MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The fight begins. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) report the location and radio in for close air support. In a matter of minutes, UH-60 Blackhawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters swoop in, dousing the growing enemy with … water.
Six days into a raging fire, JTACs belonging to the 9th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) were called in to support the joint effort with the U.S. Army and Royal Netherlands air force fighting an 8,500 acre fire on training ranges in Fort Hood, Texas.
“We’re using very similar techniques for calling airstrikes, but instead we’re making sure the water is falling in the right spots of the fire,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Koper, 9th ASOS JTAC program manager. “As of right now, we’ve been extremely successful in that. We allow the assets to have more accurate places to drop which helps them use resources more efficiently because we’re able to provide them a clear picture of the fire they’re fighting.”
The JTACs typical mission would be to communicate with an on-scene commander and use Air Force assets and firepower to protect ground units from enemy artillery. While coordinating where the water was dropped, they communicated with the on-scene commander to ensure the safety of soldiers from the 36th Engineer Brigade, who widened firebreaks.
“Our main goal was to contain the fire and to keep it from breaching outside of the range into the civilian population,” Koper said. “JTACs advise, assist and control so typically we’d be predominately using Air Force assets and we’d use them in offensive strike capabilities. With this we’re using predominately Army airlift operations and we’re integrating them into defensive and firefighter operations.”
JTACs used mapping software to create a real-time map of the fire while they deconflicted the airspace for Chinooks from the Royal Netherlands air force and Blackhawks from both the 166th Aviation Brigade and the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade.
Throughout the fight there was an estimated 75 bucket-drops per aircraft. Each Blackhawk bucket holds 500 gallons of water while Chinooks can hold 2,000; and the JTACs controlled up to eight helicopters at a time. With the responsibility of ensuring safety of flight and safe drops and only three JTACs on scene, teamwork was essential.
“We’re geographically separated using only bare-bones communications,” Koper added. “So developing techniques to understand what the other is thinking has been crucial. When we got on scene we thought they had everything under control and I wasn’t sure we’d be used much, but we’ve been overwhelmed with the additional information and support we’ve been able to provide and to help them coordinate better between the air and the ground.”
The coordination and teamwork the JTACs provided impacted the entire fire-suppression effort.
“(This has been) exceptional teamwork by all as we fight multiple fires across the range complex,” said Col. Hank Perry, Fort Hood garrison commander. “The entire installation team, along with every tenant unit on Fort Hood, has a stake in this. (This is) truly a team effort.”
In addition to providing integral support, the JTACs gained experience that can only come from completing an unlikely tasking in a new environment.
“Our guys tend to be liaisons when we’re advising and assisting,” Koper added. “But the (opportunity) for my guys to learn how to advise people who don’t have the same common operating picture and being out there, learning the ins-and-outs and trying to help streamline their command structure is hugely beneficial.”
The support the JTACs provided in culmination with the joint force effort has kept residents of Ft. Hood safe.
“It’s rewarding to see how a small team of three, sometimes two Airmen, can make such a large difference in a widespread environmental disaster,” said Koper. “Before we got on-scene I don’t think I would have been able to articulate the impact we could have on something like this. By the end we were operating autonomously and the impact it’s had on us from experiencing this is invaluable.”
After more than 60,000 man-hours dedicated and an evening of rain on July 30, the announcement of 100 percent fire containment came July 31. Unfortunately, just a few hours later another fire broke out on another Fort Hood range.
After two-weeks of round-the-clock fighting, resources and personnel were strained, but the rain on July 30 gave them a brief break before continuing close air support and intense fire suppression.
“The fact that we were able to pull back resources and relatively return to normal operations is a blessing,” said Sergio Campos, Fort Hood fire chief. “We all need time to reset mentally and physically, so we are ready for the next fight.”