COMMENTARY - A Year of Opportunities
By U.S. Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. - Multinational Force-Iraq Commanding General
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 23, 2006 Iraq is a nation overcoming the fear of terror that gripped them for decades under Saddam's dictatorship and challenges their ability to become a free and democratic people today. Through indiscriminate acts of violence terrorists attempt to cause fear and doubt in the minds of Iraqis and the world on what otherwise is a bright future. Much has been accomplished in the past 18 months that should allow Iraqis to confront their fears-and give hope for the future: Iraq established an interim government, mobilized Iraqi Security Forces, increased the pace of economic development, created a constitution, and held truly democratic elections. True to our word of "standing down" as Iraqi Security Forces stood up, the withdrawal of coalition forces has already begun.
The environment in Iraq is slowly getting better, too. For example, while attack trends in Baghdad increased from the last week, they still remain below the November-December 2005 averages. When compared against data from two weeks prior, overall attacks still show a significant decrease. Outside of Baghdad, most provinces have more hours of electricity than they did under Saddam with more than 2,000 mega-watts added in new generation capacity. Preliminary election results are out and we support the efforts of Iraq's political leaders to form a unity government. Finally, the Iraqi Stock Exchange is open again with 87 companies listed and a market value that has more than tripled to $2 billion.
Preliminary election results are out and we support the efforts of Iraq's political leaders to form a unity government. Finally, the Iraqi Stock Exchange is open again with 87 companies listed and a market value that has more than tripled to $2 billion. Isolated attacks cannot take away the relentless progress being made all over the country. Previously contested cities are back in the hands of their people. Just last week I received a letter from the Mayor of Tall'afar, Najim Abdullah Al-Jubouri, expressing his gratitude for ridding his city of "heartless terrorists" and desires for the men and women of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment to remain in the city until it has fully recovered.
The citizens of Tall Afar, along with every Iraqi that found the courage to vote last year, know there is a better way and are no longer paralyzed by their fear, they are doing something about it. For the people of Iraq this year will be a year of challenges, of opportunities - and of overcoming fears. Through it all the Multi-National Force-Iraq will be there to assist.
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (Army News Service, Jan. 26, 2006) A new training device is being developed by Coalition Forces Land Component Command in Kuwait to reduce or eliminate injury or death suffered by troops involved in Humvee rollovers in theater.
The device evolved from a comment by then-commander of U.S.
Forces Command, Gen. Larry Ellis, following the deaths of three Soldiers Dec. 8, 2003, when their Stryker overturned into a canal, said Chief Warrant Officer Rik Cox, FORSCOM safety officer.
HEAT based on `Dunker
The aviators train on the Dilbert Dunker, why cant we do something like that for the ground troops? Ellis said, according to Cox.
That comment was the impetus for the FORSCOM Safety Office to investigate expanding the helicopter egress training device into a ground-based program called the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer or HEAT, said Cox, HEAT FORSCOM project organizer.
Cox got the go-ahead in March 2005 to develop a device based on the Dilbert Dunker, a Navy Aviator training device that teaches aircrews how to escape following a ditching at sea. He said the first Soldier was hanging upside down from his seatbelt in the first HEAT prototype built by U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers in September 2005.
AMC techs in Kuwait upgrade trainer
With a photo of the first prototype, Forward Repair Activity, Army Materiel Command technicians in Kuwait decided to take the idea and immediately design an upgraded prototype here in Kuwait.
We were presented with an idea to save troops lives, said Christopher Turner, Forward Repair Activity, Army Materiel Command.
To build the first prototype in theater, Turner and Rickey Cline, FRA, AMC, acquired the Humvee shell, gear boxes and stand from the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office and the retrograde yard and built it in one month.
The equipment wasnt going to be used; everything was used parts, so this saved the Army a lot of time and money to put together, Kline said.
CFLCC now using prototype
CFLCC is now using the prototype as a proactive measure to prevent future rollover accidents by applying the HEAT concept to train Soldiers in Kuwait and, eventually, to troops all over the Middle East region.
The newly-built HEAT prototype is composed of a suspended Humvee cab mounted to an elevated M-1 engine maintenance stand raised on a trailer. The attached motor can turn the device 180 degrees in either direction in six seconds to simulate a humvee rolling over.
We took something that didnt exist in theater and made it work, Turner said. We are now testing it to make sure it is going to save a Soldiers life, which is what this is all about.
250 rollover injuries in OIF
Approximately 250 Soldiers have been severely injured in rollovers since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Another prototype is currently in production and will be tweaked pending any suggestions from trainers who have tested the initial model. In the near future, six HEAT simulators will be located at camps throughout Kuwait to train Soldiers.
Troops got the opportunity to test out the simulator Jan. 23 at Camp Arifjan in conjunction with the CFLCC commanding generals quarterly safety conference.
Id make it mandatory for everybody because when you roll up north you never know what will happen, said Sgt. Jeffery Johnson, 233rd Transportation Company truck driver.
Johnson is a master driver and will eventually train his Soldiers on the same simulator.
The training helps you get out of the truck quickly, Johnson said. It helps you realize that when you lose your bearing, you have to keep calm.
Turning expectations upside down
After Soldiers fasten their seat belts, the operator first turns the Humvee in either direction 30 degrees to simulate the point when it is expected to rollover, Cox said.
The Humvee will then complete a 180-degree turn to suspend it upside down.
When you actually hang upside down from your seatbelt while wearing full battle rattle, the seed is planted that the seatbelt just might save your face in a real accident, Cox said.
It sends a blood rush to your head, Johnson said. When you release your seatbelt you fall on your head, you get jammed, and you have to wiggle your way out.
Soldiers must unfasten themselves and work together to get a door open and exit to safety as quick as possible.
Training cuts response to fraction
Repeated training will take a crew from fumbling their way out of the vehicle in 45 to 90 seconds to having all four members of the crew outside the vehicle ready to engage the enemy in six seconds, Cox said.
Service members going through the HEAT program will also learn about rollover conditions, avoidance and preventive checks and safety measures.
The training will build upon current Humvee training, enhanced and safe drivers training courses, and existing in-unit rollover drill training.
The most important part of HEAT is to educate our Soldiers so they will avoid getting into a rollover situation, said Col. John Gallagher, CFLCC Army Reserve Affairs chief of staff and project coordinator for the development of HEAT simulations. Then they will have the confidence to react as they were trained and survive.
Cox saw a problem and did something about it, Gallagher said. That fact alone will save countless lives in the future.
(Editors note: Information provided by the Coalition Forces Land Component Command Public Affairs.)
Sgt. Jeffery Johnson, 233rd Transportation Company truck driver, crawls out of the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer Jan. 23 at Camp Arifjan. The HEAT simulations program teaches servicemembers about roll-over conditions, avoidance and immediate action taken after one has occurred.