Photo By Maj. William Carraway | Brigadier General Tom Carden, commanding general of the Georgia Army National Guard...... read more read more
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More than 300 logisticians of the Georgia Army National Guard gathered at the Air Dominance Center near Savannah Georgia for three days of logistics proficiency training hosted by the Ga. ARNG Directorate of Logistics.
“We have mechanics, supply sergeants, readiness NCOs and company executive officers here and all of these roles touch logistics,” said Maj. Jonathan Hamilton, deputy director of logistics for the Ga. ARNG.
The training was conceived by the DOL as a way to share training across the board among Georgia Guardsmen and to achieve peer-to-peer training opportunities through break-out sessions.
The training began on a high note with award presentations. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Carl Jackson, Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Ga. ARNG, received the Distinguished Order of Saint Martin from the US Army Association of Quartermasters. Lieutenant Col. Alex McLemore, director of logistics for the Ga. ARNG additionally received the Order of Samuel Sharpe from the United States Ordnance Corps Association. Both officers were recognized for their years of contribution to the logistics field.
Over the course of the three-day training event the Guardsmen met representatives from field service maintenance shops, received instruction from subject matter experts in physical security, safety and environmental and captured lessons learned from their peers.
“We wanted to take the opportunity to address the larger logistics community in Georgia,” said Hamilton. “We want to share best practices.”
Colonel Randall Simmons, chief of staff of the Ga. ARNG briefed training attendees on the state priorities of personnel, logistics and training and the effects of continuing budget uncertainty.
“In the last two years, due to sequestration we have lost 51 (full time Guard) positions in the state and 15 technicians. That is without significant reductions in personnel or force structure. It is very difficult to remain relevant in that environment, but through your hard work, we have remained relevant at the national level.”
That relevance was demonstrated in 2016 as two Georgia Army National Guard units were recognized among the best in Army maintenance activity with the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence competition. Battery A, 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery of Springfield, Ga. captured first in the Army National Guard Small Unit category while Field Maintenance Shop Winder finished second overall in the table of distribution and allowances unit category. These accomplishments represented the hard work done in the trenches by logisticians from the unit level up.
Addressing the assembled Guardsmen, Brig. Gen. Tom Carden, commanding general of the Ga. ARNG began with a discussion of supply vs. sustainment.
“Supply sergeants are really sustainment NCOs,” said Carden. “Twenty percent of your time is spent on supply, 20 percent on food service issues, you probably spend 20 percent working transportation issues, another 20 percent doing physical security and another 20 percent on maintenance. The bottom line is that I would argue you do less than 25 percent of your time doing what the Army trained you to do when you went to school to be a supply sergeant.
Carden noted that the Army has maintenance NCOs, transportation NCOs, food service NCOS and others that go through different training pipelines to perform tasks absorbed by the National Guard supply sergeant.
“Probably the most overworked, underappreciated Soldier in the formation is the supply sergeant,” said Carden to a chorus of approval.
McLemore was pleased with the turnout at the logistics event, particularly among traditional Guardsmen who he and Carden see as having more responsibilities than before.
“With the fielding of GCSS-A last year, there is a greater reliance on the input from traditional guardsmen in the logistics processes,” noted McLemore. The fact that 25 percent of the attendees were (traditional Guardsmen) is probably the biggest success story.”
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2017 19:04 |
| Story ID: | 234086 |
| Location: | SAVANNAH, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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