Topic: Task Force Shadow

Why We Serve: Capt. Julie Duffy and Capt. Nicole Nelson of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade

November 26, 2012 |

Written by U.S. Army Sgt. Duncan Brennan
101st Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan – The call to serve is heard by many, and it is one of the defining characteristics of great Soldiers.

In the cases of U.S. Army Capt. Nicole Nelson, a native of Chicago, IL and U.S. Army Capt. Julie Duffy, a native of Williamstown, KY, both attached to C Company, 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Shadow, as enroute critical care nurses with the 30th Medical Brigade, the call to begin service was different, but their reason for continuing to serve is the same.

U.S. Army captains Nicole Nelson and Julie Duffy, enroute critical care nurses with 30th Medical Brigade, Task Force Med-A, attached to C Company, 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Shadow, stand in front of their office, an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 8, 2012. Duffy and Nelson bring critical care nursing skills to battlefield aeromedical evactuation assets of TF Shadow. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Duncan Brennan, 101st CAB PAO)

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101st Combat Aviation Brigade supports 82nd Airborne Division at Joint Readiness Training Center

January 27, 2012 |

Written by Sgt. Tracy Weeden
101st Combat Aviation Brigade

Fort Polk, LA – The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade’s Task Force Shadow from Fort Campbell, KY, is training for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan this month at the Joint Readiness Training Center here with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division ground forces.

Different elements from all units of the 101st CAB came together to train as a task force, combining attack, scout, medevac and other aviation assets to support 82nd Airborne infantry soldiers.

A flight medic of 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, lowers himself to the ground by a hoist mechanism installed on the UH-60A Black Hawk medevac helicopter to retrieve a medical patient of the 1st Battalion, 82nd Infantry Regiment, during a situational training exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, LA, Jan. 17th, 2012. The 101st CAB is training at JRTC throughout the month of January. (Photo by Sgt. Tracy Weeden)

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Dusk till dawn

September 9, 2010 |

Written by Spc. Tracy Weeden
101st Combat Aviation Brigade  

Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan – These soldiers stand by every night from dusk until dawn with 2,500 gallon fuel trucks ready to go to the flight line for hot and cold refuels.

Hot refuel means the aircraft is running, while cold refuel means the aircraft has been shut down.

“After flying a long mission, it is nice to be able to just taxi in and shutdown because we know the refuelers are on their way,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joe Maynard, A Co., Task Force Shadow UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot.

Spc. David P. Rubio, E Co., TF Shadow petroleum supply specialist, puts on his fire retardant gloves before checking the 2,500 gallons of fuel inside the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck for water content and doing preventative maintenance to ensure that the night shift refuelers are able to safely conduct their mission on the flight line at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

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Look out below!

September 7, 2010 |

Written by Spc. Tracy Weeden
101st Combat Aviation Brigade

Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan – Task Force Shadow’s CH-47 Chinooks from B Company executed their first low cost, low altitude aerial delivery resupply to troops at a combat outpost in Afghanistan July 26th.

A low cost, low altitude airdrop is the delivery of supplies rigged in bundles with single-use, recycled parachutes dropped from an aircraft at a low altitude.

This first-time airdrop was to certify the Pathfinders on the ground and the aircrews were capable of conducting these procedures.

“It was a huge success because not only were we able to certify and verify the ground portion of it, but we did the same with the aircrew by verifying their stabilization and qualifications,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Nikolao, TF Shadow standardization instructor pilot.

The jumpmaster waits for the Chinook pilots to give the order to “execute” the airdrop before pushing the bundle out the back of the aircraft. The Chinooks are equipped with “Helicopter Internal Cargo Handling Systems”, rollers, which allows for less force when dropping a bundle weighing over 200 pounds.

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Purple Heart beats strong

September 7, 2010 |

Written by Spc. Tracy Weeden
101st Combat Aviation Brigade

Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan – Spc. Patricia Fowler, B Company, Task Force Shadow UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew chief, received a Purple Heart for wounds she sustained in action, August 5th, while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

Fowler was a crew member of a chase helicopter on a medevac mission when the aircraft came under enemy fire while flying over Helmand province, May 6th.

Spc. Patricia Fowler

Five rounds impacted the aircraft, and one of those rounds ricocheted off the window frame and struck her helmet.

She sustained head trauma from the impact of the bullet and shrapnel that embedded in her left shoulder.

Fowler said she did not know what hit her until they landed and evaluated the situation. When she removed her helmet there were two bullet holes, an entry and exit.

Fowler has been in the Army since April 2008. Her awards include the Army Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal and now the Purple Heart.

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