101st airborne soldiers land in Kuwait
by Pfc. James Matise
CAMP PENNSYLVANIA, Kuwait (Army News Service, March 10, 2003) -- The soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) claimed their piece of the ground in Kuwait last week by raising their brigade banner, and they are now learning how to operate in the arid climate.
As soon as the 1st Brigade, 101st Abn. Div., left the cold of Fort Campbell, Ky., and claimed residence at Camp Pennsylvania, they began battling the heat.
Due to the dry nature of Kuwait, scorched by long hours of sunlight and radiating heat, soldiers need to protect themselves from dehydration and heat sickness by drinking more water than they normally would, said Maj. Blain A. Reeves, S3, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment.
"Forced hydration is the key to help getting them acclimatized," he said.
Soldiers are being told to increase their daily water intake up to eight quarts or more to remain healthy, and are also told to eat salt and other electrolytes to replace those lost through sweating, said Sgt. 1st Class Dwight Sparks, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bde.
"I've definitely increased my water intake, and I always add a little salt to my meal," Sparks said.
Brigade officials said there have been no severe cases of dehydration or heat sickness reported in the camp.
Becoming acclimatized is one way soldiers are regaining their strength after being jet lagged.
"Jet lag is the number one thing they had to recover from, so we took it easy the first day," Reeves said. "They've been training all day to get used to the terrain: doing some night training to get used to moving at night."
Soldiers are conducting squad movements, practicing chemical attack drills, and working with what they have to keep their combat capabilities up to standard, said Col. Frederick B. Hodges, commander, 1st Bde.
It took until March 2 for all of the units to depart Fort Campbell. Elements of the brigade began rolling into the camp March 3, setting up in the area previously occupied by the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Ga.
Due to the influx of troops coming in to Kuwait, transportation was not immediately available to bring them to their camp and many of them had to endure a long stay at Camp Wolf, the small reception facility just off the airstrip.
The 7,000-mile trip and mild shock of the sudden reversal of climates taxed the troops' stamina, so the unit's leadership is initially focusing on recovery and familiarizing the soldiers with their new environment, Reeves said.
The Kuwaiti desert has very little plant life to keep the sand locked in to the ground, and winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour across the land pick up loose soil and turns small grains of sand in to potentially harmful projectiles. Severe dust storms are almost a daily occurrence, and several soldiers in the camp reported windburn and eye injuries.
For now, the brigade is working and training amidst the high winds and dust storms, but should the weather get too severe, soldiers will be able to protect themselves by seeking shelter in the relatively sturdy tents set up in the camp.
"I was actually impressed with the tents," Butler said. "They were already put up when we got here, and most of them are climate-controlled," Sparks said.
Although the climate is different than what the soldiers are used to, they are confident that they will have success in Kuwait, Sparks said.
"I don't think it will affect our mission, as far as operating in the desert," he said, adding they are mission-ready, "without a doubt."
(Editor's note: by Pfc. James Matise is a writer for the 101st Airborne Division Public Affairs Office.)
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