Common Bridge Transporter CONUS Vehicle Restrictions

M1977 Common Bridge Transporter with MKII Bridge Erection Boat loaded. 

I have been tasked to bring two vehicles and four Soldiers to a St. Patrick's Parade this weekend. No biggie, conduct a PMCS (preventive maintenance check and services), double check safety equipment, check fuel level, stage in the company parking lot and ...wait a minute, is my boat truck too tall?

In my MOS (military occupational specialty) we use large trucks and boats to build floating bridges. The M1977 Common Bridge Transporter (CBT) is a modified M977  Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) chassis with a load handling system (LHS) installed. Manufactured by Oshkosh Defense, the M977 chassis is used for many things like wreckers and tankers and guided missile transporters.

We use our M1977A2 CBTs to haul supplies, bridges and boats. It is pretty strange to see a truck with a boat in the middle of the Iraq desert but we were there. The M14 Improved Boat Cradle (IBC) holds the MKII Bridge Erection Boat (BEB). Yes, we erect bridges with it.

One would think they could find the simple answer of how tall this combination is from a technical manual. Nope. Through the power of the Internet, I was able to find the final transportability approval for the CBT program. And in Table 1 was my answer.

However, what is legal in the state of operation? Look no further than vehicle restriction statutes found on the department of transportation web site.

Now we just have to make sure we don't hit any low hanging cables. Éirinn go Brách.

Additional notes:
"Truck, Cargo, Common Bridge Transporter, With Winch, M1977A2", "Transporter, Common Bridge" (NSN 2320-01-492-8219) $217,434.

"Truck, Cargo, Common Bridge Transporter, Without Winch, M1977A2", "Transporter, Common Bridge" (NSN 2320-01-492-8218) $207,241.

The boat video is pure MOS porn. Army recruiters don't show teenagers the very heavy bridge parts they get to lift or  mention rolling around in human and camel feces under damaged bridges in a combat zone while wearing 50+ lbs of body armor. However, I signed back up--twice. 

Horrible Hand Salute and TC 3-21.5.

DRILL AND CEREMONIES
TC 3-21.5 (20JAN2012)

I wanted to review how to properly execute the hand salute today. I have recently seen some absolutely horrific salutes (not current service members) and wanted to refresh my memory on the particulars. What kills me is it is not a difficult thing to do if you follow a simple trick.

Because I archived all my army publications, I have been downloading new ones from the Army Publishing Directorate. Ok, where the hell is FM 3-21.5? It was nowhere to be found.

Drill and Ceremonies is the current day incarnation of the first field manual of the United States Army. "The Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States," is commonly referred to as the Blue Book and was written by the former Prussian officer Baron Friedrich von Steuben. It codified the training he gave General George Washington's troops at Valley Forge in February 1778 who were, "half-starved, wretched men in rags."

Apparently the field manual has become a training circular. Drill and Ceremonies, TC 3-21.5 (20 JANUARY 2012) was released a couple of months ago. At first glance I don't see any changes, but I might spot some as I get ready for Memorial Day ceremonies.

As for delivering a correct hand salute, just remember to "follow the buckle." On Present, ARMS put your right fingers and thumb together and move your palm over your pant buckle. Swing the arm up and out to the right corner of your eye, your eyeglasses or your headgear with a visor. Your hand will be canted the correct angle and your wrist will be straight. Just make sure your upper arm is horizontal. If your wrist is bent or elbow pointing down, remember to follow the buckle on the way up.

Also, if you are getting ready for the board, you can remember Dn'C because it has 3 letters, you offer 21 gun salutes and the Taps recording works about .5 percent of the time. 

Army Physical Readiness Training Videos

There are a few resources available to help Soldiers and NCOs learn the new Army Physical Readiness Training. However, if you like to learn by doing, the people who wrote Training Circular 3-22.20 are releasing videos on YouTube. I have compiled an Army PRT Video Playlist in the order dictated by the TC.

How do I know this? Because I called the number on their Facebook page TC 3-22.20, U.S. Army Physical Fitness School (USAPFS). These are the guys who wrote the TC and were nice enough to answer my questions.

I flip on the playlist and do PT by myself and just ignore the "At Ease" after every exercise. The helpful GS 14 said that was in there for Initial Entry Training users. On run days I skip over CD 1 and 2 and pick up with the recovery drill when I get home.

There are other resources out there such as ArmyPRT, however, "We did not write the TC, we did not design the PRT program and we did not design the iPhone app."

How to get a copy of a DD 214

Go here: Veterans Service Records. It's free from the National Archives.

Do what they say. Use the eVetRecs service. I faxed my signature.

A few weeks later, 2 copies of my DD 214 with a frigging seal embossed arrived first class.

Can it be any easier. 

So, if your parent can't find their Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, Report of Separation or Certification of Military Service (or whatever the heck they called it back when), I would highly suggest you help your relation avoid any issues before it becomes a problem (like verifying eligibility with the Veteran Administration medical (VHA) or benefits (VBA) such as burial honors).

Army Physical Readiness Training (PRT), TC 3-22.20

"The Windmill, Starting Position, Move..."

After one drill in the Connecticut Army National Guard the single biggest difference between active and reserve units is physical fitness readiness. As an engineer who works with heavy bridge parts, physical fitness was stressed in my last unit. My first sergeant used to say PT was the most important thing we did all day.

Army Physical Readiness Training, Training Circular TC 3-22.20 (20AUG2010) came out last summer. It supersedes FM 21-20 (30SEP1992) which was the PT bible.

When we got back from a year-long deployment from Afghanistan in August 2011, we were told we must change our traditional PT from neck rotations to the preparation drill of PRT. Besides being able to wear our patrol caps in garrison all the time, this was the biggest change we had to overcome.

Sleepy Soldiers, who have for years heard "all rotations will be five to the front and five to the rear...", were initially not receptive to the change--except for Soldiers who went to NCOAs, were from other units or were new to the Army (they learned this in basic).

In two weeks, my last unit was up to speed with basic PRT. Leadership made the commitment of time and manpower, we had two staff sergeants join the company fresh from the trail, and it was an ideal time to introduce this--right after a difficult deployment. We stressed proper form and train-the-trainer instruction, and PRT can be done in IPFU or ACU (yea, it says that).

The number one barrier to doing the right thing will be entrenched NCOs. However, if we always did things the way we have always done them, we would still be doing hurdle stretches (horrible for knee joints) and heading off to the stables, the horse stables, after PT.

Learn how to properly conduct the Preparation Drill in rectangular formation. If leadership or peers are a barrier, realize that, "Commanders and supervisors must establish PRT programs," section 1-3 says, "consistent with the requirements in AR 350-1, with their unit missions, and with this training circular (TC)."