Photo By Ismael Ortega | Soldiers assigned to 863rd Eng. Bn., 282nd Eng. Co., 945th Eng. Det., 313th SD Eng....... read more read more
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In the early morning hours of the Silas L. Copeland Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group, engineering Soldiers and National Guardsmen walked across the tarmac to board a plane bound for U.S. Central Command area of operations after completing mobilization training with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security here May 2
.
The 863rd Engineer Battalion, 282nd Engineer Company, 945th Engineer Detachment, 313th Survey and Design Engineer Detachment, all U.S. Army Reserve units, and the 204th Engineer Detachment, Ohio Army National Guard, came together like pieces to a puzzle to deploy in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
To prepare for this deployment, each unit completed basic individual Soldier validation and specific military occupations specialty training here and in their home states.
The 282nd Eng. Co. out of Fort Carson, Colorado, only had four months for what normally takes a year and half to plan and prepare which included the shipping of 150 pieces of equipment into theater.
“There was a lot of frustration in the beginning, just because we were learning how to come together as a team,” Lt. Col. James Feaster, commander, 863rd Eng. Bn., said. “But over the course of the last seven weeks, we’ve got to the point where we’re formed up pretty well now ready to assume the mission.”
Operating out of Kuwait, the 863rd Eng. Bn. will use all vertical, horizontal, utility, survey and design, and quality-control-assists the various units bring with them, along with the wide spectrum of engineering expertise each Soldier has to fulfill all constructions requirements in CENTCOM.
As members of the Army Reserve and National Guard, many have civilian construction, engineering or personnel businesses that bolster their expertise.
“We do have some professionally degreed engineers in the unit, a lot of the Soldiers have worked construction for 20 plus years on the civilian side or have their own private construction business,” Capt. Mark Lojewski, commander, 282nd Eng. Co. said. “That’s one of the advantages as a Reserve unit versus an active duty unit, a lot of Soldiers actually do the job on the civilian side so they come to theater with years of experience that unfortunately active duty just can’t afford to do.”
Deploying to the CENTCOM area of operations won’t be new for many Soldiers throughout the units as a good portion have already deployed in the past on similar missions. A handful have deployed on multiple occasions.
For the 945th Eng. Det., this will be their first deployment as a utilities detachment after being redesignated from an asphalt unit.
Across the board, each unit commander feels their Soldiers are ready for this deployment, due in large part to training at the company and detachment level and joint training in a mobilization readiness exercise at McGregor Range, New Mexico.
“I think everybody’s ready to get downrange and do their mission,” Feaster said. “My goal is to make sure everybody gets over there and back safely.”
| Date Taken: | 05.12.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.17.2016 16:59 |
| Story ID: | 198398 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 617 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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