Maintenance Company Soldiers provide convoy security team to cavalry squadron

Courtesy Photo | Soldiers with the 632nd Maintenance Company, 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), line up their Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles before a mission recently at the convoy staging lanes at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Seth Church)  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IRAQ

11.24.2010

Courtesy Story

224th Sustainment Brigade

By 1st Lt. Seth Church

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Soldiers with the 632nd Maintenance Company, 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), from Fort Stewart, Ga., have been preparing for additional convoy escort missions in support of the 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, 224th Sust. Bde. convoy security escort mission at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.

What started out as simple augmentation of the squadron’s ongoing convoy escort missions has recently turned into a dedicated mission for the 632nd Maint. Company. In August and September, the 632nd Maint. Company began sending Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to C Troop, 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt., in order to augment them and send soldiers to receive convoy escort training.

Soldiers with the 632nd Maint. Company launched their first organic set team Oct. 28 consisting of six MRAPs and 25 soldiers.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. James Schafer, convoy escort team officer-in-charge and electronic equipment maintenance platoon leader with the 632nd Maint. Company, and a Dardanelle, Ark., native, took the CET from a simple concept and fully organized, planned and transformed it to what it is today with the dedication and hard work from his Soldiers.

“I think the CET team is doing a great job,” said Schafer. “We had the equipment, plenty of enthusiastic and willing soldiers, and the opportunity to train with C Troop, 2-108th Cavalry, and we have come a long way from just helping out to completely running our own operation.”

Simultaneously, the 319th Transportation Company, 110th CSSB, provides a CET to the squadron as well. Although the 632nd Maint. Company CET augments the 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt., they are also available to escort any convoys originating from their battalion, allowing the battalion the flexibility to move its own logistical convoys without the need for external units to provide security.

“As the battalion commander, it gives me so many more options by having two transportation companies and now two CET teams,” said Lt. Col. David Scheideler, commander of the 110th CSSB, and an Ord, Neb., native. “Now I don’t have to go outside the battalion to get the security to run our convoys; we can do it all on our own. We’re breaking new ground with this, and there are a lot of people up and down the chain of command who are anxiously awaiting the results, and the CET may be utilized in the future and expanded upon.”

The CETs continue to perform their convoy escort missions, now with the soldiers of 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt., in southern, western and central Iraq.

• Date Taken: 11.24.2010
• Date Posted: 11.29.2010 13:16
• Story ID: 61041
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ