View Full Version : Helicopter unit among first to try six-month rotational deployment to S. Korea
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — The 4th Attack Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment uncased its colors on Friday, marking the first of the Army’s new rotational nine-month deployments to South Korea.
“We’re one of the first units to that’s going to execute the rotation concept,” said Lt. Col. Brian T. Watkins, the squadron commander, at Friday’s ceremony.
The 30 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters and 380 soldiers assigned to the unit departed Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., in September, according to an Army statement on Oct. 3.
The squadron will augment the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Camp Humphreys.
“We conduct reconnaissance, security and attack missions that we’re capable of performing,” Watkins said.
Watkins noted the importance of his squadron’s deployment to South Korea.
“The Army is paying attention to what we’re doing,” he said. “How we came over here. The resources required to get things done to determine if to continue to use this type of operation to rotate forces in and out of Korea.
Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Cook, a Kiowa Warrior pilot, described the type of missions and training his unit performs.
“We usually go up as a team of two,” Cook said. “So we have two helicopters up in the air at once talking to ground parties.
The unit’s helicopters were offloaded from the U.S. vessel “Ocean Giant” on Oct. 6 at Pier 8 at Busan, South Korea, according to a 2nd Infantry Division statement.
The squadron began flying to Camp Humphreys from Busan on Oct. 10 to begin starting its duties in South Korea.
Once the unit completes its rotation, the personnel will return to Joint Base Lewis-McChord while the helicopters will remain in South Korea for the use of future units.
limon.armando@stripes.com
http://www.stripes.com/news/helicopter-unit-among-first-to-try-six-month-rotational-deployment-to-s-korea-1.247810
From an Air Force guy, shorter deployments are a good thing. If you are looking to keep people long term its easier to get people to re-enlist with shorter deployments. If things are good on the home front then things tend to be that way at work. I think we have all had that guy who's life at home was a train wreck and it affected the unit.
I understand the reason for leaving the vehicles and aircraft there (cost). But I dont agree with it, especially in CAV units you gain an attachment with your vehicle. You know its every nut and bold, nook and cranny, quirks, sounds it makes etc. ....I rode in the same Stryker for two deployments.... Our vehicles stayed with us, to and from.
River_Rat_459
10-21-2013, 21:58
I understand the reason for leaving the vehicles and aircraft there (cost). But I dont agree with it, especially in CAV units you gain an attachment with your vehicle. You know its every nut and bold, nook and cranny, quirks, sounds it makes etc. ....I rode in the same Stryker for two deployments.... Our vehicles stayed with us, to and from.
I wasn't INF or CAV (and won't pretend that I was), but my last active duty unit was a CAV. I know just from watching exactly what you're saying, Sav. That's how the guys in our battalion were...very particular about whichever vehicle they were assigned to.
I understand the reason for leaving the vehicles and aircraft there (cost). But I dont agree with it, especially in CAV units you gain an attachment with your vehicle. You know its every nut and bold, nook and cranny, quirks, sounds it makes etc. ....I rode in the same Stryker for two deployments.... Our vehicles stayed with us, to and from.
Trust me we feel the same way. We have started to get used to it(not like it) over the years with deployments. I will say I've noticed it can have its advantages for the helicopters too. Not all units perform at the same when it comes to maintenance. A lot of it is due to personnel and experience. While our maintenance and standards are a lot higher then those for ground vehicles, a lot is left to interpretation. I've noticed our OR hits the floor when we fall in on new aircraft. It's a sharp learning curve for pilots and maintainers. You have to learn all of the quirks again and it takes months, even in combat when we fly constantly.
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KaNtSt0PMeH
10-22-2013, 11:46
Yeah in the AF knowing which jets were work horses and which ones sat there with their dicks in the dirt is a huge advantage. Understanding the tendencies of each and their previous malfunctions is something I would hate to give up.
Trust me we feel the same way. We have started to get used to it(not like it) over the years with deployments. I will say I've noticed it can have its advantages for the helicopters too. Not all units perform at the same when it comes to maintenance. A lot of it is due to personnel and experience. While our maintenance and standards are a lot higher then those for ground vehicles, a lot is left to interpretation. I've noticed our OR hits the floor when we fall in on new aircraft. It's a sharp learning curve for pilots and maintainers. You have to learn all of the quirks again and it takes months, even in combat when we fly constantly.
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Ohhhh Your in the "Air" Cav gross!
lol :cool:
Ohhhh Your in the "Air" Cav gross!
lol :cool:
Yeah I'm Air Cav. It hasn't always been that way. Back when I joined we were just Cav, a mix of ground and air.
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Yeah I'm Air Cav. It hasn't always been that way. Back when I joined we were just Cav, a mix of ground and air.
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Got nothing but love for ya guys. Ive heard some rumors about a OH-58F, have you seen any of these?
Got nothing but love for ya guys. Ive heard some rumors about a OH-58F, have you seen any of these?
I've seen pictures and video. They only have a handful so far. They are going through all of the air worthiness testing and stuff right now. I takes to one of the guys from the project managers office a few weeks ago and they are worried that the budget stuff could have a negative impact or kill the F model. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/23/muvepu8a.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/23/e2a9a3eq.jpg
Video from the first flight
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/292334/oh-58f-kiowa-warrior-first-flight#.UmfwuJm9LCQ
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BULLETMAN
10-27-2013, 04:44
Trust me we feel the same way. We have started to get used to it(not like it) over the years with deployments. I will say I've noticed it can have its advantages for the helicopters too. Not all units perform at the same when it comes to maintenance. A lot of it is due to personnel and experience. While our maintenance and standards are a lot higher then those for ground vehicles, a lot is left to interpretation. I've noticed our OR hits the floor when we fall in on new aircraft. It's a sharp learning curve for pilots and maintainers. You have to learn all of the quirks again and it takes months, even in combat when we fly constantly.
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Yea that is what I was thinking when i read this story, I would think that it would be safer to have people work on there own stuff ( not the person, but the same squad ) Cause u know your mechanics strong points and weak ones if he or she has any...You would know what u need to double check and what u should triple check... I don't know, I am not in that position but i do not think I would like that very much...IMHO
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