by Rob Cooper
Camp Atterbury Public Affairs
As the recent troop surge in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom continues to move forward with its mission, thousands of U.S. Army Soldiers require thousands of tons worth of equipment. In order to provide for the influx, many transportation companies responded to the high demand for equipment movement and support.
The 1060th Transportation Company, Framingham, Mass., was one such unit that answered the call for cargo movement. Deployed last September to Camp Taji, Iraq, the unit recently returned home after serving a mission that had "an exceptionally rigorous operational tempo."
"This increase in combat power created a large demand for support which was supplied by the 1060th," said the unit's movement officer 1st Lt. Matthew King. "While transportation missions rolled in and out, the Soldiers were constantly on call to protect their sector as part of the base defense plan."
When members of the unit arrived to Camp Taji, King said, one of their first duties was to provide security for their area of operation.
"It would safeguard civilians working on post," he said. "The entire company had a role in the event of a breach of base defenses."
Later in their deployment, Iraq experienced a troop surge of 30,000, requiring a huge demand for the hauling of logistics like water, food, ammunition and concrete barriers. The 1060th sprang into action with moving the invaluable resources as well as providing necessary security with gun truck assets. Many forward operating bases were created and sustained as a result of the unit's transportation efforts.
"Our Soldiers epitomized the saying that nothing happens until something moves," King said. "The unit brought the first loads to brand new forward operating bases. We provided the lifeblood to sustain them."
Overall, King said that mission success fell in line the unit's commander, Capt. Wayne Libbey. "The commander's intent was satisfied with the safe and successful execution of the wartime mission," he said. "If there's anything we learned, it's the importance of morale and motivation. You need it to keep things going with support from back home and teamwork from within the unit, because that will drive Soldiers to keep moving ahead."