CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Imagine heavy boxes of ammunition, an unsecured helmet and the body of a Soldier whose seatbelt wasn’t properly secured all soaring through the air, injuring and knocking other passengers unconscious in the small cabin of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle as it rolls off a dirt road toward the river below. This would be a terrifying experience to say the least, but not something more than 500 Soldiers of the 34th Infantry Division won’t be prepared for thanks to a program designed to train and prepare them for just such an event.
Soldiers of the 34th Inf. Div. have been attending the MRAP Egress Training course since early August at Contingency Operating Base Basra. The MET was established in April to address issues with MRAP rollovers, a problem that took the lives of six Soldiers from January to April of this year, said Ruben Gray, a senior trainer for Pulau Electronics, a contractor hired to maintain the training MRAPs and provide preventative training for Soldiers.
“The idea is to train the Soldiers how to prevent rollovers and also give them training on what to do in the unfortunate event that they are involved in a rollover,” said Gray.
The MET consists of two parts. First is a classroom portion where Soldiers learn the causes of MRAP rollovers and how to avoid them, safety precautions to ensure loose debris doesn’t injure passengers in the event of a rollover, evacuation of unconscious or wounded passengers as well as bracing techniques and responsibilities of each member of a crew. Strategies for land rollovers and water rollovers are also discussed.
"I thought the training today went really well,” said 1st Lt. Steve Carleton, camp manager, Logistical Staging Area Adirondack, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 34th Inf. Div. and a Minneapolis native. “It was well structured and we got through the material quickly.”
Following the classroom instruction, Soldiers are then placed in a rollover simulator where they have a chance to put what they learned into practice. The simulator is an actual MRAP body inside a cage on rollers that allow it to spin 360 degrees, simulating an actual rollover. During the practical portion of the training Soldiers are again instructed on proper seat belt wear, securing loose items within the MRAP, bracing techniques and egression procedures.
“They aren’t difficult concepts but they can save lives,” said Gray. “The 34th has really taken to the training. They pay close attention and take it seriously. They have been very receptive and diligent about getting the training.”
