Courtesy Photo | Spc. Allan Martinez, left, and Staff Sgt. Avelardo Casias compare notes while...... read more read more
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By 1st Lt. Virginia Bax
1190th Deployment Support Brigade
ASH SHAUIBA, Kuwait - After 15 months of work in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, every Soldier within a redeploying brigade has one only one thing in mind: it's time to go home. The 1190th Deployment Support Brigade is there to make that happen.
The brigade is an Army Reserve unit based in Baton Rouge, La., and is one of several units belonging to the Surface Deployment Distribution Command that operates within U.S. Central Command.
In order to successfully meet its mission, Soldiers within the 1190th are split between Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq, 1190th Soldiers comprise the Deployment Distribution Support Team-Iraq, and are dedicated to the redeployment of each brigade where the process begins at forward operating bases.
The DDST-Iraq, consisting of 14 personnel split into two smaller teams, is based in Balad, Iraq. They receive support from another SDDC unit, the 840th Deployment Distribution Support Battalion, which provides the DDST-Iraq life support and operations assistance.
The 840th works closely with DDST-Iraq's commander, Lt. Col. Christopher "Sam" Houston, to ensure that mission schedules and flight arrangements are secured. The DDST-Iraq travels throughout Iraq on Redeployment Support Team missions to support brigade-level redeployments. The focus is the movement of major end items, specifically containers and rolling stock equipment, from Iraq to the seaport of embarkation.
Houston's goal is for every brigade in Iraq that needs assistance to be accounted for. By coordinating with the division transportation officers from each of the multi-national divisions, he has ensured DDST-Iraq support for all of their respective brigades. So far, this has included 12 brigade combat teams and three combat aviation brigades. The RST mission is only part of the assistance provided by the DDST-Iraq teams where brigade redeployments are concerned.
"We develop a relationship with each BCT that spans several months leading up to their redeployment," said Houston. "This includes initial contact with their mobility warrants, and S-4 (logistics and supply), and leads to full-blown mobile training team refresher courses that we provide to their unit mobility officers. By the time each BCT is ready to redeploy, the DDST-Iraq has built their automated movement plans, certified their containers for seaworthiness, trained their UMOs in the redeployment process, taught how to properly prepare and document Hazmat (hazardous materials) for shipment and a variety of other redeployment-related tasks."
When brigades are ready to redeploy, the DDST-Iraq travels to each brigade's location to finalize the transportation coordinator's automated information management system plans, help verify all unit equipment lists, "burn" the radio frequency identification tags for in-transit visibility and inspect all hazardous material documentation and loading. Additionally, DDST-Iraq Soldiers are qualified to assist with container-serviceability issues.
Taking care of these issues at the forward operating bases may require more work in Iraq, but it pays off when the brigade can redeploy without frustrated cargo at the port. According the Department of Defense, frustrated cargo is shipment of supplies and/or equipment which, while en route to destination, is stopped prior to receipt and for which further disposition instructions must be obtained.
Because most brigades are still conducting their wartime missions when it is time to redeploy, a lot of redeploying Soldiers find themselves with the additional duty of battalion UMO, hazardous materials non-commissioned officer or customs non-commissioned officer.
The DDST-Iraq also incorporates the U.S. Coast Guard Redeployment Assistance Inspection Detachment. Their specialties are hazardous materials and container serviceability. Their assistance has prevented hundreds of containers containing hazardous materials from being frustrated at the port.
The presence of Coast Guard personnel is unusual in a land consisting mostly of desert. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class James Huddleston takes it all in stride. "We get a lot of looks and many questions," said the boatswain's mate. "Ours is the most unique, rewarding job anyone in the Coast Guard could have. There are very few of us in Iraq."
The year has been busy for the DDST-Iraq teams. There are few places in Iraq that the DDST-Iraq has not visited in support of multiple missions. Team members have traversed the country from Iskandariyah to as far north as Tal Afar and Mosul.
Demand for assistance has required travel to numerous forward operating bases and patrol bases. This includes bigger bases, such as Victory Base Compound Speicher, Taji, and Warrior, to smaller FOBs, like Falcon, Rustimayah, Kalsu, Warhorse, and Al Taqaddum. Even smaller, outlying FOBs such as Summerall, Hammer, McHenry, Iskan, Union III and Brasfield-Mora have hosted missions. Although not comprehensive, this list reveals the expansive footprint of the DDST-Iraq.
To the DDST-Iraq Soldiers, the amount of travel can be trying at times, with spending countless hours at passenger terminals waiting for flights, living continually out of rucksacks, and sleeping anywhere from tents to mausoleums, as at FOB Union III.
However, being a DDST-Iraq Soldier has its perks, according to Spc. Allan Martinez, a container serviceability inspector.
"We get to see more of Iraq than most Soldiers ever do," he said. "Every mission is an adventure. I've made a lot of friends and learned more about my job than I ever thought possible."
DDST-Iraq Soldiers have benefited from the unique variety of needs that each brigade brings to the table said Staff Sgt. Juanda Bryant, another team member.
"Each brigade has brought new lessons in TC-AIMS and all of the on-the-job training has made it easier as we go," she said. "My motto is, 'adapt and overcome.' Now, I feel confident that there isn't a redeployment issue we can't handle."
Col. Mike Kershaw, commander of the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, spoke about a successful redeployment.
"We have had no frustrated cargo or containers and absolutely no Hazmat problems with any of our 500 containers and rolling stock. The fact that (DDST-Iraq Soldiers) went to some of our most austere patrol bases to check containers and Hazmat allowed our Soldiers and UMOs to continue focusing on the fight while preparing to redeploy."
Chief Warrant Officer Manuel Rodriguez, the brigade mobility officer for 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, praised the team at Camp Liberty, Iraq.
"Through their outstanding technical knowledge in TC-AIMS II and Hazmat certification, they ensured my brigade was thoroughly prepared to redeploy after a 15-month deployment," he said. "I am proud and honored to have had the opportunity to serve with these fine Americans."
| Date Taken: | 12.11.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 12.27.2007 11:28 |
| Story ID: | 15022 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 558 |
| Downloads: | 499 |
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