By 1st Lt. Aaron Ward
1st Sustainment Brigade
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – After a change from their original mission of force protection, three Soldiers from the 1123rd Transportation Company have been able to get more experience in their actual military occupational specialty by working at the Camp Taji Central Receiving and Shipping Point yard.
At the CRSP yard, these Soldiers, who are truck drivers by trade, have to perform a variety of different tasks. Their missions include loading and strapping down cargo in preparation for movement, as well as driving tractor trailers to deliver the loads.
"The CRSP yard is a great experience for a truck driver," said Staff Sgt. Dwight Brown, a native of Blytheville, Ark., and a supervisor at the CRSP yard.
With much enthusiasm for working in a new work environment, Brown and his crew are looking forward to training on material handling equipment such as the Rough-Terrain Container Handler, which is used for moving large containers.
As CRSP yard personnel, the 1123rd Trans. Co. Soldiers now handle a wide range of cargo from construction materials, such as wood and concertina wire, to containers.
Occasionally, they deliver cargo to the Iraqi army side of Camp Taji. The CRSP yard workers also help support many units and locations around Camp Taji, such as the Supply Support Activity warehouse and the mayor's cell.
"It makes the time go by fast," said Spc. Joseph Starkey, a native of Colt, Ark., and truck driver for with the 1123 Trans. Co. "It's great truck driving experience".
Since arriving at the CRSP yard, the Soldiers of the 1123rd Trans. Co. have found their experience invaluable and the other workers to be very welcoming.
"The people I am getting to work with are family-oriented," said Spc. Maurice James, a West Memphis, Ark., native, and truck driver with the 1123rd Trans. Co. James even wishes he had been working at the CSRP yard since he came to Camp Taji, he said.