FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- When returning from a deployment, Soldiers can anticipate certain events: reunions with friends and Family Members, adjusting to life back home, and reset of their equipment. As the brigade's signal company, resetting equipment is a particularly critical task for Soldiers of C Company, 277th Aviation Support Battalion, Task Force Mountain Eagle, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (LI).
"Since the tactical networking equipment the company employs is primarily composed of 'commercial off-the-shelf' components, it is less rugged than traditional military equipment," said Capt. Matthew K. Thompson, commander of C Company, 277th ASB.
"Exposure to the Afghan heat, cold, dust, rain, snow and even occasional enemy fire truly put this equipment to the test, and after a yearlong deployment, multiple helicopter sling operations, and over 9,000 hours of continuous operating time in such a harsh climate, the equipment was definitely due for an overhaul," he added.
The Warfighter Information Network -- Tactical, or WIN-T, is a system that provides today's Soldier a secure means of global communication for both voice and data through satellite transmission. In the combat aviation brigade, WIN-T consists of a Joint Network Node and seven Command Post Nodes, which support battalion and above headquarters elements and can be used to extend the network to remote locations as required by a particular mission.
"Since the most recent deployment to Afghanistan saw the CAB occupying forward operating bases with significant communications infrastructure already in place, the brigade consolidated its WIN-T equipment in the signal company and pushed the teams out to support maneuver elements on smaller, less established, combat outposts needing more robust voice and data communications," Thompson said.
The reset process began after successfully completing a handoff of the communication mission to 82nd CAB's Signal Company in October, and the direct shipment of the bulk of equipment straight to respective sources of repair in the U.S.
Once the bulk of the repair was completed, the equipment returned to Fort Drum to be validated in an exercise Feb. 21 to March 7. The validation exercise -- which verifies that the entire refurbishing process was successful and the 10th CAB's communication equipment is prepared to support future aviation missions -- was conducted by U.S. Army Communications - Electronics Command - Information Technology - Field Service Branch.
The VALEX team itself is made up of a diverse crew of experts coming together from across the country to work with the unit to accomplish the reset mission. While most of the work is done by the engineers, the team also provided an opportunity for some "over-the-shoulder" training for Soldiers assisting in the VALEX.
"It was a great opportunity for our new Soldiers to actually see the entire system in one place, set up and working as intended, before actually having to install and operate the equipment themselves," said Staff Sgt. Kevin Pearson, JNN platoon sergeant.
Marian Bryant, site lead and RESET coordinator for CECOM -IT-FSB, said it was a pleasure to support 10th CAB's reset. Bryant singled out Warrant Officer Kenneth Geary, 10th CAB's network management technician, for coordinating the unit's support of the exercise.
"The reset team, working closely with our Soldiers in a mutually beneficial manner, has really set us up for success and is a great example of the importance of developing a good working relationship with our civilian support agencies that bring to us a specific and focused expertise that ultimately enhances our unit's capabilities," Thompson said.
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