air medical evacuation, Truax said.
Every day A Battery leaders complete risk management worksheets factoring in the possible hazards for a training event, whether it's heat, cold, flooding, lightning, etc.
If conditions are extreme, the leaders talk with their commanders to determine an appropriate course of action to ensure the training still gets done, such as doing it in the battery areas, Truax said.
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