Signal soldiers enable TOC at JRTC

Photo By Staff Sgt. Amanda Tucker | Chief Warrant Officer 2 Scott Garrett, an information systems technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, and Colorado Springs, Colo., native, sets up a movement tracking system while assisting in the tactical operation center setup at the intermediate staging base dining facility at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Aug. 5. The 189th CSSB is currently supporting a month-long joint operational access exercise at JRTC. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amanada Tucker, 82nd Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs/Released)  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

08.05.2013

Story by Sgt. Amanda Tucker 

82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade

FORT POLK, La.— Computer technology has advanced from floppy disks and compact disks to external hard drives and facial recognition software. While laptops and netbooks populate college campuses and gamer corners, signal soldiers put this expanding information technology to an important use.

Signal soldiers with 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion recently provided communications support while assisting with the set up of a tactical operations center (TOC) at Intermediate Staging Base Alexandria for a month-long joint operational access exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center here Aug. 5.

The Army Signal’s branch consists of 16 enlisted military occupational specialties that range from radio operator-maintainer to satellite communication systems operator –maintainer. These soldiers learn skills in mechanics, electrical use, maintenance and wiring techniques.

“It’s one of those jobs where you are not really noticed until something goes wrong,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Scott Garrett, an information systems technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, and Colorado Springs, Colo., native. “Everything has to be running every minute of the day.”

The battalion S-6 shop set up communications for radio systems, command post of the future, very small aperture terminals and battle command sustainment and support systems. The soldiers set up these systems in cramped, high and hot areas across the area of operations.

“The commander has to be able to communicate to his elements and to higher headquarters,” said Garrett. “Communications is one of the most vital elements of setting up a tactical operations center anywhere.”

The S-6 shop completed the TOC hardware setup within 48 hours of initial setup, directly supporting approximately 30 sustainment soldiers and indirectly supporting hundreds.

• Date Taken: 08.05.2013
• Date Posted: 08.08.2013 05:35
• Story ID: 111554
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
• Hometown: RICHMOND, VA, US
• Hometown: TALLULAH, LA, US