From the US Rockies to the Peaks of Afghanistan

The rugged slopes and harsh winds of the Rocky Mountains are being used to train helicopter pilots to navigate terrain in Afghanistan, where they will be deployed in the New Year.

Published

12 months ago

Categories

US

Topics

United States

Places

United States of America, Afghanistan, Colorado

Tags

war in afghanistan

Transcript

SCRIPT: Bitterly cold winds whip off the mountains that surround the Fort Carson Army Base in Colorado. The climate and terrain are a lot like Afghanistan – where these soldiers are heading. SOUNDBITE 1 Chief Warrant Officer Dwayne Williams (man), Blackhawk pilot (English, 5 seconds): "The altitudes that I'm told we could be flying at, we went above and beyond them here, and matched them…" Nearly three-hundred soldiers are here from Fort Riley, Kansas, preparing to deploy to Afghanistan in 2013… Their usual base is at sea level, but in Colorado, their training missions take them up to 12,000 feet -- to simulate battlefield conditions. SOUNDBITE 2 Chief Warrant Officer Dwayne Williams (man), Blackhawk pilot (English, 13 seconds): "Flying at 12,000 feet in Colorado is much different than flying at a thousand feet in Kansas. You're much more limited on power, and the weight you can have, in the mountains. So we come here to get that realistic training up in the mountains -- to make us better pilots." This brigade will join the 67,000 US troops currently deployed in Afghanistan. Though coalition forces are due to hand over military control to the Afghan government in 2012, the US is expected to keep boots on the ground -- and in the air -- meaning that training courses like this one are still critical. SOUNDBITE 3 Chief Warrant Officer Jereme Leason (man), Kiowa pilot (English, 12 seconds): "As we've become qualified, it's become exponentially easier to fly and manage our systems. I honestly feel much more confident in being able to provide the ground commander with what he wants." And that's what US forces need: confidence to keep up the fight - even as they begin to draw down the war. ------------ SHOTLIST: FORT CARSON ARMY BASE, COLORADO. Dec. 11, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - Two helicopters flying down from mountain - Close-up of helicopter - Two helicopters approaching base - Close-up of helicopter about to land. SOUNDBITE 1 Chief Warrant Officer Dwayne Williams - Helicopters on tarmac at base - Helicopter crewman on tarmac - Close-up of helicopter - Helicopter taking off from base SOUNDBITE 2 Chief Warrant Officer Dwayne Williams - Helicopter and crew in hangar - Soldiers on tarmac - Two helicopters carrying out training exercises - Close-up of parked helicopter - Soldiers on tarmac at base SOUNDBITE 3 Chief Warrant Officer Jereme Leason - Crew working on helicopter - Helicopters parking at base - Close-up of helicopter tail