Florida Army National Guard refueling on the go

SOUTHWEST ASIA - When it comes to refueling helicopters in or near hostile environments, speed is paramount and can make the difference between saving the life of one wounded Soldier or the lives of many by providing fire support.

Saving lives is just one reason why elements of the 77th Combat Aviation Brigade recently exercised the long-range transport abilities of their CH-47 Chinook helicopter assets.

The Chinook can carry up to 15-thousand pounds of fuel, to remotely refuel up to four helicopters simultaneously, as well as bring security forces for refueling missions, also known as 'Fat Cow' missions.

On a cold, clear night, B Company, 1 Battalion -111th Aviation Regiment, of the Florida Army National Guard, took off from an airfield and flew toward a known hostile area to refuel an AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk.

Flying with the doors of the Black Hawk open there was little to see except for the stars in the sky the occasional flames on the ground from gas and oil wells, a few blinking lights and occasionally a glimpse of the silhouettes of the Chinook and Apache.

Touching down in the middle of a field, the clock starts ticking. Fuelers quickly dismounted, carrying hoses and connectors for each aircraft, all while using red lights to see and perform their tasks. Security forces also deployed, to keep watch. The clock continues the march of time.

The engines never stopped. The refueling Soldiers kept a brutal pace- uncoiling, connecting, fueling, disconnecting, coiling, running, packed the gear away, and then back aboard their chopper. Security also pulled in, leaving both the Apache and Blackhawk with their needed fuel, and they flew into the night in less than 28 minutes.