Logisticians keep supply lines open for troops in Kabul

Photo By 2nd Lt. Rebecca Linder | Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gwen Dungey, left, Regional Command Capital acquisition and cross-servicing agreements manager, and Maj. David Moore, both members of the Directorate of Logistics, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National Guard, calculate billing information for the coalition forces who live and eat at different camps throughout the Kabul Base Cluster and capital region Oct. 3, at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dungey, Moore and other members of the DOL provide essential mission equipment to U.S. and coalition forces.  

CAMP PHOENIX, AFGHANISTAN

10.05.2010

Story by Sgt. Rebecca Linder 

196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan – Providing life-essential supplies for nearly 9,000 U.S. and coalition servicemembers operating in the capital of Kabul, Afghanistan, is one tall order, but it’s a mission soldiers from Task Force Rushmore’s Directorate of Logistics strive to fulfill on a day-to-day basis.

As members of the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National Guard, these logisticians are keeping the supply lines open for these troops – ordering a variety of products needed to sustain and accomplish their mission.

“The DOL is actively involved in supporting nine bases and nearly 9,000 troops throughout the Kabul Base Cluster,” said Maj. Jason Kettwig, 196th director of logistics. “We conduct a variety of missions with the goal of sustaining the KBC, not only for the U.S. troops, but our coalition partners and Afghan civilians who work in and operate around our bases.”

“We support the whole KBC with any type of logistic support, from class one supplies all the way up to class nine,” said Master Sgt. Richard Albertson, 196th logistics noncommissioned officer in charge. “We get the supplies and equipment they need to accomplish their mission.”

These classes of supply range from the life-essential commodities of food and water to the mission-essential equipment of personal-protective gear and vehicle repair parts.

“A part of the DOL is the maintenance section, which helps manage the flow of parts in and out of the KBC and tracks how fast [disabled] tactical vehicles can get back up and mission capable in order to improve the operational readiness rate inside the KBC,” said Kettwig.

The DOL also ensures personnel throughout the KBC have comfort items to improve their daily lives. Bed mattresses, construction materials, computers and television monitors help to make living and work areas feel more like home.

“We provide commodity purchases that improve the life quality of soldiers,” said Kettwig, of Milbank, S.D. “We try to improve all the different services and nice to have things that Soldiers deserve and require.”

Another mission the DOL has been delivering on is providing equipment and construction materials needed for building projects throughout the KBC. The renovation of older structures and the construction of new buildings provide service members with a safer living and working environment.

“We are working with other members of the 196th in the Directorate of Public Works to determine what we need to order for building materials, such as electrical and plumbing supplies, for new living and work areas,” said Kettwig. “Make life better for the troops – our part of that is critical – helping improve the life support for the Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Sailors.”

With 13 Soldiers in the DOL, other operations needing attention is the accountability of government property and management of dining facilities. The proper tracking and management of these services ensures efficiencies are applied to them and gives peace of mind for service members.

“By improving the efficiencies of how things are ordered, how they arrive and how things are accounted for, troops can live at ease knowing the essentials will be there when needed,” said Kettwig.

To keep these supply essentials on hand, the section works closely with local Afghan contractors to purchase them and boost the local economy.

“The idea is to increase the Afghan economy by buying Afghan supplies first,” said Albertson, of Brandon, S.D. “The monetary and measuring systems here are different, and sometimes a challenge, but we are constantly trying to increase the productivity of how we get our supplies.”

Providing support and necessities for the KBC comes naturally to these Midwestern soldiers, and with their kind hearts, are willing to get almost anything that is needed to help U.S. and coalition forces accomplish their mission.

“At times this job can be challenging, but there are so many rewarding things about my job; one being to help any service member and make them happy and stay happy,” said Albertson.

• Date Taken: 10.05.2010
• Date Posted: 10.05.2010 00:24
• Story ID: 57499
• Location: CAMP PHOENIX, AF