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Show IFesaitmiire train at Tooele Army Depot, establishing a motor pool and just doing all the things needed to get the mission started. The train off load went well for Delta Troop as the drivers and assistant drivers teamed up with the railroad engineers to complete the job in less than four hours. "The vehicles were in the same condition as when they left Fort Riley said Specialist Four Jeff Hayes, who came to Delta TYoop recently. "The went beautifully,' insisted the armaments section assistant leader. "It couldnt have gone any better, he off-loa- d added. Beautifully was the right word. Only a couple of minor problems like a dead battery or a deflated .tire cropped up the whole day. Everyone worked together to not only get their vehicles off the train, but also those from ' three small attached, groups from Company E, 1st Aviation Battalion Company F, 701st Maintenance Battalion and the Truck Masters' from the '24th Transportation Company. Once the vehicles and heli- copters made it through Skull Valley and into DPG the biggest reasons for the trip were clear. Its a long way from Fort Riley to DPG. (some 1100 miles as the crow flies) and because Delta Troop did not participate in last fall's Return of Forces to Germany (REFORGER) the unit needed to practice a deployment 7 Thursday, April 14, 1983 jnth all their equipment and ilw??18!! suPPrt elements. . Jith the major tasks of at Fort Riley year round, til one begins to think about the problems of D Troop back in the plains. "We chose Utah because we needed a place with enough room to fully exercise the troop command, and control and exercise logistics: over real time distances," said Major Kevin Flatt, Delta just getting here and setting up shop behind them, Delta Troop got down to business. Ammunition for the Cobra's to fire was transported from Salt Lake City to the Lakeside Helicopter Gunnery some 50 n Range miles away frm Dugway by the four 16 speed Truck Master rigs. semi-automat- un- Troop commander. "The area were in now is ic 16 times larger than the area we would use back at Fort Riley," explained Flatt. This vast size difference amounts to the unit being able to conduct a very realistic exercise instead of practicing in a situation far from the real world. "The actual size of the maneuver area is 180 square kilometers of impact range, ' so when we send up a Cobra and a scout they can shoot and maneuver together like they would in battle," Flatt continued. "Theres really no room for maneuver at Fort Riley although we can shoot there," he added. "Our other reason for coming to Utah was to utilize the Lakeside Helicopter Gunnery Range, which is run by the Air Force," said Flatt. "The range provides almost unlimited fire maneuver ability Modernized for our AH-ICobra. The range is set up with some 70 or 80 actual hard targets, like trucks and tanks, that are set up to look like a Warsaw Pact Type Motorized Rifle Battalion," he stated. Next week the troop will be involved in an eight-da- y field training exercise (FTX) in which the attack helicopters and ground and air scouts will work together daily in an effort to hone their mission as the eyes and ears of the 1st Infantry Division. "So far we have accom? plished all of our objectives without any type of accident or incidents. In conversations with the Dugway Proving Ground command and civil- at least While the Cobra's spent five days and nights practicing rocket, missile and 20 mm cannon gunnery along with their armaments section, the 'Mad Dogs roamed the hills taking advantage of the terrain and polishing their unique skills. Strip was a beehive, of activity as crew chiefs worked on helicopters minor ills and performed major maintenance called Phase Inspections on three aircraft. The Petroleum and Lubri- cants (tOL) section spent their days and even nights refueling birds at Easy Strip and the range. The Maintenance soldiers performed everything from minor generator repair to the three man 701st Maintenance team, which did major jobs like replace spent diesel motors outdoors. Of course when it comes right down to it, many of the things being done at Dugway S Proving Grounds by Delta Troop, except the deployment, could be and are done ians they have expressed their beliefs that our soldiers are extremely well behaved and well disciplined. This is no surprise to me because our soldiers are the best in the Army," he concluded. .ts: i ' V;'' V v'' i V - - , . . ' ."t. ; , . v t- . , a lv - 4 Y f L ...jY r . 4 ' v .V. N ? rV-- , v J it if . , 7- - V, - . i Y i. Y ;-- i MK W''"- 'Y 4. .. V V r " TWO irCOUT IT" ; as wW. the Stambury Mountains a. a back drop. TERS make their Anal approach to Easy Strip y |