FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. – Winning a war is a big task. Not one person can do it alone. It takes a team effort to accomplish a mission. Troops with the U.S. military put that on display during Combat Support Training Exercise 91 12-01.
The Army provided support for the Navy by transporting climate control equipment from Port Hueneme, Calif., to Fort Hunter Liggett July 20 through July 21.
Soldiers participating in CSTX worked alongside the Navy in a joint operation to complete a mission for the training exercise. Although it was part of a training exercise for the soldiers, the assistance to the Navy will help the Navy prepare for their training.
It began at Camp Roberts, Calif., where soldiers from the 647th Transportation Company based out of Laurel, Miss., 955th Engineer Company out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and the 872nd Maintenance Company from Ogden, Utah, prepped their vehicles for a convoy to Port Hueneme, about four hours south of Camp Roberts.
“The task was to pick up equipment such as generators, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, and air conditioners,” said Army Sgt. Lee Page, convoy commander with the 647th TC.
The Naval Construction force will use the equipment next month as they conduct training at Fort Hunter Liggett.
“The equipment being transported will be used for a Field Training Exercise to help us prepare for deployment,” said Navy Lt. JoVaughn J. Ewing, equipment officer with the 31st Seabee Readiness Group.
With the troops working side by side the task was completed in two days. The training the soldiers received before the mission helped the operation go smoothly.
Prior to the mission, the units made sure they were prepared for the long drive by mapping out the route and designating rest stops so the soldiers would stay active.
The soldiers also conducted a variety of drivers training which included alley docking, straight line backing and preventive maintenance checks and services on the vehicles, said Lee. The training will be very beneficial to the units participating in CSTX.
“The gist of this mission is to provide good training for the soldiers and I believe that’s what they received,” said Lee.
With the joint operation a success, the Navy is now prepared for their training exercise next month and the soldiers are ready to continue to provide support to whoever may need it.