John Gelsimino usually flies radio-controlled helicopters in the Lake Geauga Helicopters Association.

However, the Lyndhurst resident said he was impressed Friday when he saw the real thing up close at Notre Dame College of Ohio.

Two UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters floated in the air and then landed on a grassy area by the administration building of the South Euclid college. They had arrived to transport 42 ROTC Cadets.

The future officers along with 23 other cadets by bus were travelling to the Ohio Army National Guards Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center for in-field training exercises this weekend.

Every semester, the cadets from Notre Dame College, John Carroll University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and Hiram College attend training at the camp.

However, this was the first time they traveled by helicopter.

In fact, US Army Capt. Matt McGraw said they havent done this in about 20 years and the cadets are getting a rare opportunity.

We are doing a very realistic and relevant training for the cadets, he said. We dont normally get to do any preparation or planning for air movement. What I hope (the cadets) get out of it is the realism of the training that our Army soldiers and officers are applying overseas right now.

Army officials noted, it was a specially modified stealth version of the Black Hawk that transported the elite Navy SEALs team on the top-secret mission that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden.

Despite the heavy rains, many spectators came, as some stood on the campus rooftops to watch the helicopters arrive on Friday morning. Continued…

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Tags : Exercises
Categories : Exercises