Military Wrecker Teams

By JIM "BUCK" SORRENTI - AT Field Editor We have always emphasized the importance of training for towing and recovery professionals. Over the past few months I have written about various training sessions that the Miller Team has held in the U.S. and around the world. Here is an overview look at how the military prepares their Wrecker Teams to recover vehicles in the field. The field-training exercises the different branches of the military perform serve as a diagnostic tool for leaders to assess the competence and capabilities of their organization and the individuals who comprise it. Some of these training sessions were done in the states while others were performed in country. Some of the photos pictured here were actual recovery missions. In a few we see Marines with a Quick Reaction Force team from Combat Logistics Battalion 5, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), excavate a vehicle stuck in the sand during a QRF mission in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Soft sand can cause vehicles to get stuck while driving through the desert. Wrecker teams help save a great amount of money and resources for the Marine Corps by retrieving damaged or broken-down vehicles and transporting them back to base camp for repair. Driving over Afghanistan's rocky terrain can take a toll on tactical vehicles. Roads are littered with improvised Explosive Devices and a tactical vehicle unlucky enough to roll over one is most likely too damaged to continue driving. Even the soft, talcum-like sand can cause vehicles to get stuck while driving. Wrecker teams are in charge of going out and recovering these vehicles if an incident occurs that affects a unit's ability to complete a mission. "As a wrecker operator, I recover downed vehicles or get them unstuck," said a wrecker operator for Combat Logistics Battalion 5, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward). "Depending on the situation and what is needed of us, we go out and support the mission, whether it's a or a mission." It is extremely important for the Marines to have wrecker operators because it would cost a lot of money and resources to replace the vehicles hit by IEDs or broken down in the middle of the Afghanistan desert. Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, for instance, the Corps' most widely used forward deployed tactical vehicle, cost upwards of $1 million each. "It's a tough job learning to operate this wrecker, but I love doing it. That's why I requested to go to school and become an operator," said the 25-year old Marine sargent. "It's a lot of fun; a lot of people don't get to do and see most of the things that I am able to see." "Not many people can say that they were able to pull out and recover a vehicle that got stuck in the desert," he added. The sergeant has been a wrecker operator since arrived in Afghanistan. During his first month he had made more than 20 recoveries, 13 of which were during his last QRF mission that lasted more than 72 hours. On the days they aren't going out on missions, they work on their wreckers, ensuring everything is operating properly. "During a mission, these vehicles go through a lot of beatings. We have to keep them maintained so they can be in good shape and keep running," he said. "That way, they don't break down often, as we only have a few of these vehicles to operate. "Every day is a new adventure," said the sarge. "There's always something new that happens every time we go out. That's one of the best parts about being a wrecker operator." In another scenario Marines pulled the chassis from a sandy ravine as part of a training exercise meant to prepare them for possible scenarios they may encounter during their upcoming deployment. Recovering vehicles in the midst of battle is the objective of these exercises. Wrecker teams are taught to work quickly to bring vehicles damaged nearly beyond repair, right side up knowing one day bullets will accompany their struggles. Using strong yet sturdy vehicles, the Wrecker teams practice its muscle memory on procedures to rescue incapacitated vehicles. They practice recovering vehicles that could possibly be rolled over and hookup techniques. At any time, any vehicle can get 'broken.' Any vehicle can break down so they have to recover it. Obstacles such as improvised explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades, homemade explosives and more are constant threats soldiers face in the war zone. With just as deadly repercussions, terrain such as mountainous regions in the battle zones claim their share of vehicles. Utilizing and familiarizing themselves with a M984 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck wrecker—a recovery vehicle that uses a lift-to-tow system able to recover disabled vehicles in two to three minutes—they grab chains, hooks and other tools to rig up the rolled vehicle. The Oshkosh Defense HEMTT A4 M984A4 recovery truck offers heavy-duty power and extreme performance for the most difficult recovery missions. It has the maneuverability to traverse any type of terrain and the power to recover vehicles weighing in excess of 10 tons, even those mired in mud, sand, water or snow. Manufactured with rugged, durable components, including a heavy-duty crane and winch retrieval system, the HEMTT A4 recovery truck is built for high-performance, long-lasting duty. An anti-lock braking system, traction control and air-ride suspension provide easy navigation over any type of terrain, and the large cab offers substantial space for crewmembers. Look for the print version of this piece in an upcoming issue of AT. Show Yours @ TIW Do you have a recovery to share with TIW readers? Send some pics and info to the editor at bdooley@towman.com; your recovery may even be selected for print in American Towman magazine!