Fort Bliss hosts Master Rappel Course

By Abigail MeyerFebruary 10, 2017

Fort Bliss hosts Master Rappel Course
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Fort Bliss hosts Master Rappel Course
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Fort Bliss hosts Master Rappel Course
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FORT BLISS, Texas--The 1st Armored Division Iron Training Detachment offers courses from pre-Ranger to air assault operations. The highly trained, specially selected cadre have certifications and skill sets that provide assets to the division and other tenant units of Fort Bliss, Texas. Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Arkansas Army National Guard, took advantage of those skills to provide some additional training to Soldiers on their way to the Horn of Africa the week of Jan. 30 through Feb. 3, 2017.

"Our mission is to train the Iron Soldiers and increase the lethality of the division but we extend that training to our Guard and Reserve partners, our sister services," said Capt. Clayton Melton, commander, ITD.

First Bn., 153rd Inf. Regt., shipped out Soldiers to the Horn of Africa in waves, and had some time between flights. Capt. Brad Barron contacted the ITD about putting together some training for his Soldiers who wouldn't have much to do otherwise.

"There wasn't enough time for air assault, but we could get a rappel master course, so we just asked the question and Capt. Melton and his folks were extremely helpful, got it turned around in really short time," Barron said.

Soldiers in the five-day Master Rappel Course learned to safely run a rappel tower, sling load operations and were tested on aircraft rappelling operations, which relies largely on hand signals to communicate with rappelers. Safety is the goal.

"The Rappel Master Course helps the division become more diverse and mission capable. It just gives them another asset to their mission," said Sgt. 1st Class Jose Ramirez, noncommissioned officer-in-charge. "So any sling load operation or things that have to do with helicopters within the division can get done now with the added rappel masters."

Students also learn advanced rappelling techniques, such as how to rescue a stuck rappeler and how to dive off the tower Aussie style.

"It's a lot of really good information. A few things that we learned here that we didn't learn at air assault," said Sgt. John Blunkall, 1st Bn., 153rd Inf. Regt.

The 153rd brought 13 Soldiers to the course and a few 1st Armored Division Soldiers jumped in as well. Barron was grateful for the ITD's willingness to teach the course.

"Extremely helpful, very accommodating, got it turned in rapid time and we're excited to be taking advantage of it," Barron said.

There are just a few Army installations where Soldiers can learn to be rappel masters, so the ITD was happy to help train a unit headed off on deployment.

"In real world missions, you're going to be dealing with aircraft, with helicopters, so the more familiar they are, the more trained and certified they are, it's going to be more beneficial to the Army as a whole," Ramirez said. "Eventually they (rappel masters) will become subject matter experts in their unit."

The ITD hopes to offer the course once a quarter, and is open to working with other units on post or those mobilizing to deploy.