FOB Hammer FARP Refuels Birds, Crewmembers

Two Blackhawks land at FOB Hammer’s FARP where, in addition to supplying fuel and ammunition, its Soldiers take the initiative to look after the aircrafts’ crewmembers.

PFC. MONICA K. SMITH
CAB, 3RD INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS
BAGHDAD

— In two days a full service refueling point was established, and it has been keeping birds off the ground and in the sky with a smile. The full-service FARP, or forward area rearmament and refueling point, has been busy since its establishment about four weeks ago on Forward Operating Base Hammer. Once notifi ed of an inbound helicopter, Soldiers are prepared
to refuel and rearm the aircraft within minutes reducing the aircraft’s downtime.

“At some FARPs, we have to wait on the fuelers, but these guys are ready,” said Spc. Zachary Julian, Company A, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment. “It’s a very well run operation in my
opinion. Their fuelers do a really good job — they’re pretty quick.” In addition to re-supplying the helicopters with fuel and ammunition, the FARP Hammer Soldiers also ‘refuel’ the
aircraft’s crewmembers.

“It’s a great FARP. It’s a full service stop. They go out of their way to help you out. I’ll ask, ‘Hey can you get me a Gatorade?’ And they’ll say, ‘Oh, yeah man,’ and then they bring out drinks for the whole crew,” said Spc. Justin Wagner, a Black Hawk crew chief from Co. A, 4-3 Avn.

The drinks provide a morale boost for the Soldiers, said Sgt. Justin Jaramillo, from Troop E, 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, from the 10th Mountain Division., which he enjoys providing.
Jaramillo also enjoys the amount of work the FARP receives.
“We’re here to support the helicopters,”

said Jaramillo. “These birds support the line troops, so we make sure all the birds have fuel and are armed. We know we’re doing a good job because the guys all want to come to our FARP.”