48th IBCT assumes missions in Afghanistan and Kuwait

Photo By Capt. Michael Thompson | Georgia National Guard Capt. Daniel Chicola, Logistics Civil Augmentation Program operations officer describes some of the installations capabilities and consumption rates. Chicola is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and an Army Civil Engineer. During his last deployment to Camp Phoenix he served as the deputy garrison engineer, providing an immense technical benefit to Task Force Volunteer base operations.  

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

02.22.2014

Story by Capt. Michael Thompson 

48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

CAMP PHOENIX, Kabul, Afghanistan — The Georgia Army National Guard elements of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team have settled into their respective roles in Kuwait and Afghanistan. At Camp Marmal, Task Force Norsemen assumed full responsibility for the Base Operating Support Integrator (BOS-I) mission and at Camp Phoenix, Task Force Volunteer received the Kabul base cluster mission. Both missions serve a similarity to a huge undertaking of security, tenant and property management for their own base plus designated surrounding camps. Select soldiers from the brigade were chosen to fill roles within the higher headquarters, U.S. Forces Afghanistan.

For Task Force Volunteer, the training during the relief in place would occur parallel to multiple subordinate and higher units changing out as well. The Camp Phoenix team started with their counterparts, the Alabama National Guard, 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade for guidance and then transitioned into the lead developing their own courses of action for base closure. Due to reductions in personnel, some teams assumed multiple duties or roles.

“I can assure you Task Force Volunteer will work tirelessly to follow their lead and accomplish the mission,” said Col. Randall V. Simmons, Jr., 48th IBCT commander, during the transfer of authority ceremony with the outgoing 226th MEB. “To our ANSF [Afghan National Security Forces] government partners, you have my utmost respect and confidence. We stand ready to partner with you shoulder to shoulder as we go through this important period in Afghan history. Force protection, safety and security will be vital components of our mission, but together we will repel any adversary that stands in our way.”

As part of the transition, the Bulgarian army held a transfer of authority ceremony between incoming commander Col. Toni Trifonov and outgoing commander Col. Maksim Karev. The Bulgarian military is part of the collective defense system of NATO and serves in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The Bulgarians, along with Georgians, Australians, Mongolians, British and other supporting NATO forces, provide a variety of security operations in the Kabul area. Working with the country of Georgia is part of a long standing interoperability relationship as the Georgia National Guard attends an annual exercise with the Georgians under the National Guard State Partnership Program. The supporting elements had to rapidly assess property, inventory, services and tenants to determine the scope of the installation.

“Some of the functions that we have done are picked up on from our counterparts or predecessor from the 226th MEB as we did a hand-off,” said Lt. Col. Robert Evans, base support group commander for Camp Eggers which sustains the life support systems and functions of the camp. “They had already initiated a lot of the processes, one of those being the environmental aspect of Camp Eggers. The initial surveys were done some time in mid-June of last year, a follow up study was done in the September-October time frame and no issues were determined or found.”

As part of community relations, Camp Phoenix opens the post common area for a women's bazaar which provides a venue for local women to sell merchandise from all over the region. Scarves and jewelry from China, unique patterns embroidered on blankets from India and Afghan linens make for a few of the festive items in the Phoenix square. Children proficient in English translate for their mothers and siblings to help negotiate prices with the service members bartering for their goods. Senior male Afghanistan merchants and business men of the camp help organize and endorse the event for the women.

“It gives the folks who may not necessarily get the chance to get off the base camp to interact with the locals and they get a sense we are not that unapproachable American,” said Lt. Col. Alex McLemore, base support group commander for Camp Phoenix. “And we get a better sense of the population, who is actually around us.”

For Task Force Norsemen at Camp Marmal, base support and management operations are equally challenging. The garrison command staff manages security and tenant requirements for the U.S. side of Camp Marmal, Camp John Pratt, Camp Mike Spann, Camp Khilagay and other posts of RC-North. Military police detachments provide law and order missions, infantry assist with the quick reaction force and entry control point, engineers support vertical deconstruction projects and logistics troops support processing of those materials to ship back to the U.S., use by Afghan forces or for destruction. As some structures are dismantled, remaining materials are assessed for hand over to the local Afghan community to help with the cold winter months.

“A lot of the villages near Mazar-i-Sharif don't have sufficient firewood during this time,” said Col. Wallace Steinbrecher, BOS-I commander at Camp Marmal. “What we are taking down and descoping a lot of tents and facilities here that frees up a lot of lumber. So we have made that available to the Germans to take out to the villages and make that available to the local population so they can use that for firewood.” Additionally, other materials found such as bedding, left behind by soldiers, are being donated for community assistance.

The Georgia Guardsmen of the 1230th Transportation Company are also stationed at Camp Marmal assisting with cargo movement and re-supply as part of logistics operations.

At all the installations, the 48th IBCT is using creative analysis to see how equipment or structures can be recycled or transferred to another location. The Camp Phoenix directorate of public works office will transfer over 100 relocatable barracks to New Kabul Compound (NKC). Alabama Guardsmen of the 1151st Engineer Company disassembled and packaged the units for transportation to support more living space for NKC.

The base support group and directorate of public works recently met with officials from the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to understand key infrastructure and services along with the consumption rates and capabilities of Camp Phoenix. ISAF Joint Command strategic and theater basing helps facilitate communication between GIRoA officials and the base support group.

Over the next few months, the Afghan officials will determine which sections of the camp they are interested in.

• Date Taken: 02.22.2014
• Date Posted: 02.25.2014 10:47
• Story ID: 121110
• Location: KABUL, AF