Photo By Sgt. Cassandra Monroe | Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Daoud is the assistant facilities manager for the Joint Task...... read more read more
Subscribe
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - When troopers work long hours during their shifts at work, sometimes coming home is part of their relaxation process. Luckily, the housing staff at Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay provides the essentials that troopers need to help them relax at the end of the day.
It’s 6 o’clock at night and your shift just ended at work. It’s been a long 12 hours and the first thing you can think of is getting those boots off and relaxing, but you remind yourself that you must eat and conduct physical training. Once you finally get home for good, you’re able to relax.
For some, relaxation is turning on the television to catch up on recent sitcom episodes or playing video games. For others, reading a book and resting in a comfortable bed is preferred. Something most troopers may have in common is the need for housing necessities - items that make their living conditions more bearable.
Luckily, troopers can rely on the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Housing team to take care of these necessities.
“We do replacement of furniture fixtures and equipment,” said Air Force Capt. Gina Schneider, the housing officer for JTF Housing. “We also support all JTF troopers with housing reservations when they arrive on island.”
The team supports more than 1,700 JTF personnel on both JTF and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay side, making life more comfortable for those serving here on deployment.
“There’s so much to do and so few of us, but it’s great to know that we get to help so many people,” said Schneider.
Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Daoud, the assistant facilities manager for the JTF Directorate of Logistics housing team, starts his day by reviewing the work orders submitted by troops, then decides if an inspection is necessary prior to delivering equipment to a room.
With designated work orders ready for fulfillment, Daoud loads the equipment into his large truck and sets off for delivery. Although the housing team primarily supports JTF, Daoud must still deliver equipment to individual rooms on the Naval Station side of the island.
“If there wasn’t a housing side that the people needed, they would be a little uncomfortable and their morale and troop welfare would go down,” said Daoud, a Twin Lakes, Wis., native. “By making sure that the troopers get the equipment and supplies that they want and need, it makes their jobs and day-to-day lives a little easier.”
A good portion of equipment that the housing team maintains ranges from beds, wall lockers and armories, to electronics and appliances like televisions, microwaves and refrigerators. If troopers come across problems with these items, they are encouraged to fill out a work order at their housing unit’s maintenance office.
According to Daoud, when filling out the work order, it is essential for the troopers to annotate the model of electronic equipment as well as the specific deficiency.
Troopers are also encouraged to prepare their rooms for entry prior to equipment delivery, ensuring a fast turn-around in new equipment delivery for both themselves and Daoud.
“The small things go a long way,” said Daoud. “If you know you’re ordering a fridge, make sure the food isn’t perishable, so that way I can replace it quickly and get rid of the old one. Be prepared if you’re going to request something.”
Hauling around heavy equipment and making multiple deliveries, which often leads to working longer than normal hours, is all in a day’s work for Daoud. He said his job provides a positive presence to the JTF troopers.
“We’re making a name for the housing team here,” he said. “The deliveries are faster and people can actually feel comfortable asking for different things knowing that their calls will be answered. To me, what makes the job worthwhile is making sure the troopers are taken care of. Their wants become my wants, their needs become my needs. That’s what makes me work a little harder and faster.”
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2013 16:06 |
| Story ID: | 111519 |
| Location: | U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Hometown: | TWIN LAKES, WI, US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, You call it, we haul it: Housing staff strives to supply home essentials for JTF troopers, by SGT Cassandra Monroe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT