Tracked vehicle no longer used in 2ID training (very revealing reading)

Stars and Stripes Pacific edition ^ | August 9, 2002 | Jeremy Kirk

[robowombat]

Tracked vehicle no longer used in 2ID training

By Jeremy Kirk, Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Friday, August 9, 2002

CAMP RED CLOUD, South Korea — The 57-ton tracked vehicle that ran over two South Korean girls will no longer be used by the division, a U.S. Army official said Wednesday.

The armored vehicle-launched MICLIC, or AVLM, is no longer in the 2nd Infantry Division inventory, said Maj. Brian Maka, public affairs officer. The AVLM was used to carry the mine clearing line charge, an explosive used to detonate mines to clear a path for vehicles.

Instead, the mine clearing line charge will be towed behind a M113, a narrower armored personnel carrier, Maka said. Engineers in the division will still use the AVLM “B” model — a portable bridge carrier — although it will be taken to training sites on a heavy equipment transport vehicle, Maka said.

That version of the AVLM will cruise on training ranges but not on outside roads on the way to and from a training site, Maka said.

The change is one of 20 the division is making to avoid accidents. No longer will two-way convoys be allowed on two lane roads, Maka said.

Soldiers from the civil-military affairs offices also will make more detailed notification to local Korean officials when training exercises are planned, Maka said.

Other improvements include:

¶ Intercom system upgrades to improve communication between the vehicle driver and vehicle commander.

¶ Additional mirrors and other vehicle configurations to improve the visibility of drivers.

Front and back vehicle guides for vehicles like the one involved in the accident.

¶ During training exercises, unit command posts will closely monitor and control vehicle movements.

[robowombat]

Looking a bit further I found this. It would appear the North Korean threat must not be counted as very great if 8th Army is occupied with these sort of expensive feel good actions. I particularly like the last one "During training exercises, unit command posts will closely monitor and control vehicle movements." Anyone out there been part of a large field training exercise or just a big convoy movement of heavy equipment. The unit commanders or convoy serial commanders life is 'streesful' enough just trying to get where they are supposed to be going or moving from one grid coordinate to another. This sort of CYA means that these same officers and nco's are going to have to be able to know exact locations of all tracked and wheeled vehicles at all times or risk seeing thier carreers go up in smoke. The plain fact is that the ROK is so densely populated that vehicle/pedestrian incidents are inevitable. We just don't want to state the obvious for political reasons.

[Cacophonous]

It would appear the North Korean threat must not be counted as very great if 8th Army is occupied with these sort of expensive feel good actions.

What it really means is that whatever threat N Korea poses will be magnified by restrictions on training (and they are restrictions, irrespective of the spin).

I vote we bring the EUSA back to the USA, and let ROK take care of itself.

[archy]