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Video by Sgt. Keegan Costello

High-Altitude Mountain Environmental Training Strategy (HAMETS) Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) Training

10th Combat Aviation Brigade

April 19, 2019 | 2:00

There is more to the High Altitude Mountainous Environmental Training Strategy (HAMETS) than just flying amongst mountain peaks. With the change of scenery from Fort Drum, NY, to Fort Bliss, TX, come many new challenges; especially the sand and dust that is kicked up by the strong winds our helicopters produce from their rotor blades.

As they prepare to land, a dust cloud will envelope the aircraft, making it impossible to see the ground. Our Aviators are here learning how to tackle this issue by trusting their instruments and relying on the training they receive here.

Not only does the dust obscure our Aviators line of sight, it also damages the aircraft, and Task Force Knighthawk (2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion with elements from 3-10 General Support Aviation Battalion, 1-10 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion and 277th Aviation Support Battalion) has learned to adapt to these problems. By learning to manage effective maintenance routines, our 10th Combat Aviation Brigade Soldiers can keep our aircraft running mission after mission, increasing our readiness and lethality.