A UH-60M Black Hawk from the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Regiment, serving in Kuwait under the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, ferries both U.S. and Kuwaiti Forces during combined training in exercise Desert Wall at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Oct. 4. Desert Wall consisted of air and ground assault training and tested the interoperability of the Kuwait Soldiers with their U.S. counterparts. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Isolda Reyes
Soldiers of the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Regiment — presently deployed to the region as part of Task Force Wraith under the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade — assisted throughout the combined ground and air assault training, including the culminating exercise involving the Kuwaiti Land Forces and Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
The partnered forces trained together to sharpen their skills prior to the joint exercise. In Desert Wall, Task Force Wraith used two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to conduct the air assault for the U.S. and Kuwaiti ground forces. Such training not only prepares the troops for their exercise, it prepares them for the vast number of contingencies they face every day in a dynamic deployed environment like the Middle East.
U.S. and Kuwaiti forces quickly move into position as they exit UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during hot load training with the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Regiment, Task Force Wraith, 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, and Soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division in preparation for exercise Desert Wall in Urdari, Kuwait, Oct. 4. Desert Wall consisted of air and ground assault training and tested the interoperability of the Kuwait Soldiers with their U.S. counterparts. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Isolda Reyes
Additional familiarization training required passengers to safely demonstrate proper boarding procedures, carrying weapons on aircraft and how to properly egress the helicopter based on the wind and crew chief hand signals.
“This was my first time getting on a helicopter,” said Mohamad Al Hashal, a vehicle driver with the Kuwait Land Forces. “It wasn’t too hard to figure out.”
The crew chiefs from Task Force Wraith were impressed with how quickly the trainees caught on to entering and egressing the helicopter.
“The Kuwaiti soldiers did an excellent job,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Williams, air mission commander from 1-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion. “They caught on fast and met the standards quickly.”
The Kuwait Soldiers appeared to enjoy the training as well.
Both U.S. and Kuwaiti forces learn how to properly load themselves inside of the UH-60M Black Hawk during cold load training with the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Regiment, Task Force Wraith, 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, in preparation for exercise Desert Wall in Urdari, Kuwait, Oct. 4. Desert Wall consisted of air and ground assault training and tested the interoperability of the Kuwait Soldiers with their U.S. counterparts. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Isolda Reyes
They ran several iterations cold loading and then completed hot load training, during which they were flown around and dropped off to provide an additional layer of redundancy for safety.
Following the hot and cold load training, the partnered forces began working with the 3-1 Cav. to learn the formations and maneuvers needed once they were on ground so they could practice how to run the ground assault on the objective.
“This exercise increases the interoperability between U.S. and Kuwaiti forces here,” said Capt. Tim Davis, Bravo Company commander, 2-7 Cav.
Both U.S. and Kuwaiti forces quickly move into position as they prepare to enter the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during hot load training with the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Regiment, Task Force Wraith, 29th Combat Aviation Brigade in preparation for exercise Desert Wall in Urdari, Kuwait, Oct. 5. Desert Wall consisted of air and ground assault training and tested the interoperability of the Kuwait Soldiers with their U.S. counterparts. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Isolda Reyes
On the final day of exercise Desert Wall the Kuwait Land Forces worked with their U.S. Army counterparts to successfully breach and clear the buildings and secure the objective.
“This was a successful mission,” Mitchell said. “The Kuwaiti soldiers hit their time markers, kept their focus and achieved the objective set before them.”
Soldiers from the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Regiment, serving in Kuwait under the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Wraith, with members of the Kuwait Land Forces during training rehearsals for exercise Desert Wall at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Oct. 4. Desert Wall consisted of air and ground assault training and tested the interoperability of the Kuwait Soldiers with their U.S. counterparts. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Isolda Reyes
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin National Guard has been busy fulfilling the other half of its dual-mission as the nation’s first military responder in times of emergency. Approximately 650 Wisconsin National Guard troops recently returned from Florida where they provided humanitarian relief, security and traffic control support to communities in the wake of Hurricane Irma. In addition, Airmen from the 128th Air Refueling Wing, 115th Fighter Wing and Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center deployed to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the wake of Hurricane Maria this fall.