Spc. Jimmy D. Lane Jr.
1st BCT PAO
LSA ANACONDA, Iraq-In a deployed situation, the Army survives because of its supply lines. Without food, water, medical supplies and fuel, the mission would not get accomplished. Every day in Iraq, there is a combat logistics patrol somewhere on the highway carrying much needed supplies.
"When planning a CLP, leaders try to consolidate all the orders into one convoy. "We take all the logistic elements in the brigade and combine all of this into one huge movement," said Capt. Akaninyene Okon, a 3rd Forward Support Battalion battle captain. "That's how we determine the type of vehicles we are going to use on a CLP."
Okon said they rely on information from other units to decide what goes on each convoy.
"The support operations officers who are tied in with all the units in our sector do a lot of the legwork," he said. "We hold a logistics synchronization meeting to decide what is needed. The support officer does the coordination, makes a list of what each unit needs, and we send it out."
The CLP convoys consist of more than just the supply vehicles. For such a big operation, many assets are needed to insure the convoy reaches its destination safely.
"Anytime time a CLP leaves the FOB, the basic components are maintenance and recovery assets," Okon said. "We also have to have medical support in case something happens, and of course the strong-arm, which is security that has to go with them."
The CLPs are in constant contact with their headquarters to make sure everything runs smoothly.
"We are always tracking the CLPs from point A to point B," said Sgt. 1st Class Keith Ancrum, a 3rd FSB operations noncommissioned officer in charge. "In case they come into enemy contact, or if somebody gets hurt, we have to update the commander.
It's just situational awareness; we want to know what's going on with the Soldiers at all times. Not just necessarily voice communications, we have the means to communicate with them through text messaging."
The Soldiers who go out on the convoys have mixed feelings about what they do every day. There is always a threat of improvised explosive devices along the roadways they constantly travel.
"It's nerve racking, looking at every inch of ground," said Spc. Craig Wilson, a 3rd FSB mechanic. "You really can't watch everything. I've seen a couple of IED's go off. It is exciting at the same time."
"The biggest challenge is actually riding by these guys on the road and wondering if they have something in their vehicle that's going to blow me up," said Cpl. Larry Woods, a Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment fueler. "Every time we roll, it's an anxious feeling."
Despite these challenges, supplies get to where they are needed everyday through the efforts of these Soldiers.
"Pushing supplies to the people that need it is vital to the mission," Ancrum said. "That's why we are here."
"The main purpose of forward support is to keep the brigade functioning," Wilson said. "The brigade wouldn't be able to do their mission without us."
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2005 12:55 |
| Story ID: | 1839 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 105 |
| Downloads: | 19 |
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