Crucial delivery for combat troops

38th Sustainment Brigade
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Tina Eichenour

Date: 03.08.2013
Posted: 03.09.2013 06:59
News ID: 103216
Crucial delivery for combat troops

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Throughout the night soldiers from the 38th Sustainment Brigade worked to ensure operational supplies were properly loaded for combat troops in Afghanistan on March 8, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

The soldiers who participated said the operational rations load was crucial for troop’s well being and time sensitive because of the size of the delivery.

“About 40 pallets of operational rations were packaged to be delivered to the ground forces stationed at Bagram and Kandahar, Afghanistan,” said Warrant Officer Aysu Cesmebasi, food service warrant officer from Lyndhurst, N.J., assigned to the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).

Operational supplies and food items, such as crab legs packaged in dry ice and meals ready to eat, were loaded onto pallets for delivery.

Staff Sgt. James Mosier, general supply non-commissioned officer in charge of the mission, said the process can take several hours.

“We have a 48-hour window to get the packaged supplies to our fellow troops in Afghanistan,” said Mosier.

Delivery trucks arrived at the supply yard, the supplies were quickly unloaded by with forklifts. The forklift operators maneuvered the pallets of supplies onto aluminum air-cargo pallets.

As the pallets were placed in a staging area, the soldiers wrapped the pallets in protective plastic and strapped down with nets to hold down the cargo. Soldiers ensured the pallets were secure enough for air travel.

“It feels good to support our battle buddies in Afghanistan and make them more comfortable in their jobs while performing our support roles,” said Spc. Robert Reidenbach, 38th Special Troops Battalion operations specialist, from South Bend, Ind.