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CIF does direct exchanges for Soldiers in Iraq

Photo By Capt. Monika Comeaux | Pfc. Keesha N. Dentino, a military policeman with Headquarters and Headquarters...... read more read more

12.08.2005

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

What do you do, if you need your boots direct exchanged, and you are sitting at Combat Outpost Rawah?

Hopefully, your unit supply representative has an account established with the Central Issue Facility at Logistical Support Area Anaconda, and he or she can hop on a convoy or a helicopter and exchange those boots for you.

"There are other facilities in Iraq, but this is the only recognized facility that supplies everything. When it comes to supplying the Soldiers, we have everything they need. We are the biggest one in Iraq," said Ricky L. Ammons, a Kellogg, Brown and Root foreman working at the CIF.

Ammons spent eight years in the Army himself. He said it really helped him prepare for his mission over here.

"When you run into certain situations, you can be a little more sympathetic, but at the same time you give them the guidance that they need," he said.

It is relatively easy to establish an account with CIF. The unit supply representative has to have a DA Form 1687, which is a notice of delegation of authority signed by the unit commander, and they also need to submit the commander's assumption of command orders.

The only other thing they need after this is a memorandum stating the type of transaction the Soldier needs.

CIF is getting plenty of customers from all over the theater.

"They come from eight hours away just to get business done," Ammons said.

Staff Sgt. Dwayne K. Holliday is a unit supply clerk from Company A, 1st of the 169th Armor. He is stationed at Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah, formerly known as FOB Cuervo.

He actually had to fly a Marne Express chopper to LSA Anaconda to close out his company's account, since they are getting ready to redeploy. He rated customer service at CIF as excellent.

"Every time we come up here as soon as we come through the door we always have someone in our face asking how they can help us," he said.

Although official customer service hours run from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., CIF is actually running 24 hour operations.

"The purpose of the night shift is mostly to service Soldiers who have an emergency," Ammons said. An emergency might be having to replace someone's individual body armor, replacing a lost helmet or bloody uniform, since it is a biohazard. "We go ahead and try to service them right away, so we can get them back on the road," Ammons said.

If the Soldier shows up in an emergency situation, and he or she does not have the proper paperwork, CIF refers the Soldier to the accountable officer, who is an Army representative and has the authority to make case by case decisions on issuing out items in emergency situations.

If the Soldier's unit has an account with CIF, but the Soldier shows up without the proper paperwork, the Soldier will be helped, but the account is flagged until the proper documentation is submitted.

The facility sees anywhere from 20 to 80 customers a day, said Chance W. Augeri, the head of customer service, who is also a former Soldier.

Reynaldo Baluyut, a warehouse worker in the customer service section, remembers about a month ago, when they serviced over 150 customers who showed up out of the blue.

"From time to time CIF gets really crowded on days where there are a lot of convoys coming in to LSA Anaconda," he said.

Unit supply clerks are encouraged to make an appointment for bulk turn in or issues. They are asked to submit the amounts and sizes requested, so CIF can pull the items from their warehouse and have them ready by the time the supply clerk arrives.

Unfortunately there are occasions when CIF does not have the proper size from all items. It takes anywhere from 60 to 90 days to receive an item once it's ordered from the U.S., Ammons explained.

"Generally we do pretty well, because we get shipments in at least two or three times a week," he said.

The purpose of this CIF in theater is mostly to exchange unserviceable items for troops. Initial issue of items is not their primary mission, unlike CIF facilities stateside.

If a Soldier lost some of his TA-50 or it was destroyed in a fire, for example, CIF can help with the replacement. On the top of the most wanted items recently are the CVC coveralls. These are flame retardant coveralls mostly used by aviators, firemen, fuelers and gunners, Augeri said.

Troops often ask for direct exchange of items they received through the Rapid Fielding Initiative as they came through Kuwait. Most of these items are new to the Army system, and CIF does not carry them yet, Ammons said.

Of course with the issuing of the new army combat uniforms, or ACUs, everybody in theater wants them. However, CIF doesn't carry them in theater, Augeri said. If someone needs their ACUs replaced for some reason, CIF is only able to give that Soldier a pair of DCUs and a memorandum stating that the uniform was turned in and was replaced by a different kind.

Employees working at CIF seem to be there for the Soldiers. Augeri said his favorite part of his job is the interaction with the customers.

"I am thrilled and it is an honor to support the Soldiers that guard their country," he said.

"I like working here, because we work together. One team, one fight," Baluyut said.

To contact the LSA Anaconda CIF, call 318-829-2535 or email to cif.anaconda1@us.army.mil. Customers may also stop by the facility located in building 4058 to pick up a copy of their detailed customer service handbook which contains exact instructions on transactions and samples of all the forms needed when dealing with CIF.