Eyes in the Sky

It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane, it’s… an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. And they have become a crucial piece of equipment for the U.S. Army. Read below an article from Sgt. Ben Hutto, of the 3rd HBCT Public Affairs Office currently located at the Forward Operating Base in Kalsu, Iraq to learn just how important these UVAs are.

Sgt. Richard Knuth (left), Sgt. Winston Chin (middle) and Pfc. Anthony McCormack, all assigned to Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3^rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3^rd Infantry Division, load an unmanned aerial vehicle  on to a launcher, Jan. 25, at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. UAV’s are so heavy they require three Soldiers to load them.

Being a Soldier in the United States Army is a full-time job. No one understands that more than the Soldiers assigned to the 3^rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3^rd Infantry Division’s unmanned aerial vehicle cell. Twenty-four hours a day they monitor the 3^rd HBCT’s area of operation from above.

“We are always on the lookout for the bad guys,” said Staff Sgt. Ray Lemlin, a platoon sergeant in Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion. “The goal is always to spot them before they can hurt us.”

The section’s commitment to excellence is shaped by their desire to keep their fellow Soldiers safe.

“It’s our job to keep our guys out of harm’s way,” said Sgt. Richard Knuth, a maintainer in Company A from Merkel, Texas. “It’s a good feeling, but it requires us to have a pretty high set of standards. We can have a lot of down time between flights so we’ve got to maintain our focus and not let duties become routine.”

As the Soldiers of the 3^rd HBCT continue their mission across five provinces in Iraq, they can rest assured they have an eye in the sky ensuring their safety.

Staff Sgt. Ray Lemlin, Staff Sgt. Ray Lemlin, a platoon sergeant in Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3^rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3^rd Infantry Division, checks the cameras an unmanned aerial vehicle before it is launched at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Jan. 25. Lemlin’s section maintains 24 hour aerial surveillance around the FOB.

Photo Credits: Sgt. Ben Hutto