Photo By Sgt. Adrian Muehe | Tactical vehicles sit on flatbed trucks at the convoy staging area at Contingency...... read more read more
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CONTIGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – Darkness is fading as a new dawn breaches the horizon.
The last combat brigade has left Iraq and while they passed through Contingency Operating Base Adder during the third week of August, the base was also a focal point for the logistical drawdown as there will only be 50,000 service members and the equipment needed to sustain those remaining after Sept. 1.
The convoy staging area and the retrograde property assistance teams yard were full of trucks and equipment destined for Kuwait to be retrograded (resubmitted) back into the Army’s supply system and redistributed elsewhere in preparation for Operation New Dawn.
“We are probably a week ahead of schedule,” said Brig. Gen. Mark Corson, commander of the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a Maryville, Mo., native. “Our role in the drawdown is to coordinate transportation while we make sure that everyone here is getting fed, armed and paid.
“We have shipped 180,000 pieces [of equipment] to Afghanistan, and another 800 pieces back home. Not only have we shipped all that, but we know what we have and we know where it’s going.”
The RPAT yard is where equipment, such as the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, is collected from locations in southern Iraq and loaded onto flatbed trucks to be conveyed into Kuwait. This yard is operated by the Army Material Command whose operations are overseen by Lt. Col. Garry Bush, commander of 2nd Battalion, 402nd Army Field Support Brigade, 103rd ESC, and a Tecumseh, Mich., native.
“We make sure these assets get where they need be, when they need to be,” Bush said.
Most of these trucks find themselves in the convoy staging area at COB Adder whose day-to-day operations are not overseen by a senior officer, but by junior enlisted soldier Spc. Branden Gums, movement control specialist with the 635th Movement Control Team, 14th Transportation Battalion, 103rd ESC, and a Mesquite, Texas, native.
“From noon to midnight, Spc. Gums runs this yard,” Corson said. “He makes sure that everything gets through in a timely manner no matter what. He even has to tell convoy commanders, senior NCOs, when they need to get their trucks on the road.”
It is Gums’ job to make sure the yard, which has hundreds of vehicles at any given time, doesn’t overflow. With rolling stock coming in at an accelerated rate, he has to send it out just as fast.
“It’s definitely a challenge making sure the convoys are spaced out on the road, keeping the yard from overfilling, and making sure they get to Kuwait in a timely fashion,” said Gums.
While part of COB Adder is busy ensuring the deadline for Operation New Dawn is met, the other parts continue their day-to-day operations with the support from the 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd ESC. The 224th SB is responsible for sustaining the remaining forces in southern Iraq, while also doing their part to assist in drawdown operations.
“We take care of supply in all its aspects,” said Lt. Col. Pete Kim, the deputy commander for the 224th SB, and a Cerritos, Calif., native. “Not just pushing physical supplies, but providing support such as human resources, medical support, and all the things that enable the advise and assist brigades to go out and do their mission.”
According to a statement released by the Department of Defense, the number of troops in Iraq has fallen below 50,000, making the presence of U.S. Forces in the country the smallest it has been since the initial push in 2003. This means that with the reduction of forces, there are also fewer troops left in the country to sustain the force.
“With the drawdown in effect we have fewer resources to do this with,” said Kim. “Our job is challenging now, and is going to be more challenging later as we continue to drawdown U.S. Forces and contractor capabilities.”
Over the duration of their deployment as one of the last sustainment brigades in Iraq, the 224th SB will do their part to consolidate the logistical footprint by closing bases and compacting the living areas and office spaces of service members, said Kim.
The limited amount of personal has created situations where junior enlisted Soldiers, like Gums, find themselves filling roles usually assigned to Soldiers with more experience.
“The fact that we have young [service members] figuring out how to synchronize this is just incredible,” said Kim.
According to Col. Lisa Costanza, commander of the 224th SB, and a Long Beach, Calif., native, these young men and women are doing an astounding job.
“I think it’s a testament to Americans today,” said Costanza about the young troops stepping up during the drawdown. “I’m definitely in awe of them and humbled by their service.”
As the black skies turn into a blue hue in the early hours of Sept. 1, Soldiers will awaken to take on a new mission as Operation Iraqi Freedom will come to a close. American and Iraqi history books will be rewritten as Iraqi Security Forces ensure their streets are safe, their parliament is seated, and a new dawn awakens in an ever-changing Iraq.
| Date Taken: | 08.30.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 08.30.2010 04:03 |
| Story ID: | 55379 |
| Location: | CONTIGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 209 |
| Downloads: | 10 |
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