FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. - The Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, Aviation Training Battalion Cargo (CH-47), conducted water bucket operations in support of controlled burns with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Department of Forestry and Wildlife here Apr. 24.
EAATS ATB-Cargo teams developed a training initiative to build upon valuable lessons learned from recent domestic operational support missions in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and Montana.
ATB-Cargo staff worked with DMVA Department of Forestry diligently for several months to plan, resource and conduct water bucket recertification, proficiency training and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) validation in support of controlled burns for planned range maintenance here.
The goal of the water bucket training program was to increase aircrew proficiency and enhance operational capabilities across agencies in Pennsylvania.
Months of coordination between EAATS, DMVA Forestry and Wildlife, and FTIG Range Control culminated in a successful training event conducted during the two week spring maintenance range closure.
"The collaborative organizational effort from EAATS (Operations & ATB-Cargo), FTIG Range Control, DMVA Department of Forestry and Wildlife was a brilliant approach to planning and executing a realistic exercise to support controlled burns for range maintenance that improved PAARNG Aviation DOMOPS capabilities, validated newly fielded enhanced communication systems and confirmed techniques and procedures for helicopter water bucket operations." Said Lt. Col. Randy Lutz, ATB-Cargo commander.
EAATS ATB-Cargo crews supported DMVA Forestry and Wildlife Apr. 24 in training area A-34, located is north of the EAATS campus and south of the ridgeline on Blue Mountain. EAATS CH-47F Chinook helicopters dropped more than 200,000 pounds of water to conduct 2x initial water bucket qualification and sustainment training for 9 additional crewmembers.
EAATS ATB-Cargo refined Aviation Firefighting TTP's and delivery methods with DMVA Forestry and Wildlife ground assets and validated the fielding of the Technisonic TDFM-9000 civil band radio. This enhanced multiband radio was recently fielded and funded by National Guard Bureau to provide enhanced domestic operations communications capabilities for CH-47F aircraft to communicate with federal, state, local authorities and civil agencies with access to frequencies and networks previously beyond Army-fielded equipment.
The enhanced communication platform expands EAATS ATB-Cargo communication capabilities in support of our primary mission to serve as a national operational training reserve for United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence while remaining postured to support DOMOPS with federal, state, local and civil authorities for the governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, National Guard Bureau, the United States and its federal territories.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Lt. Col. Angela King-Sweigart (717)861-8829, or e-mail ng.pa.paarng.list.ftig-pao@mail.mil
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