FORT HOOD, Texas: Soldiers from 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, completed a two-day forward arming and refueling point (FARP) exercise, here, Sept. 15.
According to Capt. Ryan Kelly, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., commander of Company E, 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st ACB, the exercise’s main goal was to give a large number of junior enlisted Soldiers the experience of refueling running aircraft in a live environment.
Three different types of aircraft in the brigade’s inventory landed at the FARP so new Soldiers could gain experience refueling all three aircraft.
When an AH-64D Apache attack helicopter landed, Sgt. Roderick Rhodes, from Dallas, a squad leader in Co. E, took turns training some of the new Soldiers on how to refuel the aircraft.
“It was awesome; it was a real big adrenaline rush,” said Pvt. Karah Vanmetre, from Cleveland, Texas, a fueler for Co. E, who got to the unit just a little over a month ago.
She was one of the Soldiers who got to fuel the Apache under Rhodes’ supervision, and it was her first time fueling a running aircraft.
“I think it’s an honor [to train the Soldiers] and I enjoy it. I just hope I’m doing a good job of it,” said Rhodes. “I think they did outstanding.”
Many of the Soldiers were excited and eager to be out there, having fun refueling aircraft for the first time as the blades swooshed overhead.
Kelly was glad the Soldiers were excited about their training, but was more satisfied they got some hands-on training.
“This is their job. So they’re getting to do what they are trained to do,” he said.
