Truckers show why they own the road

Photo By Spc. Richard Vogt | Sgt. Ramon Cabezas and crew blazed through the Truck Derby course at Logistical Staging Area Diamondback in Mosul. Here they are blocking the brakes which is one of the last tasks.  

MOSUL, IRAQ

05.23.2006

Story by Spc. Richard Vogt 

138th Public Affairs Detachment

MOSUL, Iraq (May 19, 2006) -- Getting exhausted and sweaty late at night under the stars is how this group has fun.

They are the 473rd Quartermasters, and they work and play at full throttle. On May 18, at Logistical Staging Area Diamondback, they competed in a truck rodeo, the first of three events, to test their convoy skills.

"Everything is timed to see who can get through the whole course the fastest," Pfc. Nina Caluya said. The competition is a way to make training fun and meaningful. It certainly brought out these Soldiers" competitive spirit.

"C"mon, High Rollers!" the crowd shouted.

"Make a note: we're going to win," Sgt. Josanne Noel said. The competition was not merely a game. Driving is a competitive business and the risks are high.

"As an 88 Mike, that's what you want to be known as: a professional driver, a professional person that can handle his vehicle to all extents, any type of weather, any area you can be in," Sgt. Ramon Cabezas said. In the competition, Cabezas relied on his 11 years of experience to navigate the course with the 1083-armored truck.

"As an 88 Mike, that's what you want someone to say: hey, I know that guy can drive, I know he can [handle] his vehicle the right way," he said. Sgt. Joshua Morris and Pfc. Marson Sue joined Cabezas. Their platoon cheered relentlessly, urging the team to a fast time.

"I like being here," Cabezas said. He, along with others in the unit, volunteered to return to Iraq.

"The enthusiasm is to motivate Soldiers to complete combat tasks they would use on a logistics patrol. It takes quite a bit of coordination. You've got to have the TC and the gunner and the driver all working together in a cohesive unit to make sure all of the safety and key elements are observed so that nobody's hurt and they get the job done." Sgt. 1st Class Duane Golden, NCOIC of the operation. Hometown is Glenwood, Arkansas. 872nd Maintenance Company, 142nd Combat Support Battalion.

"They're all one team. Usually, it's a [convoy logistics patrol competing] that's worked together, in this case we've been together almost 9 months now, so they kind of joined up together, be like brother and sister, working so that everyone does a great job so they can go home safe."

"The truck rodeo consists of an inventory of their gear, they have to load the SINCGARS with the ANCD and the proper fill, they do a radio check, then they go through a serpentine [course] going forward, and then traverse, doing it in reverse. When they finish that event, they go into a tire change. From the tire change they go into a hasty evacuation and then from that they go into a hard evacuation, and that's the end of the event."

The team of Cabezas, Sue, and Morris completed the course in 1 hour, 23 minutes. The next fastest time until then was 1 hour, 46 minutes. The 872nd's CLP 2 would later eclipse their time, but it did not matter that night. The truckers went to bed tired and sweaty but confident that their reputations were shining as brightly as the stars in the night sky.

• Date Taken: 05.23.2006
• Date Posted: 05.23.2006 09:39
• Story ID: 6480
• Location: MOSUL, IQ