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    Montana Guard train-up

    Montana Guard train-up

    Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Chad Coffman, native of Conrad, Mont., and a fuel operator for the 639th Combat...... read more read more

    BAGHDAD, IRAQ

    07.18.2009

    Courtesy Story

    3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command

    CAMP STRYKER, Iraq — Soldiers of the Montana National Guard, 639th Combat Sustainment Support Company, 620th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, from Havre, Montana were given a warning order for additional training back in January 2008. This order initiated a series of events that eventually brought the unit to Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq.

    The initial step toward Baghdad began with training being administered by the state's recent adoption of the Pre-mobilization Training Assistance Element. This program was developed to shorten reserve component deployments, which had previously gone as long as 18 months due to the time required for train up. The 639th CSSC was one of the first units in the state to utilize the PTAE program and reaped the rewards of its overall intent. The unit was able to shorten time spent away from home by utilizing regular drill weekends and annual training to conduct Soldier tasks, battle drills, and complete the numerous briefs required for deployment.

    Fort Lewis, Washington, was the designated Mobilization Station for the 639th CSSC and was to be home for the next 45 days which ended up being 25 days due to the training accomplished through the PTAE program. While all of the skills previously learned through the PTAE program was in a walk phase, it did however, form the building blocks for future training. Foreign language was no longer basic words, but the use of phrases to interact with native speakers as role players and interpreters. Convoy operations took place on various back roads that required proficient map reading skills and also tested the convoy commander's nerve by moving through replicas of small Iraqi villages filled with people and other various challenges.

    Camp Buehring, Kuwait was the final training site before Iraq. It was two weeks of refining the most important deployment skills such as close quarter marksmanship, combat lifesaver, and convoy operations.

    Camp Stryker in Baghdad, Iraq was finally reached, Feb. 22, after 13 months from when deployment training first started. A quick train up of our new responsibilities through an official Relief In Place and Transfer of Authority and the 639th CSSC quickly took over substance and petroleum support operations from the 62nd Quartermaster Company.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 07.18.2009
    Date Posted: 07.18.2009 03:53
    Story ID: 36518
    Location: BAGHDAD, IQ

    Web Views: 374
    Downloads: 313

    PUBLIC DOMAIN