Cargo Transfer unit does heavy lifting

Photo By Sgt. Jason Mikeworth | Sgt. Karla Guillen of the 21st Cargo Transfer Company helps guide a forklift operated by Sgt. Crystal Cabido to lift another forklift for repairs at Logistical Support Area Anaconda.  

12.08.2005

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

The call for heavy lifting at Logistical Support Area Anaconda is usually answered by the Soldiers of the 21st Cargo Transfer Company.

The 21st runs a diverse set of missions here, operating the Forward Redistribution Point, shuttling ammunition around the Ammunition Supply Point, providing multi-purpose heavy equipment support for LSA Anaconda and operating two entry control points.

"When we left our home station, our mission was still to be determined," 1st Sgt. Kelly B. Hill said. "Now we're getting into the battle rhythm of everything."

Although the 21st has been in theater just over a month, they are far from inexperienced. Most of the Soldiers are on their second tours. Hill is on his third.

"Every deployment you hope that it gets better, and by far this is the better living condition," Hill said. "Every rotation is getting better and better and better."

Hill said they have been applying that experience both here and at home.

"We have an outstanding Family Readiness Group program in the unit. We're constantly taking pictures and sending information back to the rear so that they know what's going on," Hill said. "It's a lesson learned from previous deployments that staying in contact with the families makes a better atmosphere down range."

Hill said the 21st is working hard to improve their situation on the ground.

"The first couple of weeks were pretty painful," Hill said. "The maintenance of the equipment that we were hand receipting was in pretty bad shape. Since then, our maintenance team has been working strong and things have been getting up."

Sgt. Crystal Cabido, the shift supervisor at the FRP, acknowledged the challenges the 21st faced when they arrived.

"When we first got here, we had a lot of stuff that had to go out, but in the beginning we were really low in vehicles," Cabido said.

Cabido said the team is working together well to streamline their operations.

"We all rotate around," she said. "Whoever's free and whoever needs something, they just jump on it."

She also said this teamwork helps when tackling the unpredictable workload they face each day.

"A lot of things come in randomly," Cabido said. "Sometimes we'll get only a few trucks, other days they'll come in back-to-back all day."

Sgt. Karla Guillen, the rough terrain container handler NCOIC, echoed Cabido's sentiments.

"We work as a team here," she said. "We're all the same."

Guillen, who finished a tour in Afghanistan a little less than a year before deploying to Iraq, said she is glad for the chance to work in her military occupational specialty again.

"We actually get to do our MOS. We're busy, so that's a good thing," Guillen said. "It helps the time go by quicker."

Guillen said the 21st works closely with Kellogg, Brown and Root to get supplies to customer units. She said good communication lines are the key to a successful mission.

"Working with KBR can be challenging. We have our own set of rules, and they have their rules," Guillen said. "Usually when there's a big issue we bring it up to their supervisor or they will talk to our supervisor and find an agreement. It works out pretty well."

Spc. Hector Castro helps run the Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group.

"Trying to keep the pallets clean is a big challenge. The Air Force has standards that the pallets can't have holes, the cargo can't be wet so we have to make sure we protect it from the weather," Castro said. "We inspect every single pallet before it goes out from here. We keep everything stacked and keep the nets out of the weather."

Castro said they stay motivated by always having something to do.

"For me, it's a pretty good mission. I've been doing this for five years. I've done most of my work in ships. This is my first time doing A/DACG so it's a good experience," Castro said. "All of the training we do in the rear really is coming into effect here."

He also said the work is getting easier with the experience earned each day.

"The more time we spend here the better we get at it. We're trying right now to get this group really familiar with the equipment so that it just becomes second nature," Castro said.

Overall, Guillen said, the unit is becoming closer through the heavy workload they share.
"It's like a family. We have our disagreements and agreements every day," Guillen said. "I think we're coming together."

Hill expressed pride in the work of his soldiers.

"The Soldiers that I have are all quality Soldiers," Hill said. "We were eager to come here and do our job."

• Date Taken: 12.08.2005
• Date Posted: 12.08.2005 03:23
• Story ID: 3981