thedrifter
12-03-08, 07:58 AM
U.S. Marines being trained to survive Humvee roll-overs
Birmingham Star
Tuesday 2nd December, 2008
Every day at carnivals and amusement parks throughout the United States, Americans lay down good money to get thrown, dipped and tossed around on amusement rides.
The Marines and sailors from II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) who are heading to Iraq in early 2009 can enjoy a similar experience, but without the cost, and are doing so not for the thrills but because the experience may save their lives.
Stepping into the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer, or HEAT, wearing helmets and body armor and equipped with rubber rifles, Marines and sailors enter a shell that replicates the interior of a standard Humvee. Once the four occupants are strapped in and the doors locked behind them, the simulator’s operator kicks in the hydraulics that sends the HEAT spinning on an axle.
“The HEAT is designed to show Marines what it’s like to be in a vehicle roll-over either from an accident or an IED [improvised explosive device] attack,” said Sgt. Steven Castro, a motor transport operator with II MEF Headquarters Group, who has the additional responsibilities of licensing new drivers and operating the egress trainer. “Going through the HEAT is a PTP [pre-deployment training program] requirement for all Marines going to Iraq or Afghanistan.
“Regardless of rank, you’re going to get spun.”
Castro spins each group a full 360 degrees anywhere from three to six times that simulates the vehicle rolling down an embankment, and finally stops the HEAT on its side or upside down. The occupants then have to unbuckle, disentangle themselves from their comrades, and find the single unlocked door to safety.
“The biggest problem Marines have is the loss of control,” said Castro. Once they are inside the HEAT, all they can do is react to how many times they get spun and where they end up stopping.”
Every service member has to go through the HEAT three times, and on their third iteration, Castro assigns a casualty which the ‘survivors’ have to evacuate while still providing security.
Despite the tight-fitting seat belts, the occupants still get knocked around and jarred violently, and the experience leaves many Marines dizzy and aching, but still faced with the need to get out of the vehicle with all their gear and fellow Marines and sailors.
“It was fun,” said Pfc. Matthew Brillant, a II MHG motor transport operator getting ready to head out on his first deployment to Iraq who volunteered to go through the trainer a second time to round out a group of four occupants. “It was really disorienting, and my first time through I was confused on where we stopped and how to get out, but by the third time it wasn’t too hard.”
Other Marines were less enthusiastic about the training, with one senior Marine exclaiming it was “the worst carnival ride of my life.” Regardless of the Marines’ and sailors’ personal enthusiasm for the training, Castro said the true value of the training rests in teaching deploying service members techniques on how to get out of an overturned vehicle and giving them the confidence that they can survive a life-threatening situation.
Castro, who is about to deploy to Iraq for the third time, knew Marines who had drowned in Iraq when their vehicle overturned in a shallow river and were unable to escape in time, and takes great satisfaction in helping his fellow Marines and sailors prepare for deployment.
“it is very rewarding to know that you are possibly helping your fellow Marines survive if this was to happen over in theater.”
Ellie
Birmingham Star
Tuesday 2nd December, 2008
Every day at carnivals and amusement parks throughout the United States, Americans lay down good money to get thrown, dipped and tossed around on amusement rides.
The Marines and sailors from II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) who are heading to Iraq in early 2009 can enjoy a similar experience, but without the cost, and are doing so not for the thrills but because the experience may save their lives.
Stepping into the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer, or HEAT, wearing helmets and body armor and equipped with rubber rifles, Marines and sailors enter a shell that replicates the interior of a standard Humvee. Once the four occupants are strapped in and the doors locked behind them, the simulator’s operator kicks in the hydraulics that sends the HEAT spinning on an axle.
“The HEAT is designed to show Marines what it’s like to be in a vehicle roll-over either from an accident or an IED [improvised explosive device] attack,” said Sgt. Steven Castro, a motor transport operator with II MEF Headquarters Group, who has the additional responsibilities of licensing new drivers and operating the egress trainer. “Going through the HEAT is a PTP [pre-deployment training program] requirement for all Marines going to Iraq or Afghanistan.
“Regardless of rank, you’re going to get spun.”
Castro spins each group a full 360 degrees anywhere from three to six times that simulates the vehicle rolling down an embankment, and finally stops the HEAT on its side or upside down. The occupants then have to unbuckle, disentangle themselves from their comrades, and find the single unlocked door to safety.
“The biggest problem Marines have is the loss of control,” said Castro. Once they are inside the HEAT, all they can do is react to how many times they get spun and where they end up stopping.”
Every service member has to go through the HEAT three times, and on their third iteration, Castro assigns a casualty which the ‘survivors’ have to evacuate while still providing security.
Despite the tight-fitting seat belts, the occupants still get knocked around and jarred violently, and the experience leaves many Marines dizzy and aching, but still faced with the need to get out of the vehicle with all their gear and fellow Marines and sailors.
“It was fun,” said Pfc. Matthew Brillant, a II MHG motor transport operator getting ready to head out on his first deployment to Iraq who volunteered to go through the trainer a second time to round out a group of four occupants. “It was really disorienting, and my first time through I was confused on where we stopped and how to get out, but by the third time it wasn’t too hard.”
Other Marines were less enthusiastic about the training, with one senior Marine exclaiming it was “the worst carnival ride of my life.” Regardless of the Marines’ and sailors’ personal enthusiasm for the training, Castro said the true value of the training rests in teaching deploying service members techniques on how to get out of an overturned vehicle and giving them the confidence that they can survive a life-threatening situation.
Castro, who is about to deploy to Iraq for the third time, knew Marines who had drowned in Iraq when their vehicle overturned in a shallow river and were unable to escape in time, and takes great satisfaction in helping his fellow Marines and sailors prepare for deployment.
“it is very rewarding to know that you are possibly helping your fellow Marines survive if this was to happen over in theater.”
Ellie