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By Cpl. Kelly Beck
3rd Sustainment Command
From the moment their boots hit the ground in Iraq, the 557th Maintenance Company
from Fort Irwin, Calif., was tasked out with missions that aren't what you might expect of a maintenance unit.
Of the 215 Soldiers that make up the company, 50 were sent to Forward Operating Base Speicher to conduct convoy recovery missions, one was sent to Mosul and the rest were sent Joint Base Balad.
Regardless of their location, they share one thing in common; they did what was asked of them.
At JBB, the 557th's shipping containers remained untouched because their mission didn't require using the maintenance equipment they had brought with them. Instead of turning wrenches, they were assigned to secure the north, south and east entry control points to the base.
After only about a week of training,they took over the three ECPs."It definitely isn't what we thought we would be doing, but I loved it," says Spc. Simon Danielson, a 557th Soldier. We each had our strong points and we shared our knowledge with each other and watched out for each other."
1st Sgt. David Williams says that after maintaining the ECPs for about a month and a half they were given the opportunity to suggest ways to improve them.
"Three million dollars was put into improving the structure and lay out of JBB's ECPs and we designed many of the improvements that were used," says Capt. Beau Taylor, the 557th company commander.
While part of the unit helped improve the ECPs, the company's team at FOB Speicher was busy conducting about 120 convoy recovery missions.
"We have done so much," Williams says. "And everyone has had such a great attitude. I just get so proud thinking of all the things we have done. The Soldiers have gotten so much experience out here."
Not only did the 557th help improve the ECPs, they also trained Air Force personnel and contract security to take them over.
"We ran the ECPs, went on several patrols into local villages, spoke with sheiks, arranged times to have kids come to the ECPs and give them toys,trained how to run an ECP and now we are doing almost a little bit of everything,"Williams says.
Eleven months into the company's scheduled 15-month deployment, the unit was recalled to JBB and were quickly scattered across the base doing many different jobs.
These jobs included everything from uploading and down loading M1 Abrams tanks to working the generators that power security systems on base. They also maintained Gumvees, heavy equipment transporters, and repaired weapons, as other tasks on JBB.
One task included taking inventory of "FOB in a Box" kits – kits which include everything needed to create a new FOB.
"Things are a lot more relaxing now," says Spc. Madeline Brown, from the 557th who first worked at an ECP and now works on base generators."It's more of a 9 to 5 where I can have more of a daily routine because the ECPs were hectic."
Now, with two months left in their deployment, many of the Soldiers are ready to go home."I miss my family so much, and I can tell you, if it wasn't for being able to go home and see them, I've had a great time here and wish I could stay," Williams says.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2008 08:48 |
| Story ID: | 26628 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 246 |
| Downloads: | 223 |
This work, Not what you'd expect..., by SGT Kelly Anne Beck, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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