RPAT crew keeps things rolling

Photo By Tristin English | Mine Resistance Ambush Protected vehicles line up to get inspected by the redistribution property assistance team after returning from a convoy Camp Liberty, Baghdad, June 7. RPAT inspects MRAP's and Humvees after returning from convoys to make sure everything is running properly and to remove sensitive items from the vehicles.  

CAMP LIBERTY, IRAQ

06.10.2011

Story by Senior Airman Chuck Broadway 

U.S. Air Forces Central, Baghdad Media Outreach Team

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - When someone gets orders to a new duty station, or assigned a new housing unit they travel to the Traffic Management Office for assistance with moving cargo. Similarly, when someone needs equipment shipped for redeployment they go see the experts at the 467th Air Expeditionary Group Redistribution Property Assistance Team to get the job done.

The RPAT airmen at Camp Liberty, Iraq, are responsible for eliminating all excess property that units have in the area of operations prior to the expected high volume, transfer of authority and reduction in forces.

The RPAT crew loads convoys daily with radios, computers, monitors, and other communication equipment. All communication equipment must (have information erased) prior to loading to ensure the highest security.

Other equipment such as small weapons systems and pieces of body armor are also brought in to be transported.

“We are a major contributor to the $17 billion, presidentially mandated, responsible [transition] of forces in Iraq,” said Staff Sgt. Lamar Harvey, 467th AEG non-commissioned officer in charge of rolling stock at RPAT. “We relieve outgoing Army units of accountability of military assets and return those assets to the source of repair or back to the war fighter efforts in Afghanistan.”

Customers can be in and out of the office usually within 10 minutes if they bring all the proper paperwork filled out ahead of time. By completing their part before arrival, it helps speed the process along and prevents customers from waiting.

Often customers arrive with five or six items to be loaded, while others come with more than 1,000 items. Many times, there is a rush all at once which backs up their lines.

“Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming because we get a lot of people in at the same time,” said Staff Sgt. Caesar Serrano-Tovar, 467th AEG RPAT rolling stock member, deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. “We have to slow down, try not to rush and focus on what we’re doing. We like to have a steady flow of stuff coming in because it keeps us busy.”

The airmen take the items from customers after completing accountability paperwork and load them into containers. Once these containers are full they are loaded into Humvee or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.

Harvey, a Traffic Management airmen at Joint Base Maguire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., said the job there is similar to his assignment here with the exception of working with the Army.

“We ship vehicles and equipment the same as at home station,” the Fort Wayne, Ind., native said. “We assist in transferring assets to other units in theater who need the equipment to accomplish their mission.”

Harvey said in addition to loading containers, he is responsible for inspecting vehicles once they are loaded. Along with Humvees and MRAPs, the RPAT crew also inspects Bradley and Abrams tanks, wreckers and non-tactical vehicles such as trucks and sport utility vehicles. They also ensure the vehicles are free of all hazardous materials, discharged ammunition and trash.

Each container is then checked for matching serial numbers and necessary paperwork for each piece of equipment shipped out.

“All the components inside these vehicles have to match with the paperwork provided by the unit who turns them in,” Harvey said. “If one number or letter is different on the paperwork than on the vehicle, the process has to start over from the beginning to ensure the correct vehicle is being accounted for.”

Once the vehicles pass inspection, Harvey and the rest of the group give their stamp of approval and the vehicles are staged, waiting for movement to whatever destination awaits.

• Date Taken: 06.10.2011
• Date Posted: 06.12.2011 10:52
• Story ID: 71984
• Location: CAMP LIBERTY, IQ