River Road training site brings the HEAT

Posted in: February 2009
By Story and photos by 2nd Lt. Nathan Bright, DNG
Feb 27, 2009 - 8:03:26 AM

New Castle, Del. - A new $182,000 simulator gave a handful of trainers from across the state the rides of their lives. The HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer allows Soldiers to go through various vehicle roll-over scenarios and practice getting out.

They may be getting out after the "vehicle" rolls three times and lands upside down, or rolls, rocks and lands at a 90-degree angle. "The possibilities are endless", says Staff Sgt. Dennis Godfrey, the National Guard Bureau trainer here instructing members of the Pre-mobilization Training Assistance Element and others from the state Operations and Training section. The one-day training session was to "ensure that there are HEAT operators and they can teach egress procedures," he said.

Only four drills are required for pre-mobilization certification, but many more scenarios can be created. Since units will now be able to go through the simulator at River Road, they will not be required to do it at their post-mobilization training station.

"That is an outstanding training tool!" exclaimed Sgt. Major James Watson as he was helped out of the contraption. Two fellow passengers helped him climb through the turret as the vehicle rested on its side. This was a water-submersion scenario.

"It puts you in the environment," he said afterward. "You're upside down in a HMMWV compartment. The only thing we don't have is water pouring in."

Wearing an Individual Body Armor and helmet changes an already disorienting experience. "You get hung up with the IBA," Watson continued. "There is stuff you catch on everywhere." Going through multiple times in different seats "helps familiarize you with what catches you where you're sitting," he said.

After spending a day going round and round, and learning to operate the machine to teach others, he was sure of one thing. "That experience will help save lives. Not just for deployment- we drive HMMWV's at drill."

New Castle, Del. -- A new $182,000 simulator gave a handful of trainers from across the state the rides of their lives. The HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer allows Soldiers to go through various vehicle roll-over scenarios and practice getting out.

They may be getting out after the "vehicle" rolls three times and lands upside down, or rolls, rocks and lands at a 90-degree angle. "The possibilities are endless", says Staff Sgt. Dennis Godfrey, the National Guard Bureau trainer here instructing members of the Pre-mobilization Training Assistance Element and others from the state Operations and Training section. The one-day training session was to "ensure that there are HEAT operators and they can teach egress procedures," he said.

Only four drills are required for pre-mobilization certification, but many more scenarios can be created. Since units will now be able to go through the simulator at River Road, they will not be required to do it at their post-mobilization training station.

"That is an outstanding training tool!" exclaimed Sgt. Major James Watson as he was helped out of the contraption. Two fellow passengers helped him climb through the turret as the vehicle rested on its side. This was a water-submersion scenario.

"It puts you in the environment," he said afterward. "You're upside down in a HMMWV compartment. The only thing we don't have is water pouring in."

Wearing an Individual Body Armor and helmet changes an already disorienting experience. "You get hung up with the IBA," Watson continued. "There is stuff you catch on everywhere." Going through multiple times in different seats "helps familiarize you with what catches you where you're sitting," he said.

After spending a day going round and round, and learning to operate the machine to teach others, he was sure of one thing. "That experience will help save lives. Not just for deployment—we drive HMMWV's at drill."