Photo By Amabilia Payen | Sgt. 1st Class Hector Elenas, 2213th Mobilization Support Battalion and a Los Angeles,...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas -- The responsibilities of the Directorate of Mobilization and Deployment will transition under the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security no later than October 1, and a small U.S. Army Reserve unit from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, is ready to fill in those big shoes.
The 2213th Mobilization and Support Battalion consists of 16 dedicated and skilled Soldiers, specialized in supporting the training requirements of U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard units from across the nation and to ensure mobilization and deployment efforts are smooth and flawless.
Since arriving three months ago to the desert climate of El Paso, Texas, the 2213th has faced constant changes due in part of them taking over from previous MSBns and also with accommodating the upcoming changes to the DoMaD/DPTMS mission.
“The (challenges) are the adjustments, because there are so many different transitions going on,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Theresa Spagna, senior enlisted advisor for the 2213th. “It’s not just our unit working together. We have taken two MSBn’s, combined them with current DoMaD personnel and civilians.” Spagna is referring to the 2215th MSBn, U.S. Army Reserve unit from Fort Carson, Colorado.
Spagna loves working with the units that mobilize through DoMaD because it is all about taking care of the Soldier.
“That is what I have been enjoying the most,” said Spagna. “I like seeing them come in and shaking their hand. We see the unit leadership twice a week while they train, so we can take care of their issues at McGregor Range, (New Mexico). Then we let them go out the door.” Spagna states that a relationship is built with the units while they are training at McGregor. She checks in with the units’ leadership periodically while they are deployed, in order to maintain that relationship and to focus on the redeployment process when their mission is complete in theater.
Spagna and her Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Philip Dizon, give credit to their Soldiers’ adaptability, their civilian skills, and the communication with DoMaD personnel for much of their success.
“My executive officer is also the logistics officer,” said Dizon. “In his civilian job, he owns a shipping company, so he has a very in-depth idea of what logistics is supposed to look like.”
In his civilian job, Chief Warrant Officer Larry Glovier is a heavy equipment inspector with the Department of Defense at Fort Riley, Kansas, and such skills contribute to his job, here, as the transportation officer in charge for DoMaD.
“This is a very important mission and a top priority,” said Glovier. “We are assisting units that are going into harm’s way and bringing them back when they are done. It’s an awesome mission, and I am very proud of what I do. I love this job.”
Sgt. 1st Class Hector Elenas works in the DoMaD logistical office. With twenty years of military service under his belt, this is the first time he does a mobilization support mission.
“Learning all this is the hard part,” said Elenas. “The easy part is working with the civilians because they are really helpful.” Elenas and his team, comprised of Department of the Army civilians and contractors, who assist mobilized Reserve and National Guard units with coordinating telephones, latrines, hand-washing stations, office supplies and providing forklifts for movement of equipment.
As commander of the 2213th, Dizon reflects on how his Soldiers are currently spread out throughout the McGregor Range footprint and West Fort Bliss. His goals change to accommodate all the transitions that are happening which includes moving his Soldiers around. However, his focus is always right in line with Spagna’s which is taking care of the Soldier, externally and internally.
“This is my third mobilization site, and I have to say this is by far the best mobilization site I have experienced,” said Dizon. “They way Soldiers are handled here, it’s perfect.” Dizon has worked at mobilization sites in Fort Hood, Texas and JBLM.
“(DoMaD) has been doing this for quite some time, and they have done this by trial and error,” said Spagna. “It runs so smoothly and professionally.”
Dizon agreed. When DoMaD folds its flag under DPTMS, many Soldiers with the DoMaD headquarters will not transition to DPTMS-Mobilization.
“It will be a sad day to see Col. (John) Dorney and his team go,” said Dizon. “It’s big shoes to fill and we hope we can carry on those standards.”
Dizon and Spagna are certainly focused on the future of the mobilization and demobilization mission. One of their goals is to allow future MSBn Soldiers conduct their monthly battle assembly weekend with the 2213th, so they can observe what their responsibilities will look like when they come on board.
“We are going to start calling and talking to our future replacements,” said Dizon. He states this communication will aide in a clear and concise battle hand-off in the future.
DoMaD is scheduled re-align under DPTMS by Oct. 1, and their responsibilities will be handled by both MSBns, DA Civilians and contractors under the DPTMS-Mobilization Division.
| Date Taken: | 06.19.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.20.2014 11:23 |
| Story ID: | 133803 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | SEATTLE, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 704 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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