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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Maj. Alan Hardin (hardina@nsula.edu)
ROTC/Department of Military Science
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-5176
9/06/2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - Twelve Demon Battalion cadets from the Northwestern State University ROTC program conducted joint aviation training operations in a UH-60A Blackhawk Helicopter from the "Voodoo" Battalion in August. The 1- 244th Assault Helicopter Battalion of Louisiana Army National Guard (LA-ARNG) recently returned from a tour in Iraq.
The UH-60A Blackhawk is a twin-turbine engine, single rotor, semi-monocoque fuselage, rotary wing aircraft that entered service in 1979. It was developed to meet Department of Defense requirements to replace the venerable UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" of Vietnam Era fame. It was selected for production because it features a system design that provides multiple redundancies, better safety and survivability features and has much more power and lift capacity than the Huey.
The NSU cadets participated in this training under the supervision of NSU ROTC Cadre working in unison with a former NSU cadet and alumnus, now the "Voodoo" Battalion executive officer and command pilot Major Jonathan Ballard, a 1991 NSU graduate.
"This training event provided an excellent opportunity promote the Louisiana Army National Guard and to inspire the Demon Battalion cadets to strive for excellence as they prepare to be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the Army," Ballard said.
The cadets received training on aviation operations, aviation safety and UH-60 crash survivability features. Training culminated with an aerial tour of the area. Exposure to UH-60 operations was a first for several of the cadets.
"It was the perfect way to see Natchitoches. I felt like a little kid at the fair. I grinned from ear to ear the whole time," said Cadet Michael Baker of Bogalusa, a criminal justice major.
"I loved the experience; its different the second time around" said Cadet Danita Green of Alexandria, also a criminal justice major. Green had her first experience in a helicopter during Hurricane Katrina. Few of the cadets had ever experienced Natchitoches from the air.
"I've ridden in a helicopter before, but it was a Chinook. The Blackhawk was more fun because it was more maneuverable," stated Cadet Jordan Morris of Port Allen, a business administration major.
The experience was designed to help the cadets become more knowledge about the U.S. Army, aviation operations in particular, and to consider their future plans as warrior leaders in a multi-dimensional environment, according to Maj. Alan Hardin, NSU ROTC enrollment and scholarships officer.
"It was my first time seeing Natchitoches from above. I talked to some of my peers who saw the helicopter and they were amazed at how the ROTC program got a Blackhawk for us," said Cadet Matthew Leblanc, a history major from Harvey.
"The training with the Blackhawk was a great experience for the cadets at NSU and the expertise demonstrated by the LA-ARNG pilots revealed to some that while the Army is comprised of three parts, Active, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard; it truly can function as an 'Army of One,'" Hardin said.