The Red Bulls

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – For Sgt. William Altman, of the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, doing a good job is often the motivation that carries him through his daily shift within the current operations section.  
 “I just enjoy doing a good job,” Altman said. “Keeping the commander updated on the goings-on in our sector is pretty important and is the objective.” 

Along with more than 20 other Soldiers working various shifts and taskings, Altman is responsible for manning the 28th CAB tactical operations center, which requires vigilant (and continuous) staffing, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For Altman, the brigade’s Blue Force Tracker and Fires sergeant, continuity is often the greatest challenge.

“I think that most people don’t understand that concept, that while we might work shifts, any issues must be resolved or worked to completion,” Altman said.  “Otherwise, we’re creating a sort of ‘butterfly effect’ for the next shift.”

A resident of Pittsburgh’s South Hills, Scott Township, Pa., Altman is no stranger to working in current operations.  An 18-year veteran of seven deployments, Altman brings a trove of experience to a fairly reactive job that is often misunderstood by other Soldiers.

“Other sections might work a normal work day and be closed for certain periods,” Altman said. “Here, the lights never go out.  Operations are continuous.”
For the Soldiers of current operations, fighting complacency and mid-deployment doldrums is essential to proficiency. All Soldiers, from the battle captain, who is the quarterback of the section, to the radio telephone operator who functions as the primary medium for passing and receiving any and all information, must be cognizant of the big picture at all times. Additionally, Soldiers of current operations must be prepared for the unexpected, including indirect fire attacks, small-arms fire attacks on aircraft and diverting attack helicopters to support the Soldiers on the ground.  

“We manage to handle high-stress events well, mostly because we all know our roles,” Altman noted.  “Even when days are fairly quiet, we have to fight boredom by trying to stay proficient on our equipment.”

Although the tempo occasionally slows to what can seem to be a standstill, there is never a shortage of work for current operations Soldiers.  Organizing various document binders, from fragmentary orders (FRAGOs) to Red Cross messages, maintaining the daily log, making changes to personnel manifested to fly to different bases and simply tracking the progress of scheduled flights requires the TOC staff to effectively utilize word processing, spreadsheet and slideshow software.

To make life easier, Soldiers are also trained on state-of-the-art electronic systems like the Blue Force Tracker, which uses GPS technology that allows Soldiers to see the location of aircraft during missions.   In addition, current operations Soldiers have more traditional methods of communication and battle tracking tools at their disposal, to include instant messaging, phone lines, and FM and high-frequency radios.  Numerous maps and overlays line the walls of the TOC, for reference and as an alternative method of tracking the location of aircraft.

“If technology fails, we still must be knowledgeable enough to be able to accomplish our mission.  Pencils and paper, charts and darts…our jobs don’t stop just because the technology stops working,” Altman said. 

While the monotonous shift work accompanying current operations can take a mental toll on Soldiers, Altman believes one of the biggest challenges facing the section is the ability to focus on the job, and not interpersonal drama.

“Sometimes it’s an issue here, getting people to know and execute their job rather than worrying or talking about other people on the shift, or in the section.  Things like that divide us.  We just need to stay focused and accomplish our mission.”