Photo By Amabilia Payen | Soldiers assigned to 220th and 1413th Engineer Companies get their identification...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas - The 220th Engineer Company from Festus, Missouri, and the 1413th Engineer Company from Franklin, Indiana, deployed June 13 from the Silas L. Copeland Arrival/Departure Air Control Group to conduct retrograde operations in Afghanistan.
First Lt. Chad Harris, platoon leader with 1413th, said he felt great about this deployment. Harris first deployed to Afghanistan and witnessed the initial construction. On his second deployment, he witnessed continued construction efforts. Now, with this deployment, he will go back for deconstruction.
“It feels like we are finally wrapping up this war and it’s finally over,” said Harris. “It’s kind of exciting for me.”
Harris has mobilized through sites such as Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and Camp Shelby, Mississippi. His experience with the Directorate of Mobilization and Deployment has surpassed his expectations.
“I know it’s very customer service-oriented,” said Harris. “I have really enjoyed that part of the DoMaD. People are a lot friendlier here and that helps.”
Harris felt that going through the Soldier Readiness and Resilience Processing went “pretty smooth” and he was impressed how it was done in one day.
Staff Sgt. Matthew Eldridge is a squad leader and heavy equipment operator with the 220th. He has served with the 220th for his entire 14-year military career and he feels everyone in the unit “is pretty close, and a good group of guys.”
“Festus is a small town, so everyone knows everybody on a personal level,” said Eldridge.
Eldridge also felt that DoMaD services were “100 times better” than when they first deployed from Fort Stewart, Georgia.
“It was simply apples and oranges compared to last time,” said Eldridge. “In Georgia, it took six months, and here, we were only here for about a month. It was expedient, it was faster.”
Capt. Michael Paluczak, commander of the 220th feels the mission his unit is doing is significant, due to the deconstruction needs of Operation Enduring Freedom.
“It’s a pretty good mission,” said Paluczak. “We are helping to get all the troops to come home. We have a good group of guys and we are going to get it done.”
The 220th Engineer Company and the 1413th Engineer Company will fall under the 315th Engineer Battalion, which recently deployed to Afghanistan.
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2014 18:18 |
| Story ID: | 134582 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | FESTUS, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | FRANKLIN, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,088 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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