Redistribution Property Assistance Team Academy

Photo By Lt. Col. Matthew Devivo | In preparation for their next assignment in Afghanistan, students attending the 10-day Redistribution Property Assistance Team training academy conduct hands-on training in the set up and operation of communications equipment. The 402nd Army Field Support Brigade’s 541st Combat Sustainment and Support Battalion developed and administered the RPAT academy training based on their extensive experience in property accountability activities. The academy curriculum is a direct result of the lessons learned from the Iraq drawdown less than 90 days ago.  

CAMP VIRGINIA , KUWAIT

01.27.2012

Story by Maj. Matthew Devivo 

113th Sustainment Brigade

CAMP VIRGINIA, Kuwait – Soldiers from the 113th Sustainment Brigade and its subordinate battalions graduated the 10-day Redistribution Property Assistance Team training academy here Jan. 27 to prepare for their next assignment in Afghanistan.

The 402nd Army Field Support Brigade’s 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion developed and administered the Redistribution Property Assistance Team academy training based on its extensive experience in property accountability activities, said Col. John S. Laskodi, commander of the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade.

“The academy curriculum is a direct result of lessons learned from the Iraq drawdown less than 90 days ago,” said Maj. Damiko Moore, lead instructor with the 541st CSSB. In November and December 2011, thousands of 20-foot containers filled with equipment and supplies, military vehicles and other equipment moved south out of Iraq into Kuwait.

The 402nd and its subordinate units were neck-deep in performing sustainment operations to support the drawdown, especially property accountability and redistribution activities. Because of this experience, the 402nd was a logical choice to develop and lead training in current property accountability and redistribution procedures, Moore said.

Sixty soldiers have graduated from the Redistribution Property Assistance Team academy to date. Upon graduation, soldiers return to Camp Arifjan for a few days of administrative business, personal time and before long, depart for Afghanistan.

Soldiers from the 113th Sustainment Brigade are deploying to Afghanistan for a short time to conduct sustainment and redistribution operations. Those soldiers will help set conditions for the responsible drawdown of forces in Afghanistan in accordance with U.S. government directives.

Theater-provided equipment such as vehicles, ammunition, life-support items and medical supplies must be turned in before units leave Afghanistan. An Redistribution Property Assistance Team will account for and process the items for future use. Redistribution Property Assistance Teams, made up of two to 10 soldiers based on location and mission, operate as contact teams for customer units.

“Property accountability doesn’t change. It is the cornerstone to successful sustainment and logistics operations,” said Moore.

The Redistribution Property Assistance Team training academy Moore and her team developed has gotten attention at the general officer level in Kuwait and back in the States. The academy is highly regarded for its up-to-date property accountability techniques and procedures, as a benchmark in unit flexibility in mission assignment, and as an example of how an adaptive team can achieve mission success.

The Redistribution Property Assistance Team training curriculum will be refined over the coming months as more soldiers attend the academy and has the potential to be incorporated into sustainment and logistics doctrine and professional development training at Army institutions back in the United States.

For more information, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/113thSB or see more photos of the 113th SB at http://www.flickr.com/photos/113thSB.

• Date Taken: 01.27.2012
• Date Posted: 02.08.2012 07:11
• Story ID: 83511
• Location: CAMP VIRGINIA , KW