| BALAD, Iraq, May 19, 2006 — On June 6, 1944, hundreds of soldiers died in five to six feet of water before they reached the shores of Normandy, France – they died because they did not know how to tread water in their heavy gear. In Iraq, in the the canals adjoining the Tigris River, the insurgents have begun using the waterways as a means to transport weapons caches and avoid coalition forces patrolling the streets. Weapons caches have also been found in many of the riverbanks along the Tigris River. To date, more than 50 U.S. servicemembers have drowned in Iraq. U.S. soldiers assigned to the command group of 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers, decided to develop training to help soldiers survive in full combat gear if they happen to fall in water. A soldier going out on patrol wears about 40 to 50 pounds of gear. With the weight of the gear, there was concern the soldier would sink to the bottom of a canal.
"I am a pretty strong swimmer so it felt fine, felt like I normally swim. It felt like a life jacket, a secure feeling because as soon as you get in it pops you back up."
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Sean Craig |
“I wondered to myself how much survivability a soldier would have if he ended up in the river or in the canal,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Dean Keveles, who serves as battalion command sergeant major. “Could they surface and get themselves to the bank of the river to survive?” With river boat patrols becoming an increasing reality, Keveles and a team of his senior noncommissioned officers decided to test the buoyancy of the interceptor body armor system at the outdoor swimming pool at Logistical Support Area Anaconda. Sgt. 1st Class Ralph Cook, Bradley Fighting Vehicle platoon sergeant, Bulldog Troop, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, donned the vest, protective plates and all and jumped in the pool to see what would happen. It turns out the Kevlar inside of the interceptor body armor system will float and support the weight of the soldier. If the soldier rips off his body armor system upon entering the water, they will sink, said Keveles. It is like having a bulletproof life vest. From what they learned at the pool, Keveles and his noncommissioned officers were able to put together a training exercise for the soldiers. In the exercise, a soldier in full Army combat uniform would wear an interceptor body armor system vest with plates and remove the ammunition pouches. The soldier crouched on one knee near the edge of the pool and held an M-16 rifle in the ready position. The M-16 rifle would be connected to the instructor by 550-foot cord for quick retrieval out of the pool. Before hitting the water the soldier is instructed to throw his weapon away to lessen the weight. “We know that you will automatically drop your weapon when you hit the water,” said Keveles. “Soldier survival is first and if we have to, we will drudge the river for the weapon later.” As part of the exercise, the instructor gives the soldier a kick in the back to simulate the surprise of falling into the water. After falling into the water, the soldier must swim 15 meters before coming out of the pool. Not every detail could be simulated at the pool, but Keveles was happy with the program. Keveles explained they don't have a way to simulate river current in the training, but at least, he added, the soldiers can build their confidence by doing the training, getting to the surface of the water and using their energy to get to the side of the pool. U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Maynard, platoon sergeant, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery took his soldiers to the pool recently to teach them what he learned from Keveles’ team.
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