Photo By Staff Sgt. Dale Sweetnam | Spc. Charles Rogers, C Company, 412th Forward Logistics Element, communicates through...... read more read more
By Sgt. Dale Sweetnam
Multi-National Division - Center
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Communication is the heartbeat of every military operation. Knowing that, leaders of Task Force 49 Headquarters and Headquarters Company quickly realized the communication assets available when they moved into Camp Striker in July were not sufficient to operate at full throttle.
Bringing the facility up to speed fell on the signal (S-6) section of HHC, Task Force 49. This group of 12 dedicated, but fairly new Soldiers had to rebuild a fractured communications infrastructure, which put the skills of each Soldier to the test.
"It was a mental challenge," said Maj. Consuellos Hodges, the S-6 section officer-in-charge. "For the last eight to 10 months [in Balad], they worked with a system already in place. Their skills sets did not get challenged."
The section first moved all the e-mail mailboxes from Camp Taji and Balad, where TF 49 previously operated. They also reimaged all the computers and, according to the section's non-commissioned officer-in-charge, Master Sgt. Charlie Scott, they had to basically rebuild the entire network.
The S-6 Soldiers took on the job. Only two of the Soldiers are trained signal support systems specialists; the other Soldiers are cable systems installers and information assistance operators.
"These guys, with no training, stepped up and took on the task," Scott said.
After weeks of 24-hour operations, hundreds of help-desk requests and hours of troubleshooting, the section managed to get the tactical operations center running smoothly, connect all users to e-mail and fix dozens of recurring problems.
Many of the problems the section experienced were related to well-intentioned, but overzealous housekeeping.
"Everyone wanted to clean up," Scott said. "Soldiers would end up cutting cables and moving cables. They would pull a cable, and it would shut down four to seven different areas, and they didn't realize it."
After working through the cleaning-related disconnections, the S-6 settled into a battle rhythm and is now much more comfortable with the crazy days that are part of keeping a war-time operations connected.
"[This experience] put the Soldiers in a position to operate beyond their capabilities," Hodges said. "I think they've learned a lot about themselves."
The Soldiers said the training and experiences of the process were priceless.
"There has been a lot of cross training," said Spc. Matthew Smith, HHC, Task Force 49. "If you see someone who doesn't know, you take that person and kind of mentor them, show them how to do this, how to do that. You show them about it and then send them on their way."
The intensity and pressure of the first few weeks at BIAP allowed the Soldiers to gel as a team.
Half of the 12 Soldiers in the S-6 section are augmentees from Company C, 412th Forward Logistics Element, a unit that moved from Camp Taji to be a part of Task Force 49. All the Soldiers from 412th fit in well with their new coworkers, according to Scott.
"It's been great," said Spc. Charles Rogers, C Co., 412th. "It's a great working environment; the morale is high. Everybody comes to work with a good attitude every day."
The pressure eased slightly now, according to Hodges, but the S-6 mission continues to be vitally important to the success of the mission.
"Our goal here is to build a Task Force 49 product," he said. "We want to give Col. [Chandler] Sherrell and Task Force 49 a continuity book for the next Soldiers. That's my challenge to the Soldiers: prove you were here."
The Soldiers of Task Force 49 have, indeed, left their mark. Communications are up and the S-6 office stays busy running its help desk and responding to daily technical problems. Scott said every day is different, but his staff is more than prepared to answer the call and maintain the heartbeat of the effort.
| Date Taken: | 08.25.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2008 09:13 |
| Story ID: | 22849 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 31 |
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