MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- A Marine strains against the weight of the passenger side door. Finally, he kicks the door open and jumps out. “Pull!” he yells, as he and another Marine evacuate a casualty from a flipped humvee. They drag their comrade to safety and post security.
Ten Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, II MEF, received Humvee Egress Assistance Training here March 5. Three Marines from 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II MEF, instructed the training.
“Unfortunately, rollover incidents do occur,” said Sgt. Samuel Rutledge, a HEAT instructor with Ground Sensory Platoon, Headquarters Company, 2nd Intel. Bn. “Marines must become familiar with tactical vehicles’ attributes so they know what to do in case of an incident.”
According to the Navy Safety Center Operation Ground tables, 26 Marines were killed in tactical vehicle incidents during 2007. The Army unveiled the first HEAT simulator during June 2006. Since then, the Marines Corps adopted HEAT to prepare Marines for tactical vehicle incidents.
Because of the imminent danger of improvised explosive devices and vehicle mishaps, all Marines must complete HEAT before deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan.
“In a rollover situation, everyone must react quickly and work together,” said Sgt. Courtney Neal, an administration noncommissioned officer, II MHG. “The training teaches us to do so in a controlled environment.”
The instructors briefed the Marines on how to get in and out of the simulator. Then, they introduced the participants to the proper safety precautions and equipment. Instructors required the participants to wear kevlar helmets, flak jackets, knee and elbow pads and eye protection to ensure everyone’s safety.
The simulator has the main components of an actual humvee. Each Marine climbed up into the simulator with a rubber rifle. The instructors then helped them fasten their three-point safety belts.
When all of the participants were secured in their seats, the instructors closed and locked the doors, preventing the doors from flying open while the simulator is in motion. The instructors stepped back and powered up the machine.
Rutledge controlled the motion of the simulator electronically. He slowly turned it sideways and asked the Marines inside if they were OK. He proceeded to turn the simulator upside down and in a complete circle to ensure the Marines didn’t get motion sickness and to test the safety belts and equipment before providing the Marines with combat scenarios.
During the first scenario, Rutledge turned the simulator in several complete circles and stopped it upside down. The participants’ kevlars slammed against the roof of the simulator with each flip, as they gripped their rifles.
“If the Marines let go of their gear, it will fly all over the cab, and someone will get hurt,” Rutledge said. “They must remain aware of their surroundings and keep the mission in mind.”
When the simulator came to a stop upside down, the instructors pretended to unlock all doors, but actually only unsecured one. The Marines inside had to fight through their disorientation to find the unlocked door and swing it open.
“A lot of times, people don’t understand how heavy the doors are,” Rutledge said. “HEAT gives them an opportunity to get hands-on experience with the vehicle.”
The first Marine out held the door open and helped the other participants with their rifles. As each of the following Marines exited the simulator, they set up a 360 degree security perimeter, just as they would if a real incident occurred in a combat zone.
In the other scenarios, Rutledge flipped the simulator sideways, and the Marines had to exit from both a normal door and the gunner’s hatch to post security. Also, they had to pull an unconscious casualty from the simulator while it was upside down.
“I wouldn’t miss HEAT for the world. It’s part of the Marine Corps,” Neal said. “It’s part of the training Marines need to be a force in readiness and complete missions all around the world.”