1 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, connect themselves to a rope connected to a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter during special purpose insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. Allies from Latvia, Canada, Lithuania and Germany participated in the event, which included cold and hot load training on UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and fast rope insertion extraction exercises. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –A Soldier assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, slides down a rope from a tower during multinational fast rope familiarization training, April 20, at Adazi Military Base, Latvia. American soldiers in the region supporting Operation Atlantic Resolve joined allies from Latvia, Canada, Lithuania and Germany for the annual training event. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL3 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, hang suspended from a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter during special purpose insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. Soldiers from the five North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations have been conducting a variety of training together during Summer Shield XIII, an annual two-week long interoperability training event in Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL4 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment pull the rope attached to a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter as they land during special purpose insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL5 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, give the thumbs-up signal to a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter crew, signifying they are securely attached to the rope and ready to proceed during special purpose insertion extraction training, April 21 at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL6 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment hang suspended from a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter during special purpose insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL7 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment are lifted from the ground by a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter during special purpose insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL8 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –A soldier assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment slides down a fast rope from a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter during fast rope insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL9 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –A Lithuanian soldier slides down a fast rope from a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter during fast rope insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL10 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Latvian soldiers quickly exit UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during hot load training, April 21 at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment joined allies from Latvia, Canada, Lithuania and Germany for the training, which culminated with special purpose and fast rope insertion extraction exercises on a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter later in the day. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL11 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment stage themselves before entering a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during cold load rehearsals, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. Allies from Latvia, Canada, Lithuania and Germany participated in the training, which culminated with special purpose and fast rope insertion extraction exercises on a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter later in the day. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL12 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Canadian soldiers quickly exit a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during cold load rehearsals, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment joined allies from Latvia, Canada, Lithuania and Germany for the training, which culminated with special purpose and fast rope insertion extraction exercises on a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter later in the day. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL13 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Latvian soldiers peer into a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter while receiving cold and hot load safety instruction, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment joined allies from Latvia, Canada, Lithuania and Germany for the training, which culminated with special purpose and fast rope insertion extraction exercises on a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter later in the day. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL14 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Spc. Danny Welds, an infantryman assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, slides down a rope from a tower during multinational fast rope familiarization training April 20, at Adazi Military Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL15 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –A Soldier assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, slides down a rope from a tower during multinational fast rope familiarization training, April 20, at Adazi Military Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL16 / 16Show Caption +Hide Caption –Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment pull the rope attached to a Latvian Mi-17 helicopter as they land during special purpose insertion extraction training, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Paige Behringer)VIEW ORIGINAL
LIELVARDE AIR BASE, LATVIA -- A wind strong enough to knock a person off his or her feet over cuts through air on a spring afternoon as the source thunders overhead.
Looking up at the Latvian Mi-17 helicopter through eyes watering in the flurry of airborne debris stirred from the earth, bystanders witnessed a rope falling like Jack's beanstalk climbing opposite from the heavens.
Moments later, soldiers in a blur of green, brown and tan began to descend swiftly, sliding down the rope before assimilating themselves with the wind beaten terrain.
This is what the Army calls fast rope insertion extraction, and that is what soldiers from five North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations did under a clear blue sky, April 21, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia.
Allies from Latvia, Canada, Lithuania, Germany and scouts from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, harnessed up together for a taste of flight during Summer Shield XIII, an annual two-week long interoperability training event in Latvia.
Sgt. Martin Pelletier, a reconnaissance section commander, Canadian army, said this is the first time he has worked with Baltic countries.
"We're used to working with Americans, British soldiers and Western NATO countries," Pelletier added. "Here in Eastern Europe it's a little bit different so both countries are going to benefit from that."
Leading up to the gravitational defiance, soldiers received training, safety instruction and practiced by sliding down fast ropes from a tower at varying heights.
Upon arrival at the airfield, participants from the five armies conducted cold load training on stationary UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, consisting of tactical combat entry and exit. After the dry run, soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, fired up the birds for hot load training.
Soldiers from each country practiced entering the aircraft, took a brief tour of the sky and exited as rapidly and efficiently as they boarded.
Once teams completed cold and hot load training, the group of excited allies chattering in a mix of languages moved toward the Latvian Mi-17 helicopter to become familiar with safety procedures.
In a grassy area, soldiers donned helmets, harnesses and protective gear as the flight crew brought the aircraft roaring into life.
"I was pretty excited," said Spc. Agustin Estrella, an HHT 3/2 infantryman. "This is not something that a lot of people get to do, so it's pretty awesome. This is a really good opportunity for us."
Each team rotated through the bird using hot load skills practiced earlier in the day, then slid promptly down the fast rope before taking cover in the grass below.
The Mi-17 then looped around, switching out ropes for the main event: special purpose insertion extraction.
Soldiers hooked themselves to a rope with eight-point harnesses, almost like an inverted rollercoaster dangling theme park visitors' legs freely in the air.
As the bird lifted higher soldiers feet disconnected with the ground and they were soon hanging from the rope, totally suspended in the air. The helicopter took each team on a five to seven minute ride around the airfield, and not a single face was absent of a smile upon landing.
Estrella said this experience is what it feels like to fly.
Looking past the whirlwind of their day, the scouts have pushed through a variety of training events alongside allies during Summer Shield XIII. From sniper ranges to inflatable zodiac boat training, these soldiers have stepped outside the box and into a new realm of skills.
"I've been in two duty stations ... and I did not get to do anything close to the things I've (been able) to do here," Estrella added.
The biggest thing Estrella said he will take away from this experience is working, training and learning next to NATO allies.
Social Sharing