By Capt. Sonise Lumbaca, 1st COSCOM Public Affairs Officer
AL ASAD, Iraq--The 57th Transportation Company has taken on a mission that is uncommon to combat service support units, but in light of the transformation of the battlefield, has become a necessary norm for units of its type.
Logistical units are finding that creating a gun truck escort unit organic to their organization will not only benefit the unit, but also free up combat arms assets whose mission include providing security and the escorting of these types of units.
"Combat service support units have never really been in a position where they have had to be self-sufficient in protecting themselves in a combat environment, especially like the ones we are dealing with today," said Maj. Randell C. Gaston, deputy support operations officer, 561st Corps Support Group.
"Transportation companies would rely heavily upon combat arms units such as the infantry or military police. There was a clear line of distinction as to who owned what.
We have learned within the past 10 years that there is no longer a distinction and that we can't pull [combat arms] guys away to protect us. So, we have gone back to the basic instilling that everyone is a Soldier first and everything else comes second [like the Marines]," Gaston said.
During mobilization, there is a certain amount of train up for reservists prior to deploying. Training brigades, used to assist in the mobilization of reserve units, were putting together scenarios that were training Soldiers to focus on convoy logistic patrols and the need for them to protect themselves.
Gaston discovered that there was a conflict in that there was no line of distinction between the two.
"The training brigades were using light mechanized infantry tactics that combat service support Soldiers aren't familiar with. It was so much information and a lot of it was conflicting, so I took on the role of rewriting the scenarios," Gaston said.
Gaston was picked to spearheaded this operation due to the amount of combat arms experience he brought within his personal arsenal.
A great portion of the revised training was validated in Kuwait, where Soldiers received additional live-fire training, Gaston said.
After careful evaluation and in-depth training, the 561st CSG, commanded by Col. Brent Hamm, created a gun truck company made up of Soldiers and equipment pulled from various units under its command.
"We didn't put [the gun truck operation] together without having knowledge. I come from a background with combat experience, and so does our group commander. Between the gun truck company commander, his platoon leaders and noncommissioned officers, they too have combat experience where they served in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi (Arabia) and past deployments to Iraq," he said.
Prior to taking over this heavy responsibility, members of the 57th Transportation Company spent over 6,000 hours in weapons training and 4,000 hours in convoy logistic patrol training.
Having the responsibility to cover down on two different tasks on a daily basis can cause a Soldier to detract from how important a mission is at hand.
The 561st CSG resolved this by ensuring that Soldiers sole mission was assigned to the gun truck mission.
"So, for example, [administrative] clerks were no longer both admin clerks and gunners or drivers. They were now a member of a gun truck team that focused only on the gun truck mission," Gaston said.
"My gun truck company is a conglomeration of different skill sets. I have everything from truck drivers, former infantryman, to cooks, and cooks in leadership positions out on [convoy logistic patrols] doing convoy escorts.
I've got clerks, admin specialists; I've got people that do laundry and bath details in their normal jobs who are now out essentially providing security for convoys to get from point A to point B safely," said Capt. Steven B. Shaw, commander, 57th Transportation Company, 561st CSG.
The theory behind this realignment ensured that the Soldiers weren't distracted and that once in the single-track environment, the Soldiers" proficiency would increase and complacency would not become an issue, Gaston said.
Although this company has come together, members of the command admit that there are still some challenges.
"I have learned that you have to be patient and you have to expect the unexpected because anything can happen," said Spc. Tabatha D. Green, truck driver, 57th Gun Truck Company.
"Sometimes you'll be out on the road for 24 hours at a time and think that you will only be out there for eight hours.
The amount of time spent on the road can make a driver or gunner tired," she said.
Despite fatigue, one of the challenges is to keep your eyes on the road at all times and avoid becoming complacent, Green said.
Members of the command also admit that physical fitness is also one of their challenges. "Sitting in the vehicle for hours at a time takes a toll on the body.
Your body mentally and physically has to be up for the challenges. So we make sure that the Soldiers get enough rest before going out on the roads," said Staff Sgt. John Freeman, squad leader and convoy protection plan leader.
Another challenge for the company is that there is a lot to learn in a short period of time. However, the company is learning quickly and all shortfalls are being addressed, Shaw said.
The good news is that they are all coming together and learning fast and they are doing it well.
"We are finding that their experience on the ground is an excellent benefit for us falling in on this mission. And in just in the training we have done over the past four months to get ready for this is paying dividend for them and making life easier and helping them step up to the plate," Shaw said.
The 57th Transportation Company is an active duty unit from Fort Drum, N.Y. They are assigned to the 561st Corps Support Group, a reserve unit from Omaha, Nebr., in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Editors Note: Capt. Lumbaca is a member of the 1st Corps Support Command Public Affairs from Fort Bragg, N.C. and is deployed to Iraq in support of units at LSA Anaconda and various other installations.
| Date Taken: | 02.22.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2005 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 1172 |
| Location: | AL ASAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 95 |
| Downloads: | 20 |
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