Photo By Staff Sgt. James Burroughs | Staff Sgt. Timothy Cook, 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, is the first passenger to...... read more read more
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The Ali Al Salem Theater Gateway received more than one million U.S. military, Department of Defense civilians and contractors before being relocated to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, this month. The move will produce more than $35 million in contract savings alone. In addition to lowering costs the move will reduce the size of the U.S. footprint in Kuwait and recover reusable equipment used at the base.
“The move was a monumental task,” said Maj. Wes Norman, human resources and operations branch officer in charge for the 135th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, a National Guard unit from Birmingham, Ala. Norman was the officer who had oversight of the planning and execution of the move.
“We were only given 90 days to plan and make it happen,” explained Norman. “We had to choose a site that met our requirements and we had to provide continuous operations with a seamless transition between locations.”
“No one missed a flight during the change over,” said Norman.
Personnel who are passing through the gateway will not notice much of an outward change in the experience, although if they have time they can enjoy the increased amenities on Camp Arifjan. There were many changes behind the scenes that should improve the total process.
Our number one mission is accounting for the personnel who pass through but our number two priority is customer service, said Lt. Col. Christopher Pfaff, commander of the 138th Theater Gateway, a nine person unit who supervises the gateway’s operations. We are getting better every day.
Norman and Pfaff both explained that they tried to improve every operation when planning the move.
The gateway move involved units of all levels who planned, organized, loaded trucks and sweated while setting up equipment and executing for the move.
“Cooperation between Area Support Group – Kuwait, the Department of Public Works, the 205th Engineer Battalion and the 135th ESC ensured a seamless transition of the physical move,” said Col. Tommy Vickers, chief of staff for the 135th ESC. “Each command enabled the move to save money and enhance operations in the U.S. Central Command area of operations.
| Date Taken: | 07.13.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2013 04:08 |
| Story ID: | 112804 |
| Location: | ARIFJAN, KW |
| Hometown: | BIRMINGHAM, AL, US |
| Web Views: | 589 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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