Photo By 2nd Lt. Rebecca Linder | Spc. Steven Griggs, a truck driver for Alpha Company, 186th Brigade Support Battalion,...... read more read more
CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan – With nearly 9,000 U.S. and coalition forces stationed throughout Kabul, Afghanistan, providing general sustainment support to the warfighters here is one job that requires detailed coordination and execution.
Known as Task Force Long Trail, the 186th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) of the Vermont Army National Guard, is providing this support to troops on 11 military installations in the capital known as the Kabul Base Cluster, and is doing so in a variety of ways.
“Task Force Long Trail supports the KBC with transportation, medical, maintenance and all classes of supply to fully enable U.S. and coalition forces to accomplish their mission,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Harris, battalion commander.
Based out of Camp Phoenix, the 186th has about 270 soldiers divided among its Headquarters, Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies, all with a common goal to provide quality-sustainment support.
Transportation — Alpha Company
“You call, we haul” is the motto of Alpha Company, from Berlin, Vt. This company provides the transportation, supply, fuel and water elements for the battalion.
If troops and cargo need to be transported somewhere in the capital, this platoon can get it there. On a daily basis, the truck platoon is responsible for transporting personnel using their Rhino Runners — up-armored buses, used to move service members and civilians to different camps around the KBC. To date, the unit has moved more than 14,000 troops.
“We function as a secure ‘taxi’ for the KBC,” said 1st Lt. Laura Cook, company executive officer. “Non-tactical vehicles are not the safest way of traveling; by providing Rhino-bus transportation, personnel are able to travel more safely around Kabul.”
“Our soldiers are out on the road at least once, if not twice a day,” said Capt. Christopher Day, company commander. “Even with the increase in recent enemy threats, we have conducted these moves driving respectfully and courteously among Afghan motorists in order to support the counterinsurgency mission.”
After arriving at their destination, service members throughout the KBC needing commodities can request them through Alpha Company’s supply platoon. The supply platoon manages a number of warehouses where personnel can order and receive office supplies or durable goods from pens and paper to refrigerators and televisions.
The supply platoon also manages the distribution of ammunition to all U.S. and coalition forces.
“The Camp Phoenix ammunition supply point has run efficiently and smoothly under Alpha Company’s soldier’s supervision,” added Day.
Alpha Company also provides an additional capability for the KBC: the means to take dirty water and make it clean. Stationed at Camp Bala Hissar, several soldiers from the fuel and water platoon purify water using a Tactical Water Purification System, turning dirty well-water into clean water used for cooking and bathing.
“All in all I am proud of the accomplishments of Alpha Company,” said Day. “We have done more with less people and we are continually finding ways to improve our operations.”
Maintenance — Bravo Company
Although Alpha Co. may be the work horse for the battalion, nothing gets moved or fixed without the support of Bravo Company. With more than 2,000 job orders completed in five months, this Winooski, Vt., unit provides vehicle maintenance and equipment repair, as well as support for electronics, fabrication, armament and recovery operations for the KBC.
“We have a lot of experienced experts that get the job done right,” said 1st Lt. Dustin Sigler, company commander. “As maintenance for the entire KBC, vehicles and other equipment needing to get fixed come in and we need to get the job done quickly in order to get them back on the road.”
This company of about 50 people is completing a job and work load originally designed for 90. However, they aren’t missing a beat, making sure U.S. and coalition forces have maintained equipment to perform their mission.
“We stay very busy,” said Sigler. “The automotive process is very smooth; it is set up like a Jiffy Lube back home. Someone comes in and tells us what is wrong; we fill out the paperwork, fix the problem and send them on their way.”
The maintenance unit also installs electronic force protection and communication equipment into tactical vehicles keeping service members safer while operating them.
“Whenever we need something fixed on our vehicles, we get it in there and they take care of our problem quick,” said Sgt. Thomas Ascher, security-force non-commissioned officer, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National Guard. “The job gets done fast and they get it done right the first time so we can drive on with our mission.”
It’s not just vehicles Bravo Company keeps operating in tip-top shape. Service members in combat carry a weapon everywhere to be prepared for any attack they might encounter from the enemy. Soldiers from Bravo Company service weapons to ensure they are working properly to perform the mission.
“We have two soldiers that are very good at fixing weapons,” said Sigler. “They also give primary marksmanship instruction classes to service members who need it.”
“Safety is very important to us, and we always make sure the service members have the equipment they need to get their mission accomplished safely,” said Sgt. Nathian Foster, vehicle mechanic. “It is rewarding to us when we know they come back safe after being out on a mission.”
Medical — Charlie Company
While keeping vehicles and equipment in excellent operating condition is important, keeping service members at their optimal performance level is equally significant. This responsibility falls to Charlie Company of Winooski, Vt.
These medical professionals operate the troop medical clinic at Camp Phoenix and are responsible for a range of services from routine sick-call appointments to providing mission support for personal security details and convoy movement requests. Personnel here also help coordinate medical evacuation support of injured troops and provide 24-hour emergency treatment if needed.
“The overall mission of the battalion is to support the KBC, while Charlie Med. is more specific to medical support for the camps,” said 1st Lt. Leo Spahr, executive officer.
The company has a treatment platoon which consists of medics, physician’s assistants, pharmacy and dental technicians, responsible for operating the Camp Phoenix TMC. This level-two clinic has laboratory and X-ray access and is able to provide additional services including physical therapy and optometry for patients.
“Most camps have a level-one clinic, so if a service member needs a higher level of service, they are referred here and we can treat their needs,” said 1st Lt. Martin Silverstrim, TMC officer in charge. “We preserve the fighting strength; we have to keep people healthy so they can fight.”
“We are here to support and force health protection,” said Spahr. “The soldiers are providing health care for the troops and the coalition forces so those people can go out and enforce the main mission of counterinsurgency.”
Support Operations and HHC
With all the transportation, maintenance and medical assets the 186th provides for troops, making sure all of the services are coordinated throughout KBC falls to the battalions support operations section from Northfield, Vt.
“It’s all about support-- as a BSB we normally support just a brigade, but here we think of the KBC as one big brigade to support,” said Master Sgt. Michael Sanchez, SPO non-commissioned officer in charge. “Without the SPO, all 11 camps would be responsible for their own supplies.”
Each class of supply – food, fuel, ammo – has its own manager that coordinates with contacts at camps throughout the KBC to verify numbers of supplies that are needed at each camp. Once numbers are verified, personnel in the SPO shop complete the ordering process, arrange transportation for the commodities and track the arrival of the supplies.
“We keep a close relationship with senior personnel, base support groups and the department of logistics at other camps around the KBC to ensure accurate reporting so we can maintain a sustainable supply for the camps,” said Capt. Matthew Bottino, deputy support operations officer. “We are the one-stop shop; everyone comes to us to get the supplies they need.”
“It’s all about support,” said Sanchez. “Without the SPO there wouldn’t be a one-stop shop.”
Since arriving to Afghanistan in March, Task Force Long Trail has a dramatic impact on the KBC and the service members who live and work throughout it, streamlining transportation, supply and maintenance operations. The maintenance backlog alone has been reduced from more than five days to less than two and a web-based, coordinated movement route process has been developed and implemented, said Harris.
“This act alone has increased our ability to serve more clients within the KBC and to do so more safely, with better command and control and at less cost than previous methods,” said Harris. “After five months on the job, I couldn’t be more pleased with the effort and the results achieved by our soldiers.”
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2010 04:34 |
| Story ID: | 54571 |
| Location: | CAMP PHOENIX, AF |
| Web Views: | 947 |
| Downloads: | 9 |
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