Photo By Keith Hayes | Marine Corps history is a hobby for Lt. Col. Timothy A. Silkowski, director, Fleet...... read more read more
Lt. Col. Timothy A. Silkowski took command last month of Fleet Support Division aboard the Yermo annex of Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., completing a circle of sorts. He went from using military equipment in wartime to now being responsible for maintaining it.
Silkowski is a Newport Beach, Calif., native who became a Marine Corps officer after originally intending to enlist. He joined the Marines in 1988 and was commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Course. His wife is a Navy officer assigned to U. S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan.
Silkowski’s last position was the director of the Exercise Support Division at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. He managed, maintained, and issued safe and operable equipment to the forces training at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms.
“ESD had the largest footprint on Twentynine Palms for resources and personnel,” said Silkowski, “and we got to use what was produced here at FSD before the equipment was sent to other bases for possible deployment to a war zone.”
When he heard he was being assigned to MCLBB, Silkowski said he was eager to go from using Marine Corps weaponry during his four deployments to the Middle East, to preparing the same equipment for long-term storage or deployment. Silkowski calls it “the cradle-to-grave aspect of logistics.”
“We are the beginning and end stage for Marine Corps equipment maintenance and preservation. Most Marines won’t really appreciate that unless they are assigned to a depot level command such as FSD at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow.”
In FSD building 406 aboard the Yermo annex, there is a sign prominently posted bearing the words “What you do here today could save a Marine’s life.”
Silkowski said he takes that mission seriously. “If a piece of equipment (from FSD) is deployed to Afghanistan and doesn’t arrive in good functioning condition then it could cause a lot of undue frustration out on the battlefield.”
He wants to achieve certain benchmarks during his tenure at FSD. “One of my goals is to get the (18) Marines assigned here more engaged in their (Military Occupational Specialty), so if I have, for example, an engineer Marine here, he’s going to be helping out in that aspect,” Silkowski said.
He explained MCLBB has consistently proven itself to be the best place for storage of military equipment. “No rainfall and a dry climate allow equipment coming out of Barstow to historically weather much better than the stuff coming from other logistics depots,” he noted. “MCLBB is the premier site for storing equipment and being located near a large rail line allows us to put something on the train and get it to, say, Camp Lejeune in two days if needed,” Silkowski noted
“My orders assigning me to FSD said ‘take charge of all military personnel and property in view.’ Well, there’s a lot of property in my command,” Silkowski said. “The Marines have always succeeded in whatever mission they’re assigned, and FSD will not fail on my watch to do what is necessary to prepare quality Marine Corps equipment,” he vowed.
| Date Taken: | 10.08.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2015 13:25 |
| Story ID: | 179011 |
| Location: | BARSTOW, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 205 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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