1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Trains With 101st CAR

Pfc. Robert Ellis, a medic assigned to Headquarters Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment,
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, holds a tag line to a UH60A Medical Evacuation Blackhawk aircraft steady
while Sgt. Stephanie Luke, a flight medic with Company C, 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Regiment,
provides instructions and assistance during medical evacuation procedures training, Oct. 30

'Shadow of the Eagle' Stretches Across Fort Carson
Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs
Courtesy Story
Date: 10.30.2009

FORT CARSON, Colo. – Soldiers train as they fight and fight as they train; and the best kind of training
replicates a real world situation as closely as possible. That's why the 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Regiment
from Fort Campbell, Ky., made a two-day journey to Fort Carson for 32 days of training
that accurately simulates conditions of a real world deployment.

Approximately 300 Soldiers of Task Force Shadow worked, trained and resided near Butts Army Airfield
for the past month, bringing U.S. Army AH-64 Apaches, OH-58 Kiowas, UH-60 Black Hawks
and medical evacuation aircraft to accommodate a wide variety of exercises Oct. 6 through Nov. 7

"The main objective is to conduct high altitude training and air/ground integration," stated Lt. Col. Brad Ninness,
commander, 6th Bn., 101st Avn. Regt. Ninness, Task Force Shadow commander, said that the colder weather
and mountainous region is similar to the conditions found in ongoing operations in Afghanistan.
The high altitude in Fort Carson and surrounding areas requires acclimatization for Soldiers and adjustments
to operating equipment, he added. "I notice our Soldiers huffing and puffing a little more than usual,"
said Ninness. "I also notice our aircraft having to work harder with the different altitude."

Staff Sgt. Matthew Teleha, a maintenance section non-commissioned officer in charge of Chinook Repair,
assigned to Company D, 6th Bn., 101st Avn. Regt., said he believes the training experience at Fort Carson
is very similar to the types of conditions faced in Afghanistan.

In addition to training for a future deployment, Task Force Shadow conducted team training
and practical exercises for Soldiers of the 1st and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams, 4th Infantry Division.
Training included medical evacuation procedures, sling load operations and pick-up zone/landing zone operations.

The more opportunities Soldiers have to train, the more familiar they become with their equipment
and are better prepared for their mission, said Spc. Michael Ryan, signal support specialist
assigned to Company E, 1st Bn., 22nd Infantry Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Task Force Shadow conducted the training on several Fort Carson ranges allowing aircraft to take off
and land during the training maneuvers, providing a degree of realism, such as the rotor wash,
that Soldiers have to account for during deployments.

"It is hands on and I actually get to see a real 'bird' for once," said Pfc. Robert Ellis, a medic
assigned to Headquarters Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt.

Sgt. Stephanie Luke, flight medic assigned to Company C, 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Regiment, instructs Soldiers
from the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Oct. 30, how to use a tag line
to keep a Sked Stretcher from spinning uncontrollably when loaded onto a UH-60 Blackhawk using the aircraft's hoist.

Sgt. Stephanie Luke, flight medic, Company C, 6th Bn., 101st Avn. Regt., instructed 4th Inf. Div. Soldiers
how to properly use a Sked Stretcher and the hoist on a UH-60A Medical Evacuation Blackhawk aircraft.
"I appreciated their enthusiasm," said Luke, about the Soldiers attending her class.
"It is very conducive to training."

Soldiers of the 101st Avn. Regt. will deploy to National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.,
alongside the 4th Inf. Div.'s 3rd BCT during November.

Spc. Sean Jones, UH-60A Blackhawk crew chief, and Sgt. Stephanie Luke, flight medic, both assigned to Company C,
6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Regiment, lead an aircraft orientation and safety brief for Soldiers
of 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
during medical evacuation procedures training Oct. 30.

Spc. Sean Jones, a U.S. Army UH-60A Blackhawk crew chief with the 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Regiment,
leads a team of 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers from the front
as they practice loading a simulated casualty onto a UH-60A Medical Evacuation UH-60 Blackhawk aircraft, Oct. 30.

Spc. Sean Jones, a U.S. Army UH-60A
Blackhawk crew chief
assigned to the 6th Battalion,
101st Combat Aviation Regiment,
covers hoist operations using demonstrator,
Pvt. Jalisca Parr,
a signal support specialist assigned
to Company E,
1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment,
1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division,
to show the proper seating position
on the hoist of the UH-60A
Medical Evacuation
Blackhawk aircraft Oct. 30.

Photo courtesy Headquarters,
4th Infantry Division Public Affairs

Sgt. Derek Syroka, an M1 Abrams tank mechanic, and Pvt. Jalisca Parr, a signal support specialist,
both assigned to Company E, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division, lead the loading effort of their team's simulated casualty
onto a U.S. Army UH-60A Medical Evacuation Blackhawk aircraft during training Oct. 30.