FORT POLK, La. -- Soldiers assigned to A Company, 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, conducted sling load training March 14, on the Self Airfield during their Joint Readiness Training Center rotation here.
Twenty-two Soldiers trained on proper rigging procedures, hand-arm signals, ground guiding, hookup procedures and safety guidelines required for sling load operations. This training will prepare them for future deployment missions.
"Sling load operations are one of the primary modes of sustainment distribution in Afghanistan, where mountainous terrain and the lack of paved roads make ground distribution operations untimely and difficult," said Maj. Paul Madden, 210th BSB executive officer. "Aerial delivery requires less manpower (and) time and safeguards Soldiers and equipment from the dangers of convoy operations."
Primary instructors 1st Lt. Sean Park and Sgt. Aaron White trained new Soldiers with the help of five experienced riggers.
Sling load teams trained in the rigging of loads and multiple elevator lifts of two 500-gallon water blivets chained to an M-3 crop flat rack, which weighs about 13,000 pounds, and an M-1097 Humvee, which weighs about 5,600 pounds.
The CH-47 Chinook helicopter was piloted by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kevin Jordan from 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, from Fort Riley, Kan. He was pleased with the Soldiers' performance.
"Alpha Company was one of the few units in the past rotations that prepared and rigged the loads in accordance with the field manual," Jordon said. "Prior training to JRTC had obviously been conducted at Fort Drum."
Soldiers received valuable training throughout the day.
"This training event was an absolutely awesome opportunity for Alpha Soldiers to get hands-on experience in sling load operations," said Capt. Gregory Jackson, commander of A Company, 210th BSB.
"We were also able to bargain for a flight around the area of operations following the training event," he added. "It was simply a great day for the A-Team."
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