Photo By Pfc. Brian LaBombard | Spc. Stanley Venable, a shower, laundry and clothing repair specialist assigned to the...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas – A shower, laundry and clothing repair team from the 157th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) provided showers to soldiers during the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Regiment Gunnery here, May 7-18.
The team from the 157th QM Company consisted of five SLCR specialists with over 20 years combined experience.
The SLCR team provided showers to about 350 soldiers participating in the exercise, said Sgt. Chris Hernandez, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the SLCR team, assigned to the 157th QM Company.
“We can provide 750 hot showers a day with this 12-showerhead tent. We are also able to set up the shower tent in less than two hours,” said Hernandez, a shower, laundry and clothing repair specialist with over nine years of experience.
The shower tent, which draws water from a 3,000 gallon water blivet, is simple to set up with an efficient team, said Hernandez. “After we set up, we’re here for two reasons: to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of soldiers and to act as a major morale booster.”
Their customers agree. “The showers are a huge morale booster for the cooks out in the field. We have to work late hours and the soldiers running the showers are always here to help us get clean after a long day in the field,” said Staff Sgt. John Samudio, a food service specialist assigned to Golf Battery (Forward Support Company), 5-82nd Field Artillery Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
While the showers help boost the morale of soldiers, they also ensure that soldiers in the field stay healthy. “Without the showers, my cooks would have a much harder time maintaining the required level of cleanliness. Our foremost goal is the safety of soldiers and we could not achieve that without the SLCR team here,” said Samudio.
“We try our best to help the soldiers feel comfortable in the showers. We’ve installed nicer shower heads that we got from Home Depot, and we also hung shower curtains for added privacy,” said Hernandez. “The soldiers give a sigh of relief when they get out of the shower and thank us every day for what we do out here.”
Setting up SLCR services in the field is also one of the best ways to train soldiers on their military occupation specialties, said Hernandez. “This is great on the job training for the soldiers.”
One of the team members, Spc. Stanley Venable, a shower, laundry and clothing repair specialist, assigned to the 157th QM Company, said, “Setting up in the field is the best way for us to train. We all get along together and we are a pretty effective team.”
“We [food service specialists] work hand in hand with the SLCR team, we’re all out here to boost morale and no matter the time or the condition, they are ready to help us out. I’ve never seen a team set up the shower tent so quickly; hands down, they are the best team out there,” said Samudio.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2012 15:31 |
| Story ID: | 88811 |
| Location: | ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 106 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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