Fort Campbell, KY – Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team “Rakkasans,” 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), conducted vehicle maintenance during Operation Lethal Eagle III, Fort Campbell, KY, August 9th, 2023.
Pfc. Victor Vega, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with J Company, said so far, Operation Lethal Eagle has consisted mainly of setup and routine operations. After setting up their area of operations and tents last week, their main priorities have been conducting maintenance on all types of vehicles, such as service checks or replacing components.
Being in the field presents a new set of challenges when conducting even routine maintenance. Vega says training in different environments can help give Soldiers the necessary skills to work under less desirable conditions.
“Being out here is a lot more challenging to conduct our operations than when we are in the motorpool,” said Vega. “Out here, you have to be able to adapt to new challenges and I think it’s really exciting.”
Sgt. Lucas Rainey, who is also a wheeled vehicle mechanic, agreed that training in the field is necessary for Soldiers to stay prepared to work in various situations.
“Training in the field provides real experiences that you don’t get in garrison,” said Rainey. “Whether it is getting to work on and recover vehicles, or going out to the range and doing live fires, it’s more accurate to how we would operate.”
The exercise provides similar challenges to that of being in a deployed environment. Vega said that solving minor issues in the field or on a deployment requires different skills than being in a garrison, so it’s necessary to train for the unexpected.
“Operation Lethal Eagle gives a solid understanding of how it would be if we were deployed overseas,” said Vega. “Whether that be a combat zone or a rotation to Europe, we need to be able to supply well-maintained vehicles to our Soldiers.”
Operation Lethal Eagle provides great training opportunities for Soldiers who have not gotten to experience working in difficult environments before. Rainey said that he thinks it is the perfect time to mentor junior Soldiers as they are exposed to new scenarios.
“I have a lot of Soldiers that have never been to the field before,” said Rainey. “I really like having the opportunity to bring them out here and lead them so they have a better understanding of maintenance operations in the field.”
Overall, Vega appreciates the time spent with his fellow Soldiers. He said that his favorite part of being in the field is the relationships he has made and being able to power through the tough times together.
“Out here, there’s a lot of struggle,” said Vega. “But being able to see how much we’ve come together is one of the best parts of being in the field.”
