The 650th RSG’s S4 supports RSOI mission

Photo By Capt. Fernando Ochoa | Sgt. James Bennett, 650th Regional Support Group motor pool sergeant, Spc. Byron Serrota, 650th RSG supply specialist, and Sgt. JohnTeddy Asa, 650th RSG supply department NCOIC, who are the backbone of the unit, helped set up and support the 650th RSG tactical operation center, during the Big Logistics-Over-the-Shore West 2017 at Camp Talega, where joint operations with the United States Navy and U.S Marine Corp were held, during the month of July. Big LOTS - West 2017 is a United States Army Reserve functional exercise part of the Army Reserve Training Strategy in order to enhance unit readiness by conducting live and virtual port and bare beach operations with external evaluations.  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

07.18.2017

Story by Capt. Fernando Ochoa 

311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command   

CAMP TALEGA, Calif. – The 650th Regional Support Group’s supply section, led by Sgt. JohnTeddy Asa, 650th RSG supply department NCOIC, was the backbone of the unit, helping set up and support the 650th RSG tactical operation center, during the Big Logistics-Over-the-Shore West 2017 at Camp Talega, where joint operations with the United States Navy and U.S Marine Corp were held, during the month of July.

The unsung heroes of the military services are the supply departments of every branch as they perform the most important duties needed to support service members in the field. Supply sergeants oversee and perform requests, receipts, storage, issuing, accountability and preservation of individual, organizational, and expendable supplies and equipment.

Big LOTS - West 2017 is a United States Army Reserve functional exercise part of the Army Reserve Training Strategy in order to enhance unit readiness by conducting live and virtual port and bare beach operations with external evaluations.

“This has been a great experience for me because I’m learning a lot more about the new aspects to how this operation runs,” said Asa. “We really came together and worked as a team to support the main body of the unit.”

From ensuring that living quarters, which was a tent city, was set up and inhabitable to making sure generators and lighting systems were running, Asa and his crew worked as many as 16 hour days in order to accomplish their mission.

The BLW17 is a multi-component, joint and integrated training event that its conducted over a month long period and will consist of a three day Company Training/Mission Rehearsal exercise, a three day Command Post Exercise, and a six day integrated Field Training Exercise.

“I’m just doing my job,” said Sgt. James Bennett, 650th RSG motor pool sergeant. “Our mission is to support the Soldiers in the field and this exercise, giving us a real world environment that gives us challenges and problem solving skills.”

From start to finish, supply specialists worked hard to ensure that Soldiers had sleeping quarters, meals ready-to-eat, water from Waters Buffaloes and plenty of outlets for Soldiers to recharge their cell phones.

Hundreds of Soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Navy and Marines participated in the BLW17 exercise and all of them were supported by supply specialists. Like a utility ball player on a baseball team, these Soldiers worked a multitude of assignments such as manning the Mayor Cell reception and other miscellaneous tasks.

The Quartermaster Ethos says that ‘Logistics Warriors’ are Soldiers first, technicians second to none, battle focused, reliable professionals assuring victory by sustaining America's Army in peace and war.

The Quartermaster Corps mission is to provide Base Operations Support, Quality of Life and services essential to the entire operational forces in support of Unified Land Operations and the Nation's War-fighting Mission.

The 650th RSG is aligned under the 311th Sustainment Command and has control of three battalions: 314th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 469th CSSB and the 483rd Transportation Battalion. Its area of operation spans over three states, including California, Nevada and Arizona.

• Date Taken: 07.18.2017
• Date Posted: 08.02.2017 10:58
• Story ID: 243393
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US