1638th Transportation Company

Photo By Capt. Michael Thompson | The 1638th Transportation Company group photo at Camp Phoenix. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Mike Thompson/Released)  

AFGHANISTAN

06.28.2014

Story by Capt. Michael Thompson 

48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

The Indiana National Guard, 1638th Transportation Company based in Remington, finalized their year-long deployment with an awards ceremony inside a circle of trucks with the Camp Phoenix welcome sign in the background. Their company headquarters is just beyond the welcome sign, easily identified by the tall 1638 and Indiana state flag to the front of their metal warehouse.

“You guys have done a lot of hard work as we close out your mission here in Afghanistan,” said Georgia National Guard Lt. Col. Jason Baker, executive officer for Task Force Volunteer, the command element for the Kabul base cluster located at Camp Phoenix. “The things you have done to help the ANSF increase security here have had positive relations. A lot of their success can be tied directly to you.”

The 1638th was also assigned with the Bulgarian contingent as a sponsor for the coalition unit. In honor of their successful partnership, Lt. Col. Kalin Gaydarov, the Bulgarian logistic officer, presented certificates of appreciation to the soldiers.

“We are a well oiled machine,” stated Indiana National Guard, Capt. Daniel Downey, commander for the 1638th TC.
“Brigade, battalion nobody had to come down to bother us because what did we do,” asked Downey to the company formation of soldiers . “We did the mission and we did it well!”

The missions would run day and night, maneuvering through the streets of Kabul to provide supplies for bases located in the capital. Numerous trips to the historic Bala Hissar, an ancient fortress that still holds destroyed Russian tanks, brought in supplies or carried machinery back to Phoenix for repair.

During the Afghanistan elections, the 1638th supported missions to the gates of Kabul, transporting Z Backscatter Vans (ZBV). The ZBV is a mobile X-ray cargo and vehicle scanning system produced by American Science and Engineering used to enhance the Afghan Police check points.

The 1638th TC completed 113 missions which exceeded 4,000 miles, 5 recovery missions, escorted 479 local national trucks, escorted 261 personnel, moved 540 Air Force pallets, 1,196 pieces of cargo, supported 13 election missions, and 3 embedded missions recalled Downey.

• Date Taken: 06.28.2014
• Date Posted: 07.21.2014 16:14
• Story ID: 136807
• Location: AF
• Hometown: REMINGTON, IN, US