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June 08, 2008
Task Force XII Soldiers Battle Heat
Task Force XII Soldiers Battle Heat: Troops on Flight-line Work Hard on Trying to Stay Cool
By Sgt. Brandon Little
Task Force XII Public Affairs Office
CAMP TAJI, Iraq
It’s highly unlikely that a terrorist will take the day off because it’s just too hot outside or that he’ll bring in a doctor’s note recommending he stay indoors and not blow things up until it gets cooler outside.
The enemy doesn’t take time off from what he does because of increasing temperatures, so Task Force XII aviators can’t afford to either. However, working outside in these plus 100 degree temperatures can have a strenuous effect on a Soldier’s body.
Since the sun doesn’t show them any sympathy, Soldiers working on the flight-line must take certain precautions to prevent themselves and their buddies from becoming another heat casualty statistic.
“Working outside can be pretty rough at times,” said Spc. Rene O’Neil, an AH-64 Apache Longbow maintainer in Troop N, 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. “Our workload has been steady for the last couple of months but the temperature has increase by about 20 degrees.”
These aircraft maintainers are responsible for conducting preventative maintenance, checks and services to keep Task Force XII helicopters flying around the clock.
“Our aircraft have to be serviced either every 14 days or after they’ve been flown for 25 hours,” said O’Neil, who hails from York, Penn. “We have to pay close attention to the flight schedule to know which aircraft is due for PMCS, because an aircraft can’t overfly a PMCS.”
Conducting a PMCS on an aircraft means first inspecting it for leaks or visible damage; all while braving the brutal sunrays and extreme heat bouncing off the concrete airfield.
"If the temperature walking around the base is 100 degrees, it’s probably somewhere between 120 and 130 degrees on the flight-line, "said 1st Sgt. Jon Martin, the top enlisted Soldier in Company C, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment.
“I’m from Dallas so I’m kind of use to this type of heat, but it’s important for us to watch out for one another and bring each other water,” said Spc. Justin Khounborinh, an Apache maintainer in Troop O, 4th Sqdn., 3rd ACR. “There are plenty of first aid kits and Combat Life Saver bags out here, and we’re all CLS qualified.”
“Everyday (1st Sgt. Richard Bonney) makes sure we have plenty of water and ice out here,” said O’Neil. “He’s always making sure we take breaks and rotate between time in the sun and time in the shade. We also work as a team to get work done faster and we try to save big jobs that can wait until it gets a little cooler.”
In addition to drinking water, these Soldiers must take other precautions to protect themselves from the sun’s wrath.
“We try to make sure that the Soldiers are wearing sunscreen and boney hats if they have sensitive skin,” said Martin, a native of San Diego. “We also make sure that all the Soldiers have gloves when they’re working because the parts on those aircraft get hot enough to burn your hand.”
A Soldier’s diet and physical fitness can be key factors when trying to prevent heat injuries, he said.
“We really try to stress the importance of physical fitness, because if you’re out of shape your body will definitely tell on you in weather like this,” said Martin. “I also let the smokers and coffee drinkers in my company know the effect it will have on them in this heat.”
Prior to deploying, Soldiers in Task Force XII also received classes and training on heat injury symptoms and ways of preventing these injuries.
Taking time to ensure Soldiers have protection against heat injuries helps keep aircraft flying even if the enemy decides it’s a little too warm outside to cause trouble.
Wild Thing's comment........
God be with our soldiers and protect them. I read in another article last summer that each soldier drinks an average of a gallon of water a day in the heat.
There are so many things that our media could cover about our troops. What it is like to be there in the heat, or in the cold in the winter and so many other things. All safe information to share about our awesome troops, to help people understand what they are up agaisnt and understand more about being at war.
I really do believe IF we had a media that loved America even if the left politicans and liberal American's did not, it WOULD make a difference. It would be right in their face each night how great our soldiers are doing.
Instead we either get no news or only slanted bad news.
Posted by Wild Thing at June 8, 2008 02:47 AM
Comments
We miss the old DRY HEAT Arabian days...Early morning and late evenings were the best do what one had to do... Desert Fox Rommel UP and plenty of GATOR ADE in those water bottles. Stay HYDRATED or one was finished. Oh that soothing and cool shade.
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at June 8, 2008 04:37 AM
I totally agree about the press. The only "news" is negative opinions from the commentators that pose as reporters.
Posted by: Bob at June 8, 2008 08:20 AM
These kids are fantastic! They never complain about the heat, in fact, they usually joke about it. (at least that's what my nephews do!). It is a dry heat, which is a bit better than a humid heat, but still--it's hot, you're sweaty, stinky and certain parts of your anatomy are sticking to other parts of your anatomy. It makes you grumpy, angry and sometimes sick to your stomach, but you carry on and do what you have to do.
Posted by: Lynn at June 8, 2008 11:29 AM
Hey W T- I sent an- email regarding the newspaper article in Spain- I just wanted to say- I hope I did not offend you by using pos and America in the same sentence-- Please don't get me wrong!! I support our troops more than 100% and I Love America- I hate what is happening in the World - I want America strong and Free like it supposed to be. I can't beleive the crap our soldiers have to put up with and I can't beleive our government lets USA be dictated too by these muslim morons- I hate for the US to be put in a position that on our home soil - we may be forced to fight for our freedom- Men -women and childern- I swear I will die before they get me to bow down to ALLAH for some $ 10.00 a gallon gas !!-I just wanted to make sure i was not misunderstood!! I pray everyday for God to bless America and keep it strong! I am not a young kid - I am pushing 60 and I have seen a lot- it is just hard to beleive what is really happening these days!!!
Posted by: Cheryl Zinsmeister at June 8, 2008 11:53 AM
Darth, yes I bet gator ade is a big item, it is excellent for this kind of thing. Thanks Darth.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 8, 2008 04:10 PM
Bob yes it is so sad, they can't get out of the way of their anti military agenda and do what news is meant to be....news and information.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 8, 2008 04:12 PM
Lynn I was thinking about your nephews over there when I saw this article.
Yes I agree they are fantastic, the things they have to do and the weather they have to put up with wearing all that gear has to be horrendous.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 8, 2008 04:17 PM
Cheryl Zinsmeister, I didn't get an email from you but in case you want to write to me it is :
wildbronco@comcast.net
The price of oil is the fault of the enviros and the democats not letting us drill for oil on our own soil and offshore. We should have been doing this all along and we would not need to get it from Saudi.
I heard this morning that we get our oil from these place in this order:
1. Canada
2. Saudi
3. Mexico
Maybe one day enough people will get fed up with the control of the enviro's and democrats and tell them where to put their enviro demands and control.
I am glad you support the troops. And I will not bow down to Allah either, believe me I will fight back with all I am.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 8, 2008 04:25 PM
The lack of positive stories about the troops by the MSM and the constant hate-filled trashing of the military mission in Iraq by the Dems is a national disgrace. It says more about these people at home and the damage that they are doing to the national psyche than the war and warriors that they are neglecting and criticizing.
Task Force XII is awesome.
Posted by: les at June 8, 2008 04:43 PM
Les, yes your right, thank you.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 8, 2008 11:40 PM
PS: WT...Frau Vader is off to der fatherland for three weeks so she reminded me that we export 60% of our Alaskan pipeline oil to Japan and Canada ships A LOT of oil to US! But the caribou boo boo are safe in ANWR? W was stymied in 2001 for drilling in ANWR and the last oil refinery built was in Yuma Arizona in 1976.... 1976! The legislator whores and pimps have GA$ CARDS and leased cars, eh?
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at June 9, 2008 12:03 AM
Darth, thanks and Hi to Frau Vader. The legislator's dumped in ANWAR for a nice summer vacation with no blankies. hahaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 9, 2008 03:21 AM
