From the ground up

Preparation: 176 Air Dispatch Regt crew set up for the night beside Kapyong Drop Zone during Exercise Talisman Sabre. Photos by Lt Simone Heyer

Brief: Sgt Perry Moore gives orders before nightfall.

Show’s on: Sig officer Lt Kane Dalton and crew from 9FSB watch 3RAR soldiers land on Kapyong DZ.

Pte Daniel Fox, 1 Tp, sorts lines.

By Lt Simone Heyer

AS paratroopers flew into Shoalwater Bay on Exercise Talisman Sabre, combat service support soldiers were already in place on the ground to take care of equipment coming in from the air.

Pte John Marcus, 1 Tp, packs a chute.

Pte Marcus and Cpl Derek Butt, 2 Tp, carry a chute to the truck.

Unload: Pallet debris from the drops into the DZ is unloaded from a Unimog.

Elements of 9FSB had the job of drop zone clearance. Over 12 hours they would clear Kapyong DZ after jumps by the 1/501 Parachute Infantry Regiment and 3RAR – Airborne Bn Gp.

Jobs like this, according to Adjt 9FSB Capt Ben Gordon, are an ideal training environment.

“Usually our resources are committed to others and we don’t get the chance to train,” he said.

“This exercise was of enormous benefit to all.”

From the time the warning order was given, the drop zone clearance elements of 176 Air Dispatch Regt and 15 Tpt Sqn drove from Camp Rocky to SWBTA and moved into position beside Kapyong DZ.

By 5pm the elements were setting up their hootchies and getting final orders before turning in. The first group were due to jump in at 1am.

Repairs Section Supervisor 176 Air Dispatch Sqn (39 ADE Pl) Sgt Perry Moore detailed the finer points of the task.

“Our job is to clear and account for parachutes from the DZ and collect other stores dropped,” he said.

“They’re put on vehicles and transported back to Camp Rocky.

“The work scenario was over a 48-hour time frame from the work order, to the completion of chute collection.”

Sgt Moore said problems could be encountered during a parachute drop.

“There were contingency plans for worse-case scenarios, and we were prepared to spend 72 hours in location if needed.

“Usually the chutes are released from the soldier, then dragged.”

When the Australians land, they go to a rally point.

“Once the commander of the rally point has accounted for everybody, they may go to a designated form-up point.

“This makes our job easy. If the chutes aren’t HRD [on-ground parachute release drill] the task is much bigger.”

During the night the area was a flurry of activity. Helos delivered VIPS into the area and fast jets buzzed overhead but at exactly 1am, a US aircraft glided into the star-specked sky and the jump began.

The 9FSB crew was on stand-by to move onto the DZ to collect rations that have been dropped, and bundle up parachutes. The team would return to clear more after the second jump.

Four hours later, after a change in plans, the remainder of the DZ was cleared before the 3RAR jump.

As clouds moved across the sky, pallets of water, ammo and rations were cut open with the assistance of US personnel and the contents loaded in trucks.

The 3RAR ABG too was right on time and as the sun climbed over the mountains, more parachutes gathered on the DZ.

With highly-honed skills, the 9FSB teams grouped and loaded chutes, working side-by-side 1/501PIR. A humid morning didn’t dampen their spirits and by 10am, the DZ had been quickly and efficiently cleared.

Then began the long wait to be cleared to leave the range.