Subdeacon Joe Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 They must have impressive hoisting and rigging skills just to haul around the big brass ones they must have. 21st Ordnance Company (EOD WMD) Quote 1 / 3Show Caption + 2 / 3Show Caption + 3 / 3Show Caption + KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – Hand-picked American Soldiers from a one-of-a-kind U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal company that combats Weapons of Mass Destruction train for high stakes missions around the world. U.S. Army EOD technicians from the 21st Ordnance Company (EOD WMD) “Blackjacks” provide support to defeat or mitigate the effects of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Army EOD technicians from the company train to reach Weapons of Mass Destruction wherever they are located. U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher N. Tretta, the operations sergeant for the Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico-headquartered 21st EOD Company, said this unique mission can lead to some unique training opportunities. The EOD teams even trained to climb and rappel on the Hoover Dam in Nevada. 1 / 2Show Caption + 2 / 2Show Caption + “Tactical climbing, hoisting and rigging is a mission essential task that unit members must be proficient in conducting, as it's a crucial component of our unit's capabilities,” said Tretta. “The Hoover Dam complex, with all its massive concrete structures, like spillways and the dam itself, was an absolutely world-class training venue that continually challenged my team.” The summer training exercise focused on hoisting and rigging in the unforgiving environment of extreme heat and sheer vertical drops. With the temperature peaking at 122 degrees during the day, the EOD techs practiced hoisting heavy equipment from apertures in the spillway walls across hand-tensioned high lines over the gorge and then retrieving their payloads from confined spaces in very hard to reach areas. “The training culminated on the last day with the 700-foot rappel off the face of the dam,” said Tretta. “This was obviously no ordinary rappel and special attention had to be given to rope length and weight and even the speed of descent, as too much speed would generate excessive heat in the rappel device and possibly melt the rope.” 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 A skydiver once told me that falling from 5,000' is no different than falling from 100'...just takes longer to reach your destination. Me personally, I wouldn't even look over the edge let alone rappel down it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted September 5 Author Share Posted September 5 13 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said: A skydiver once told me that falling from 5,000' is no different than falling from 100'...just takes longer to reach your destination. In Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy our hero is told by his adopted father, "A fall can only be high enough to kill you." 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 In the 80’s I did rock climbing to get over my fear of heights. We started small and worked our way up to 2 and 3 pitch climbs and rappelling down 700’ faces that we hiked to. I never got over my fear of heights. My Vertigo is just awful. These guys in the EOD/WMD teams certainly have the “right stuff” for this. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 (edited) 1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said: In Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy our hero is told by his adopted father, "A fall can only be high enough to kill you." I have a cousin that paid his way through college working for a bridge painting crew. The company had the contract to paint several of the steel truss bridges over the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in and around St Louis. At a family gathering he was showing us pictures he had taken from the top of one of the bridges. Grandma asked him if he was afraid of falling to his death being so high up. He replied that he was more afraid of falling and ending up a cripple. So he volunteered to work as high up a possible as the base pay was supplemented with hazard pay based on how high above the bridge deck he worked. I forget what he was getting paid but it was a lot. He paid for all his schooling, a new truck, and still had a small fortune left over. Edited September 5 by Sedalia Dave 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 I always prefer to be inside something with a big fan in front of me, when I'm ,more than 10 feet off the ground! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Maverick Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 5 hours ago, Cypress Sun said: A skydiver once told me that falling from 5,000' is no different than falling from 100'...just takes longer to reach your destination. Me personally, I wouldn't even look over the edge let alone rappel down it. It is not the fall that kills ya it is the sudden stop. LOL TM 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 My daughter met her husband while climbing a mountain near El Capitan in Northern California. She was trying to get over her fear of heights (It worked) and he was climbing it for fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Why seek to get over a fear of heights? A very salutary fear, I believe. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Simply, fear is the mind killer. It (for me at least) must be managed. I did rock climbing in college years for that very reason, certainly not for pleasure, but it helped manage a fear and chart a course for dealing with the few others. Something called the attack escape syndrome. At my age there is not a lot left to fear, and I have measures in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted September 6 Author Share Posted September 6 1 hour ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said: Why seek to get over a fear of heights? A very salutary fear, I believe. I think the desire to "get over a fear" isn't to eliminate a rational fear, but to tame one that has become irrational and inhibits day to day life, or prevents you from engaging in an activity that you enjoy. A minor example: back in '18 I spun out on a transition ramp. There had been just enough rain that morning to bring up the road oil and made the road slick. As I made the right hand turn I felt myself losing traction, even though I was about 5mph under the posted speed. I overcorrected, did a 180, and slammed into the kerb. Broke the bead on both passenger side tyres. For about 2 weeks had to force myself to take that ramp, working to overcome the fear of taking it, and it still makes me a little twitcy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Maverick Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 i don't like being closed in like in the MRI scan tube where it is right there in my face. I have to close my eyes and pretend to be trying to sleep to get through it. TM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 14 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said: i don't like being closed in like in the MRI scan tube where it is right there in my face. I have to close my eyes and pretend to be trying to sleep to get through it. TM You might like this - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Maverick Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 4 hours ago, Rip Snorter said: You might like this - That would have been a nicer experience than what I went through for sure. I had to have a complete scan of my head. I was experiencing migraines that ended up being diagnosed as cluster headaches and they never were able to determine the cause. I have grown out of them I guess since I don't have them anymore. TM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 3 hours ago, Texas Maverick said: That would have been a nicer experience than what I went through for sure. I had to have a complete scan of my head. I was experiencing migraines that ended up being diagnosed as cluster headaches and they never were able to determine the cause. I have grown out of them I guess since I don't have them anymore. TM Had several of the tubie ones, don't like 'em, but they don't bother me. Have to try and stay awake, apparently, like my dogs, I twitch in my sleep! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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