Railhead Operations at MKAB

Photo By Sgt. Laurie Ellen Wash | A 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Soldier ground guides a M 978 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck across train cars.The 5-7 ADA began railroad operations out of Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, June 26, 2019. The operation consisted of separating the trucks from the trailers, driving the trucks onto the train and lifting the trailers onto the train with a crane. This enables more mobility of the vehicles to be loaded onto the train. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Laurie Ellen Schubert, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)  

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, ROMANIA

06.26.2019

Story by Pvt. Laurie Ellen Wash 

5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania-- The end of exercise Saber Guardian 19 for 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, was marked with a railhead operation back to their home station in Baumholder, Germany. The operation began on June 26, 2019, at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania.

“Today is the most complicated day because we have all of our launchers that will be loaded,” said Master Sgt. Carlton Smith with 5-7 ADA. “These launching stations fired off the missiles that were used for Saber Guardian.”

Preparing for this mission involved finding a large enough area to load the vehicles onto the train.

“The turn radius is a big factor when you’re having to get it on the train from tight corners,” said Spc. Philip Brewster with 5-7 ADA.

The operation consisted of separating the trucks from the trailers, driving the trucks onto the train and lifting the trailers onto the train with a crane. This enables more mobility of the vehicles to be loaded onto the train.

“I have to properly maneuver the launchers so we don’t cause any damage to them,” said Brewster.

While moving and loading the vehicles, the Soldiers and civilians were very cautious, especially when it came to the crane.

“Safety is definitely our number one priority,” Smith said.

Romanian civilians worked alongside Soldiers to make the process of loading the vehicles onto the train a safer and smoother operation. The overall operation was organized with the civilians and Soldiers each having their own separate functions. The Soldiers were in charge of driving the trucks onto the trains, and the Romanian civilians were in charge of the crane and lifting the trailers onto the train.

“Whenever we do railroad operations, we work with our home station team and the host nation team,” Smith said. “Working with the Romanians has been outstanding. They have been able to facilitate a lot of our last minute moves. It helps out so much with everybody being a team player. Working with the host nations has been a real pleasure.”

• Date Taken: 06.26.2019
• Date Posted: 06.27.2019 05:20
• Story ID: 329368
• Location: MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, RO
• Hometown: BAUMHOLDER, RP, DE