Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Stoltz | U.S. Army Sergeant William Poley, Joint Special Operations Forces Support Detachment...... read more read more
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During the 2017 holiday season, most of the current staff from Joint Special Operations Forces Support Detachment – K were in their home state of New Jersey, preparing for an upcoming deployment – but the mission was unknown.
Fast-forward six months, these N.J. Army National Guardsmen, who hail from the 117th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, run Camp Sparta. The camp serves as a trans-regional, intermediate-level staging base and logistics hub for special operations personnel and cargo supporting Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom Sentinel.
This marks the first time the JSSD-K mission, operated from an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, is led by Citizen Soldiers.
In the past, some active-duty service members have used the term ‘weekend warriors’ to describe those who serve in a military capacity part-time. However, the 'Spartans' are proving they are just as capable as their full-time counterparts – and even provide unique versatility.
“We are all used to the term do more with less,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jose D. Maldonado, JSSD-K commander. “In the Guard, we do not have the same time or amount of resources to complete the mission, but we push forward and always find a way to get the mission done to standard.”
Another benefit they bring to the total force is the mixture of their backgrounds. When not wearing the uniform, his Soldiers serve in a variety of roles, including; electrical engineers, vehicle operators, logisticians, police officers, project managers and even a federal agent.
“We have a generator mechanic who is also an electrician, and we have a logistics officer who is also an engineer,” said Capt. Nicholas Zingara, JSSD-K executive officer. “They are able to serve as real force multipliers working outside of their regular specialties, enhancing mission capabilities.”
Those skills have served them well, as Camp Sparta has men and women on the staff who provided emergency response for New Jersey during hurricane Sandy in 2012, and many have been first responders to many other state emergencies. However, they still had a lot to learn in this deployed environment.
“This is an opportunity that a traditional guardsman does not usually get,” said Zingara. “This is something new and exciting, and we are happy to be in a position to help SOF warfighters meet their objectives.”
To support the personnel of the SOF community, one challenge the Spartans had to overcome was the inter-service ‘language’ barrier – or the different methods and terminology between them and their sister services.
In order to operate effectively, the Soldiers needed to quickly become familiar with Air Force day-to-day operations. Maldonado added this familiarity is an essential factor, especially when executing transport operations for the largest aerial port in the area of responsibility.
The team overcame this hurdle by aggressively networking with Air Force personnel and proactive engagement during the early stages of their deployment. Camp Sparta’s proximity to Air Force partners serves as a tremendous benefit – which only enhances their mission capabilities.
“It’s important to know how to effectively communicate between services, because an average day for us isn’t average to many,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Abraham Ruiz, JSSD-K motor transport operator. “At any given time, we could be performing maintenance on various equipment, making a run down to the seaport or airport to procure equipment, fixing or modifying communication equipment, installing weapons systems, projecting movement and coordinating movement of assets.”
In addition to Army and Air Force personnel, the camp is also occupied by logisticians from Support Center Iraq, manned by members of Naval Special Warfare Command and Marine Special Operations Command, and Support Center Syria, manned by members of the 5th Special Forces Group Support Battalion.
"One of the greatest desires a Soldier has is to feel like they are part of a team – like they're making an impact," said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Johnson, JSSD-K operations non-commissioned officer-in-charge. "Seeing supplies get out to Soldiers in need, be it a decent meal or a refrigerator so they can have a cold drink, is an amazing feeling."
Maldonado stated he is impressed to see his team adjust to the rigors of a deployed environment. He also said he expected them to ‘hit the ground running,’ especially since most have years of experience working together. This ‘pre-built rapport’ serves as yet another added benefit of using guard personnel.
“I am very proud of our team and their service,” he said. “While there may have been some growing pains, I believe keeping a team mindset and focusing on building relationships has helped us to quickly identify and adapt to overcome any challenge. It gives me peace of mind knowing they will always be able to get the job done.”
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2018 06:49 |
| Story ID: | 280777 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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