NORMAN, Okla., - “Back four...three…two…one…and hold,” could be heard over the radio as Sgt. David Tillman, a crew chief with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, calmly guides pilots of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter into position over mock victims floating here at Lake Thunderbird June 6.
The unit was undergoing over-water hoist training and Soldiers played the parts of the victims.
Sgt. Richard Pindel, a flight medic with Company C, said the training not only provides great experience for unit members but also prepares them to respond to disasters similar to Hurricane Katrina where the unit conducted hoist rescues of stranded civilians in New Orleans in 2005.
“Hurricane Katrina showed us there is a real call for this type of mission,” said Pindel. “This is a great opportunity to help our communities.”
Capt. Russell Tidaback, a helicopter pilot and member of the Oklahoma National Guard State Aviation Office, said the training is the “run” phase of the “crawl, walk, run” method of training.
“We should always be ready for missions like this,” said Tidaback. “This is the best type of training for our civil mission here at home.”
Several crew chiefs and flight medics participated in the training which is part of the unit’s mission essential tasks list—a compilation of tasks a unit must be able to perform in order to accomplish its mission.
After being guided into position by Tillman, the pilots maintain the helicopter directly over the victims in what is known as a wind-calm area. The rotor wash from the helicopter blades kicked up waves and spraying water adding difficulty to the task.
Once in place, Tillman then begins to lower Pindel using a water penetrator near two mock victims. After entering the water, he helps the first victim onto the penetrator and signals Tillman to begin hoisting the Soldier to safety.
Sgt. Nathan Honeycutt, another crew chief who took part in the training said it was his first time to conduct over-water hoist operations with a live person on the hoist.
“It’s a lot different than having a 250-pound weight,” he said. “You are more concerned about what’s happening when it’s your buddy on the other end of the line.”
The training was coupled with a family day event where family members and civilians could observe the training and speak with Soldiers about what their jobs are.
“Having the families here helps bring the unit together,” said Tidaback. “Now family members will know what it means when their Soldier comes home and says, ‘we did hoist ops’ or other things. It helps to build support and it the best opportunity for people to see what we can do.”