SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. - As part of the continuing support of the 2014 Quartermaster Liquid Logistics Exercise, Soldiers from the 298th Transportation Company from Clearfield, Penn., deliver fuel to customer units across the mid-South region of the United States.
The Quartermaster Liquid Logistics Exercise, a more than 30-year running training event, is about the Active-Duty Army, US Army Reserve, National Guard maintaining readiness and the ability to deliver fuel and water to units all over the country as different missions dictate. This gives leaders multiple capabilities in executing successful operations among all branches of the military. Elements from the Air Force, Marines, and Navy are all participating in support elements of this year’s QLLEX, bringing the participating service member total to more than 5000.
After a few trucks had some mechanical issues at the Defense Fuel Supply Point in North Charleston, S.C. on 10 June, almost a dozen fuel trucks from the 298th convoyed up to Shaw AFB to deliver the fuel to the 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron. Civilian contractors working for the Defense Logistics Agency operate the DFSP, and support the units coming through to pick up fuel.
“The mission is going pretty good. Our Soldiers are motivated and pumped up,” said Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Reeder, a Motor Sergeant with the 298th Trans. Co. “If we have any issues with the trucks, I have 16 Soldiers in maintenance and doing dispatches ready to help and wreckers ready to do any recovery missions on the road.”
A three-time QLLEX participant, Reeder is working with other participating USAR units to supplement his unit’s readiness.
“This is the first time we are doing a joint maintenance contact team with the 941st Transportation Company,” he said. “We all have the same stuff, but we can share the load and rotate personnel this way.”
Once ready to move out, the 298th Trans. Co., convoyed up to Shaw Air Force Base to drop off their load of JP8 fuel. In total, the unit delivered about 100,000 gallons of fuel on this run.
“We basically supply the fuel for the base,” said Staff Sgt. Andrew Mitalski, an Air Force fuel specialist, with the 20th LRS. “We are responsible for the movement of fuel, shipments of fuel, receiving, issuing and ensuring quality of the fuel we get by taking samples.”
The Air Force fuel specialists along with their civilian counterparts from a local fuel contractor receive the fuel convoy and inspect the fuel sources for water and different contaminants to make sure only the highest quality fuel is received. According to Mitalski, the AF uses more than one million gallons of fuel a month. Shaw is also host to US Army Central (USARCENT) and the 3rd Army.
“This is a great opportunity to show the different avenues and means of transportation we have while Soldiers are learning about logistics,” said Master Sgt. Joseph Settles, senior truckmaster with the 298th Trans. Co. “We don’t have the opportunity to drive these fuel trucks full at home. There’s a big difference in how they drive and react. You can see the senior drivers helping Soldiers right out of AIT. Then the next year you see those younger Soldiers helping others.”
QLLEX has grown over the years from being a Petroleum only exercise to now being focused on fuel and water. It will continue into the third week of June with participating elements in California, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia.
“Fuel and water is everything,” said Col. Mark Ansbach, commander of the 475th Quartermaster Group out of Farrell, Pennsylvania, “If you don’t have fuel, then your maneuver combat elements don’t move. If you don’t have water, then your Soldiers ain’t going to be moving much longer either. It’s the fuel and the water that keeps the equipment and the Soldiers running.”
| Date Taken: |
06.10.2014 |
| Date Posted: |
06.13.2014 12:24 |
| Story ID: |
133020 |
| Location: |
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: |
CLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: |
186 |
| Downloads: |
1 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, QLLEX brings the mission across branches, by SPC Cal Turner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Subscribe
