What does the SOC Say? 1st TSC, 143rd ESC soldiers synchronize information flow

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class John Carkeet IV | Army Staff Sgt. Andrew B. Shepard, the current operations battle noncommissioned officer, 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), monitors data flowing through the Sustainment Operations Center (SOC) March 13, 2014, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Soldiers assigned to the SOC collect, analyze and disseminate information sent from or requested by the 143rd ESC's sister, subordinate or superior units spread across three continents. Operating on a 24/7 basis, the SOC is ultimately responsible for determining the "so what" factor of every element of information and sending it to the individuals or organizations that need it to conduct their respective missions.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

03.13.2014

Story by Sgt. John Carkeet IV 

143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT – Every day, thousands of pieces of information originating from hundreds of sources commute along scores of channels managed by dozens of units that report to the 1st Theater Sustainment Command and the 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).

The immense influx of data, facts, orders, statistics, announcements and observations would almost certainly overwhelm any individual, small team or automated system. It therefore becomes paramount to develop a 24/7 operation to collect, analyze and disseminate information in an accurate and timely fashion.

That’s where the Sustainment Operation Center (SOC) enters the battlespace.

“The SOC synchronizes the flow of information from the downtrace units to higher headquarters and adjacent units,” said Maj. Derrick L. Wilhoite, Battle Major, 143rd ESC. “In doing so, we’re giving an operational picture as to what is going on.”

A native of Chicago, Wilhoite works with his team of officers and noncommissioned officers to keep thousands of service members connected as they conduct various sustainment missions throughout the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

“We oversee units deployed to at least one of the 10 countries that encompass Central Command’s area of responsibility (AOR),” said Wilhoite. "We also sync with the 1st TSC Forward in Afghanistan and track for anything in that area that may affect operations [in the AOR].”

The success to a seamless sync hinges on the organizational and analytical skills of 143rd ESC battle NCOs, like Staff Sgt. Andrew B. Shepard.

“We’re the worker bees of the SOC,” said Shepard, a native of Mount Jackson, Va. “We make sure everything is attended to, and that includes equipment, communications and the health of the section.”

To better manage the divergent flow of information, the 1st TSC and the 143rd ESC merged their respective personnel and resources to form a single SOC.

“We turned Maj. Gen. Kurt Stein’s (former commander of the 1st TSC) vision into reality,” said Wilhoite. “We each had our own ways of doing things, and we lost many contractors who helped us at the SOC. Despite that we set the stage for the units that will replace us to operate as a unified SOC.”

According to Shepard, the secret to the SOC’s successful unification stems from one of the 1st TSC and the 143rd ESC’s greatest strengths: customer service.

“It is incumbent upon as battle staff operators that we are very open and approachable," said Shepard. “We have to be professional because we talk for the commander in everything we do and say. If we don’t, then nobody would want to talk to us and no information would get out.”

Although the unified front has further streamlined the information flow, several obstacles stubbornly face this three-shift operation that never locks its doors.

“One major challenge is the upkeep of the Army watercraft,” said Wilhoite. “We have to be aware of numerous potential threats at sea and mandatory maintenance programs at port, and we have to develop contingency plans if a vessel will not reach its destination on schedule.”

In addition to coordinating shipping schedules between foul weather and essential repairs, the SOC must also contend with individual sections or units that inadvertently or intentionally keep information to themselves.

“It comes down to identifying requirements of the mission and identifying the right people,” Shepard added. “A lot of times we don’t know the original owner of the information, but over time we’ve become very good at determining who is responsible for specific pieces of information.”

Despite the high stress inherent in their positions, Wilhoite, Shepard and their fellow battle NCOs, battle captains and battle majors find comfort knowing their decisions save the Army time, money, manpower and, in extreme circumstances, the very lives of their fellow service members.

“We get the information to the warfighters who need it most, and some of what we’ve disseminated may have guaranteed those same warfighters return home safe and sound,” Shepard said.

• Date Taken: 03.13.2014
• Date Posted: 03.16.2014 15:42
• Story ID: 122087
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW
• Hometown: CHICAGO, IL, US
• Hometown: MOUNT JACKSON, VA, US