CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — As one chapter comes to a close, so must another begin. For soldiers with the 393rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, their nine-month deployment to Afghanistan concluded March 29, as logistical operations transitioned to a new team who will continue to scribe the sustainment story in Regional Commands Southwest and West.
In what’s more commonly known as a transfer of authority ceremony, the 87th CSSB, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, officially assumed their sixth combat-mission in the last 10 years as their unit colors unfurled at Camp Leatherneck and the 393rd’s were cased.
“We’re truly grateful for the professionalism and seamless transition with the 393rd,” said Lt. Col. Lance Curtis, who leads ‘Task Force Pyramid’ with Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Simpson. “We’re ready to perform the mission.”
The 87th CSSB command team replaces Lt. Col. Louis Feliciano and Command Sgt. Maj. Josue Maldonado, who spearheaded more than 260 tactical convoys while their soldiers traversed 1.2 million miles throughout Afghanistan, transporting more than 38,000 short tons of sustainment; 760,000 gallons of fuel and retrograding more than 4,800 pieces of equipment during their tenure.
“The numbers speak volumes for the soldiers of ‘Logistical Task Force Taino,’” said Feliciano. “I dedicate the success of this deployment to those who have set the standards of courage and true commitment, standards expected of an Army Reserve force.”
Feliciano compared his team to the 65th Infantry Regiment ‘Borinqueneers,’ who partnered with the Marines during the Korean War.
“It is once more that we wrote history as we fought side-by-side in partnership and collaboration with the Marines of the 1st and 2nd Expeditionary Groups, gallantly and with honor,” he said.
Col. Ron Novack, who presided over the ceremony, said that good relationships are the bedrock to mission success while deployed.
“Task Force Taino built a fantastic relationship with their number one customer in RC-Southwest; first with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Pendleton, Calif., and now with the 2nd MEF from Camp Lejeune, N.C.,” said Novack. “This relationship was built on mutual trust and respect and TF Taino remains a logistical combat multiplier for our Marine brethren.”
Novack went on to say that the 393rd CSSB lived up to their motto ‘We support the best.’
“It is hard to find a sustainment formation like the 393rd CSSB whose standards and discipline, caring for soldiers and families, and level of professionalism and execution of their support-mission during Operation Enduring Freedom is nothing like I have seen in my 31 years of Army service.”
After thanking the Puerto Rico-based soldiers, the brigade commander welcomed the 87th CSSB—one of his assigned battalions at home station, Fort Stewart, Ga.
“This is a tremendous sustainment formation steeped in recent history of supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and OEF,” Novack said of TF Pyramid. “They understand the mission, they understand the terrain and they understand the complexities of providing sustainment and retrograde support in Afghanistan.
“I know that they are ready for the task at hand, and they will build on the successes of TF Taino.”