Roll Over - Roll Over

Today was vehicle safety day.  We were going to experience a roll-over in a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle or MRAP.  This is a beast of a truck used to haul soldiers in dangerous areas where enemy roadside bombs might be.  The larger MRAPs were used extensively in Iraq but not so much in Afghanistan due to their weight.  Nevertheless, the Army says we need to understand what a rollover feels like.  We got about thirty minutes of classroom instruction on the key do’s and don’ts.  Do strap yourself in tightly and do secure all material as when this thing ever does roll over, loose heavy stuff like ammo cans and weapons will do bad things to your body.  Don’t puke or you will clean it up or panic. When you reach a tipping point, everyone is supposed to yell Roll-Over Roll Over to prepare for the inevitable.  

Next was the simulator where an MRAP crew cabin is mounted on a frame which allows it to do controlled barrel rolls.  This is a cool rig where the operator is able tilt the rig or let it roll over.  The instructor said he woul

d roll us a bit until we reached the tipping point, then he would roll us over and over until we got it right.  The MRAP is a tight fit for anyone with little cloth jumper seats to sit on, and with body armor, it was even tighter.  For a short guy like me, my helmet was a good five inches from the roof of this thing, but for the bigger guys, they were glued.  We strapped in tight harnesses and gave a thumbs up.  We got to the tipping point, thinking the guy on the high side of me would slip from his harness and crush me, and yelled Roll Over - Roll Over and off we went, stopping upside down to see most of the tall guys with their helmets planted firmly on the roof.   Then we rolled on, then back again.  Some had worried looks, but one of us started laughing, which lightened the mood for everyone.  After that it was yells for more.  Like I said, this is good group.  Sorry. No pictures of the rig allowed.