The White Falcon - 06.08.1993, Blaðsíða 3

EXERCISE: from page 1
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required a coordinated effort to defend Ice-
land from an attack by an unspecified enemy.
Hundreds of off-island reserve and active
ty soldiers, along with Marines from NAS,
eflavik, provided ground defense at various
locations in Iceland. Over 200 off-island
reserve sailors added support to commands
around the base, while Air Force and Navy
planes and helicopters patrolled the skies
above Iceland.
Besides testing the planning, organizational
and decision making skills of the leadership
at the Command Post level, NV ‘93 also
evaluated the joint military forces’ ability to
conduct field training, establish communica-
tions throughout Iceland and provide logis-
tics support.
According to Army Reserve Capt. Steve
Davis, HH Company, Third Battalion, 16TH
Infantry, 187th Infantry Brigade, the field
training exercises (FTX) were very controlled,
with very specific standards to be followed.
“The FTX battles we
employed were fought at
the lowest level,” said
Davis. “Eleven man
squads performed as-
saults against an imagi-
ary enemy. Company
mmanders observed
rid graded each squad’s
frianeuvers to see if the
missions were performed
according to the detailed
instructions given to the
squad leader. It’s a means
to determine the effective-
ness of our training stan-
dards to find out if the
soldier needs more prac-
tice or if he or she needs
to be completely re-
trained.”
The Army conducted
separate field training ex-
ercises near Akureyi,
Hofn, Egilsstadir and fi-
nally, with the Marines,
they came together at a
central point in the inte-
rior of Iceland known as
SAR Three.
In addition to field
training, there was an ex-
tensive communications
exercise (COMEX). The
OMEX demonstrated
the Army could rap-
fy establish new means
of communications in the
event of an emergency in
which normal means of
communication were interrupted.
“We not only established contact from the
field, but also from the city,” said Army
reservists SSgt Randy Lee, from the 404TH
Signal Company. “However, it’s a lot easier
to establish communications from the field
than from a city environment Sometimes in
the city, it’s hard to see what will be in the
way. In the past, we’ve had chimneys inter-
fere with our signal.”
It took the 404TH Signal Company longer
than usual to get a direct shot from downtown
Reykjavik to NAS, Keflavik, but finally after
two hours of setting up and making adjust-
ments on top of Reykjavik’s Civil Defense
Building, they got through.
“Everything went better than we expected, ”
added Lee. “We thought it would be too
windy to keep a good signal on top of a five-
story building, but the wind died down long
enough to allow us to set up.”
The defense of Iceland also requires a
strong base of logistics support. The efficient
movement of troops, supplies, equipment
SSgt. Randy Lee and Spec. Mike Coleman of the 404TH Signal
Company, 88TH Army Reserve Command, add the final touches
to a radio microwave unit just prior to establishing contact with
NAS, Keflavik, from Reykjavik. (Photo by J02 Carlos Bongioanni)
August 6,1993
and materials requires all services in Iceland
to work closely together.
Commenting on the logistics support pro-
vided, Col. Robert A. Lee, Commanding
Officer of the 187TH Infantry Brigade and
Army Iceland said, “The Logistics Exercise
was very successful in bringing Navy and Air
Force on line with the Army presence in
Iceland.”
HC-130 rescues 2
By J02 Carlos Bongioanni
Search and rescue (SAR) missions are nor-
mally a significant part of any exercises held
at Naval Air Station (NAS), Keflavik. So,
when the call came last week to rescue a
seriously ill Coast Guard sailor in Nord,
Greenland, some wondered if it was just
another drill for the Northern Viking exer-
cise. Others knew it was the real thing.
“We don’t play games,” said Air Force
Capt. Brice Robinson, HC-130 Aircraft Com-
mander. “We’re on constant alert status for
the two weeks we’re deployed to Iceland, so
when we got the call, we knew we were
going.”
The crew of the HC-130 refueling tanker
(here on a two-week deployment from the
71st Rescue Squadron, Patrick Air Force
Base, Florida) flew nearly 1,200 miles north
of Keflavik to assist in the medical emer-
gency.
Officials on board the Coast Guard Cutter,
Polar Sea, notified the Rescue Coordination
Center at NAS, Keflavik, at approximately
4:30 p.m., last Friday. A sailor on board the
Polar Sea (which is currently on a five-week
scientific expedition to the Northeast coast of
Greenland) sustained an injury on board the
ship and subsequently contracted a severe,
life-threatening infection.
Since the rescue was beyond helicopter
range, the HC-130 was sent in response.
While in route, the crew of the rescue aircraft
received another call from the Polar Sea with
news that an additional Coast Guard sailor
was in need of immediate medical attention.
This time, a diver, performing underwater
operations, fell prey to a case of the “bends,”
after ascending to the ocean’s surface too
quickly.
“When we arrived, we had to wait nearly
three hours as the second patient was being
transported by helicopter from the Polar Sea
which was about 100 miles from Nord,” said
Robinson. “As it turned out, the ‘bends’ pa-
tient was in worse condition than the first
patient we originally went to rescue. We flew
him directly to Reykjavik for treatment in a
hyperbolic chamber.”
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