Keeping an eye on the Ammo supply

Photo By Spc. Richard Vogt | Staff Sgt. Chris Feeback, NCIOC for Co. A, 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, is responsible for all ammo on Forward Operating Base Marez.  

MOSUL, IRAQ

09.06.2006

Story by Spc. Richard Vogt 

138th Public Affairs Detachment

by Spc. Rich Vogt
138th MPAD

MOSUL, Iraq (September 6, 2006) -- A small group of Soldiers are responsible for all of the ammunition on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq.

"Anything you see people use in theater, we probably have here," said Staff Sgt. Chris Feeback, Non-Commissioned Officer, Co. A, 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. and resident of Billings, Mont.

The ammo holding area stocks everything from street flares, small arms rounds to rockets and missiles. Their mission is to supply the brigade and every other unit on FOB Marez with ammunition.

"We don't make the decisions [regarding who gets what ammunition]," Feeback said. "We just do the handing out. It's a real simple process."

A unit at Marez will complete the necessary forms, and bring them to the ammo holding area. Co. A, 296th BSB checks the inventory and makes sure that they can fill the request, if so the issue will be completed.

"It's almost like a shopping list," Feeback said. "The yard crew pulls the ammo and preps it for the unit. The unit inventories the ammo with one of Feeback's Soldiers, and receives a copy of the paperwork for their records.

The yard has a small forklift which is used in the warehouse and a large, rough-terrain forklift for the yard. Come winter, the ruts get "2 to 3 feet deep," Feeback said, making the large forklift indispensable.

The unit must comply with numerous safety regulations. There are compatibility issues with storing ammo. White phosphorous can only be stored with other white phosphorous items. The 296th has a big job and works hard to keep up with demand.

"There are frustrations, but this is a really good crew," Feeback said. "They've impressed me. The day they hit the ground in Kuwait, they worked and haven't stopped. They probably haven't had a day off since they've been here, because how vital our mission is. There were times when we were obscenely busy, but it tapers off."

"It's probably busiest at the beginning of a deployment," he added. "At the beginning, it's usually large quantities units ask for. Later on it's usually small quantities."

Pfc. Noel Sahagan was with the brigade during its first tour in Iraq in 2003. Sahagan, an ammo specialist from East Chicago, Indiana, spent time in Balad and other areas in Iraq.

"We did a lot more convoys," he said. "It's not as busy as it was the first time."

Feeback explained that the job has gotten bigger in recent years. In the move toward lighter, more mobile units, the Army created new brigades. Old brigades had multiple supply platoons, one for each battalion. These went away in the new brigades, which now have one supply battalion for the entire brigade. The new supply battalions have fewer personnel, but must do the same job.

The most exciting moment at the ammo holding area came when an Explosives Ordnance Disposal team was creating a controlled blast and the field adjacent to the AHA caught fire. At first, the ammo section was unimpressed with the explosion. That was until they noticed a small brushfire.

"That's not good," someone mentioned. The fire grew quickly and the wind pushed the flames straight toward the stacks of bombs and bullets. Feeback told everyone to run while he grabbed an armload of sensitive items before fleeing. He said the wall of fire chased them down the road, but luck was on their side and the fire did not reach the stored ammunition.

Brushfires notwithstanding, the crew at the AHA have a good rapport with EOD, along with a standing invitation to accompany EOD on controlled blasts. All EOD personnel go through the school for ammo supply first, EOD comes next which has created a unique bond between the two.

When asked what the best part of the job for Spc. Brandon Bartel, ammo specialist from Hillsboro, Kansas.

"The people I work with," Bartel said.

"We also push ammo out to units on different FOBs," Feeback said. "We'll build a flat rack... so, I guess we do delivery as well, like Domino's, it just won't be there in 30 minutes."

And we won't get a tip either," added Spc. Johnny Palmer, ammo specialist from Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.

• Date Taken: 09.06.2006
• Date Posted: 09.11.2006 14:08
• Story ID: 7701
• Location: MOSUL, IQ