Forward Area Support Team makes rounds

Photo By Master Sgt. Opal Vaughn | Sgt. Quarena Scott and Spc. Matthew Adam with Forward Area Support Team, 1st Battalion, 5th Inf. Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, readies a hose to refill a water tank while at Contingency Operating Base Khatoon, located in Diyala, Iraq, Dec. 18.  

DIYALA PROVINCE, IRAQ

12.23.2008

Story by Spc. Opal Vaughn  

14th Public Affairs Detachment

By Spc. Opal Vaughn
14th Public Affairs Detachment

DIYALA, Iraq - A vital role in today's military is logistical resupply for troops in the battlefield.

In Diyala province, there are several outposts scattered across the battle space which are not capable of housing or distributing supplies for themselves.

Having the manpower to push supplies out to troops on mission has become a priority of the Forward Area Support Team, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. And in order to ensure all unit outposts have a constant supply of goods for the Soldiers, the FAS Team continues to make rounds every week.

"We are one of the main outlets; we support several locations including Forward Operating Base Gabe, Contingency Operating Base Old Baquba, COB Tarear and COB Khatoon, just to name a few," said Greensboro, N.C. native, 1st Lt. Karoline Hood, FAST officer in charge, 1-5 Inf., 1st SBCT, 25th Inf. Div. "We resupply the FOBs and COBs with food, water, fuel and even construction supplies."

"We pick up loads at Warhorse and then transfer these supplies to the FOBs and COBs on our route," Hood stated. "We are pretty much the middle man of the corps to get these supplies out."

Soldiers located at many of the outposts the FAS Team resupplies continually go on missions which is why the FAS Team's job is such a vital role in Iraq is vital to ensure units are mission capable. "Our mission is still equally important because for them, we are their only source to send and receive supplies," Hood said.

But the duties of the FAS Team are never easy, Hood states, "Our job is not always as easy as it seems. We have the same difficulties as any other unit. Sometimes we're short on manpower and then there is the maintenance of the vehicles which transport the supplies," Hood continued.

"All of our vehicles are legacy vehicles," Hood stated. "The vehicles we use we inherited from past units so many of the vehicles have been in the battle from the beginning. So working along the conditions these vehicles came to us has been quite difficult," Hood smiled. "They are part of Iraq now."

Maintaining security is also an important aspect of transporting supplies. Alpha Company, 1-5 Inf., 1st SBCT, 25th Inf. Div. takes the lead in keeping the FAS Team safe while on logistical resupply missions.

2nd Lt. Matthew Kotlarski, platoon leader with Alpha Company, 1-5 Inf., 1st SBCT, 25th Inf. Div., explains, "We conduct a lot of various missions as a Stryker infantry platoon. Everything from raids, route clearance to security; we have to be ready to handle anything."

Supporting the FAS Team with security was the first on Alpha Company's agenda. "We escorted the FAS Team, even though it was just a resupply mission, there are still a lot of improvised explosive devices and suicide bombers in the area. Not as many as there used to be," Kotlarski added, "But they are still in the area and it's our job to ensure our team makes it to and from each location without incident."

Even the simple things can help make a Soldier smile, Kotlarski stated. "It's important to resupply because it makes the Soldiers' lives a lot better being so isolated. We've got hot showers, hot food and all that good stuff, these guys don't. It can get pretty busy at times in our line of work but the guys work hard," Kotlarski stated. "But it's definitely rewarding."

• Date Taken: 12.23.2008
• Date Posted: 12.23.2008 14:04
• Story ID: 28062
• Location: DIYALA PROVINCE, IQ