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    88th RSC NEFF facilitates CROWS Material Fielding and Training and ensures readiness - today and in the future

    88th RSC NEFF facilitates CROWS Material Fielding and Training and ensures readiness - today and in the future

    Photo By Catherine Carroll | Soldiers from the 200th Military Police Command and the 416th Engineer Command...... read more read more

    FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

    04.22.2016

    Story by Catherine Carroll 

    88th Readiness Division

    The 88th Regional Support Command’s New Equipment Fielding Facility hosted Soldiers from the 200th MP Command and the 416th Engineer Command during a Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station Materiel Fielding and Training exercise which included a familiarization fire at Fort McCoy, Wis., April 21st.

    The familiarization fire was part of Tank-automotive and Armaments Command’s Operator New Equipment Training for Soldiers on the operation of this weapon platform to establish the operational readiness of units receiving CROWS.

    Staff Sgt. Jay Schafer, 469th Engineer Company out of Dodgeville, Wis., has been a combat engineer for 20 years and attended the training along with Soldiers from his company.

    “We are getting a CROWS system for our company,” Schafer said, “so they sent five NCOs to this class to train the trainer and so far it’s spot on training. The instructors for this system are well trained, well traversed in the system itself and the guys picked us up pretty quick. Any questions at all, they answer them. I would recommend this class to anyone,” said Schafer.

    The 88th RSC NEFF, along with TACOM trainers and Ft. McCoy range personnel, coordinated on this mission to ensure the Soldiers and their units are prepared for every aspect of taking on this new weapons platform. From equipment storage to range access, every detail of the coordination adds to Soldier readiness and mission success.

    “The facility here at Ft. McCoy is wonderful because they have really upgraded the ranges over the last 15-20 years,” said Schafer. “So this is a great asset to us as a training post for our mission, especially being combat engineers. It's pretty much the only place we can come to perform our mission tasks, and all the equipment was here and ready to go,” Schafer stated.

    The 88th RSC NEFF role included receiving the equipment, facilitating the training with space and resources, preparing vehicles for installation of the weapon platform and facilitating the hand off of the equipment to the unit.

    Bryan Witherow, 88th RSC NEFF Equipment Transition Site Manager, explains the role of the NEFF in supporting units.

    “The facilities are capable of completing all actions for the Total Package Fielding of an item or system,” Witherow said. “These facilities are used to receive, process, store, train, transfer and ship equipment to the gaining units or their identified permanent storage facility.”

    Bryan also stated that the 88th RSC has two NEFF sites, Ft. McCoy, Wis. and Ogden, Utah.

    “They currently service a 24 state region, including states in the 63rd RSC region,” said Witherow. “This encompasses over 1300 units directly supported over the last six years.” Witherow said.

    A U.S. Army Reserve Memorandum on the benefits of NEFF sites stated: It is critical that we continue to utilize these sites when New Equipment Training or bulk equipment fieldings are associated with the fielding of modernized equipment. This is a unique cost to the AR that offers many other benefits and saving costs that may otherwise be unrecognized.

    Cost savings, behind the scenes consolidation of efforts and resources, and long term logistics strategies may go unnoticed by Soldiers, but they are vital for long term continued readiness.

    “Soldiers show up for training,” Witherow said. “We give them the equipment and the space to use it and the Soldiers take it from there. The 88th RSC NEFF’s role isn’t always apparent as they go through training. Our support ensures Soldiers can focus on their mission,” Witherow said.

    The effects of these efforts do not go unnoticed by the 88th RSC, Ft. McCoy or the U.S. Army Reserve, who work together to ensure our Soldiers and units have the tools and skills they need for readiness- today and in the future.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.22.2016
    Date Posted: 04.22.2016 15:09
    Story ID: 196265
    Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US

    Web Views: 317
    Downloads: 2

    PUBLIC DOMAIN