Puget Sound Sustainer

Puget Sound

SustainerMay 2012

ContentsFrom the CG 1The CSM’s Corner 2FINISH STRONG: 364th ESC’s new awareness campaign5Cooking Competi-tion Heats Up7Keep On Fighting14364th ESC Transfer Of Authority Ceremony

15The Right Combination20T h e P u g e t S o u n d S u s t a i n e r i s a n a u t h o r i z e d, u n o f f i c i a l p u b l i ca t i o n p r i n t e d u n d e r t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f A r m y R e g u -l a t i o n 3 6 0 - 1 , a n d d o e s n o t n e ce s s a r i l y r e f l e c t t h e v i e w s o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f D e f e n s e o r p e r s o n n e l t h e r e o f.

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COMMANDING GENERAL: Brig. Gen. Jonathan G. Ives COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR: Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Jennings PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:Capt. Christopher Larsen PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCOIC:Sgt. Joseph A. VillinesJOURNALIST/LAYOUT EDITOR: Sgt. Christopher A. Bigelow

364th Expeditionary Sustainment CommandPublic Affairs OfficeCamp Arifjan, Kuwait DSN 318-430-6850

Star Notes1 PS Sustainer July 2012

Br ig. Gen. Jonathan G. I ves

Team – It’s been almost a year since the 364th Expeditionary

Sustainment Command was mobilized for overseas service. As we approach the end of our mission in Kuwait, I want to take this opportunity to address some of your accomplishments. The 364th received alert and mobilization orders on March 4, 2011. With its active duty call-up only four months away, the unit had less than 50 percent of the Soldiers needed to do its assigned mission. Over the next few months, human resources Soldiers scrubbed lists of hundreds of names to find troops with the exact qualifications needed for the job – to help

control the responsible drawdown of forces from Iraq, the largest logistics operation conducted since World War II. On July 28, the 364th ESC was called to active federal service. We’re a young command – less than three years old – and the eyes of the Army were upon us. The 364th’s mission is historic; we’re the first ESC to mobilize

and deploy for its precise doctrinal purpose: to provide forward-based command and control of multiple sustainment units, operating under a theater sustainment command. We arrived in Kuwait and hit the ground running. By early October, the 364th had taken control of the drawdown, and along with our strategic partners, was managing thousands of Soldiers, vehicles, and pieces of equipment. Your performance was nothing less than stellar. In accordance with President Barack Obama’s directive to have U.S forces out of Iraq by the end of the year, you acted. Working around the clock, the Soldiers of Task Force Rainier made the President’s directive a reality. We got ‘em home for the holidays – by the end of the

year, more than 68,000 personnel had gone through the Theater Gateway. Additionally, our convoys had hauled thousands of pieces of equipment and driven millions of miles through hostile territory, without major accidents or any loss of life. Those are spectacular accomplishments.

Every step of the way you started from scratch. There was nothing here before we arrived – not even telephones. You formed the unit, you trained the team, you wrote the SOP and battle drills – every part of our success has been because of you and your efforts. Be proud of your work and accomplishments; be proud you were the ones who created the legacy, which will now be forever written as part of the lineage and history of the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command. We came here, knowing we were on the path to great deeds, to write our history. You did it! It has been my honor and privilege to command Task Force Rainier during our time together. As we redeploy and get ready to go home to our families and friends, we all take memories of our overseas service with us. Soldiers who have deployed together form a bond unlike any other; you have truly become a band of brothers and sisters. I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for what you’ve done. I wish you success in all of your future endeavors, and never forget what you’ve accomplished and where you’ve been. Sustain the Fight!

2 PS Sustainer July 2012

CornerThe

CSM’s

Command Sgt . M aj . Thomas Jennings

It is with great pride I say to each of you, job well done. As we began our journey,

I asked the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command’s noncommissioned officers’ corps to lead by example, maintain our professionalism and meet the commanding general’s vision. Throughout the deployment, our NCO corps has done just that!

The ability to adapt and overcome, flexibility during tough times, and determination when faced with adversity were all determining factors in our successful accomplishment of missions across the battlefield. The thought that Soldiers assembled from 39 states, two countries and one U.S. territory could band together in such a short amount of time proved our corps’ resiliency.

The 364th ESC NCO corps supported our commander in all aspects of operational sustainment, transition sustainment and strategic partner engagements. Together with our officer and enlisted Soldiers, we supported the LSA and DROPS mission during RDOF II processing more than 50,000 personnel home in less than 56 days. We were instrumental in the successful

management of Camp Virginia

during Operation New Dawn and the responsible drawdown of forces from Iraq, maintaining 100 percent accountability of all personnel and equipment. Our efforts were instrumental in airdrop operations and our maximum participation in support of the bridging strategy for retrograde operations produced significant results for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Our NCOs had a vital role in effective distribution operations, pushing numerous commodities forward to Afghanistan, Bahrain and Qatar. We conducted force protection operations successfully in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, and on the high seas to Jordan. Our guidance and input played a significant role in the regional basing transition ‘right-sizing’

each contract, support activity, sustainment enterprise and their respective supporting infrastructure across the Kuwait theatre. NCO support was critical in the building of trusted relationships with our strategic partners, which provided the 364th ESC with means to redeploy all U.S. Forces-Iraq personnel in the last days of RDOF, meeting the President’s “home by the holidays” directive. Lastly, our NCO corps successfully assisted in the management of intra-theater transportation assets, which increased Army watercraft utilization to its highest rate in three years.

Overall, the 364th ESC NCO corps has contributed immensely to the successes of the command. We have worked hard to maintain a laser focus on mission requirements and training lanes. Our unwavering commitment to health and fitness provided an amazing 99.1 percent pass rate in the Army Physical Fitness Test, and we remained green in virtually every training category throughout the deployment. These are staggering achievements of which each of you can be proud.

As we wind down and prepare to redeploy, I challenge each of you to remain vigilant. It is imperative our NCOs continue to lead from the front, maintain focus and support our leadership. Let us remember our two basic responsibilities, accomplishment of our mission and the welfare of our soldiers. The mission is not complete until each of us arrives home safely reunited with our families.

Finish Strong!

Corner


by Capt. Christopher Larsen364 ESC PAO

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - The 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, an Army logistics headquarters here, is launching a new awareness program ahead of its planned redeployment later this summer.

Called “Finish Strong,” the campaign is designed to call attention to the end of the 364th ESC’s overseas mission.

The 364th, a U.S. Army Reserve unit from Marysville, Wash., was mobilized in July 2011 and deployed to Kuwait in Sep-tember. Its mission was to help direct the drawdown of U.S. forces from Iraq.

“When we arrived in theater, our goal was to get American soldiers home for the holidays, in accordance with the President’s directive, and we did that,” said Capt. Christopher Larsen, a unit spokesman. “Our soldiers’ efforts led to American forces heading home from Iraq two weeks ahead of schedule.”

Larsen said the 364th ESC helped move of more than 68,000 soldiers and more than 11,300 truckloads of equipment out of Iraq from October to December of last year.

Since that time, the 364th ESC has focused on recycling and redistributing tens of thousands of pieces of materiel and equipment, putting it back into Army stocks where it can be better used, Lars-en said.

“We’ve saved the American taxpayer well over $15 million in payroll alone since January,” Larsen added.

The “Finish Strong” campaign will be rolled out to soldiers and families later in June.

“We really want to end this deploy-ment on a high note,” said Col. Lawrence Meder, the 364th ESC chief of staff. “We’ve done so many great things here, and we want to let everybody know about them.”

Launches a New Awareness Campaign

364th ESC

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by Capt. Michael Meyer364 ESC MSE PAO

ARLINGTON, Wash. - The scents of succulent sweet and sour chicken and the faint hint of pear cobbler permeated the camouflaged military encampment established in the forested area only a few meters from the rapids of a large creek.

Food service specialists from the Headquarters of Headquarters Company, 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command prepared lunch for 100 troops in a field kitchen at the Jim Creek wilderness recreation area just outside Arlington, Wash on April 21.

This could be the most important meal of the year for the cooks, because they are participants in the 45th

Annual Phillip A. Connelly Awards Program, Field Kitchen Competition. The Connelly Awards Program was established in 1968 to recognize excellence in Army Food Service in dining facilities and during field kitchen operations. For the Field Kitchen event, competitors must set up a mobile kitchen, complete with stoves, a dining area, and dishwashers and serve a high quality meal to troops in the field.

“We are among 17 teams this year competing across the entire Army Reserve,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3, Charles Hunter, Food Program Manager of the 364th ESC. The 364th ESC, HHC was selected out of a total of 26 food service capable units within the command. These units competed at their battalion and brigade levels before being selected to

represent the 364th ESC he said.Representatives of the winning

team and runner-up will receive trophies, and the opportunity to attend a prestigious culinary school for a two-week training session.

U.S. Army Reserve Command evaluators flew in from around the country to judge the soldiers’ work as part of the national Army field kitchen competition.

“The kitchen and dining area must be kept very clean,” said one of the evaluators, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kim Shiner. “We have higher standards than those required of restaurants, particularly because stressed and fatigued Soldiers can have more vulnerable immune systems. If their food isn’t cooked safely, then they can’t do their jobs on the battlefield,” she said.

Cooking Competition Heats Up

Staff Sgt. Elsie Fernandez and Spc. Matthew McKown, cooks of the 364th Sustainment Command, prepare sweet and sour chicken during the 45th Philip A. Connelly 2012 Field Competition near Arlington, Wash. Capt. Michael Meyer/ 364th ESC MSE PAO

All the troops in the competition must prepare the same standardized meal, which this year includes stir fry and sweet and sour chicken. Cooks can’t subtract anything from the recipe, but they can add spices and ingredients to it.

Customizing your recipes is crucial to doing well in this competition said Hunter. “If you follow the Army recipe, you are going to get an Army meal,” he said.

Dessert is the one dish that the cooks have complete freedom to show their skills. The cooks can create a completely custom dessert.

“Our signature dessert is a maple ginger pear cobbler,” said Hunter. “We chose this dessert because it has all the northwest flavors, and all those ingredients are grown right here in the northwest,” he said.

“This is something we’ve worked on for months, tweaking and perfecting the food,” said first cook Staff Sgt. Elsie Fernandez.

Hunter feels that he has an all-star team here, and explained that two of his cooks represented the Army Reserve in the Culinary Arts competition in March. “That competition was between some of the best Army chefs in the world, and both of our Soldiers won Bronze medals,” he said.

“We have a great team, and we have so much fun too,” said Hunter. “I think every member of our team has a true passion for cooking, and they really strive to be the best,” he said.

The evaluators must travel around the country testing various field kitchens one at a time and the results of the competition won’t be available until August.

8 PS Sustainer May 2012

Spc. Matthew McKown serves up a bowl of delicious wonton soup to Spc. Kadesh Hendricksen during the 45th Philip A. Connelly 2012 Field Competition near Arlington, Wash.. Capt. Michael Meyer/ 364th ESC MSE PAO

May 2012

THE

364th ESCFINISHESSTRONG

Brig. Gen. Jonathan G. Ives, the commanding general of the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit from Marysville, Wash., leads his soldiers in his commands final command run at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

The 364th ESC started it’s mission here in Kuwait, facilitating the responsible drawdown of troops from Iraq September, 2011.

The 364th ESC’s responsiblilities here are going to be picked up by the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit from Pittsburg.

“My soldiers performance has been nothing short of amazing, and I challenge each of them to move forward with the same drive and passion that has rightly earned each of them a place in our nation’s military history and the absolute start of the 364 ESC’s history,” Ives said.

“We finished strong!”

by Sgt. Christopher Bigelow364 ESC PA NCO

http://escpao364th.Shutterfly.comLOOKING BACK

http://escpao364th.Shutterfly.comLOOKING BACK


MARYSVILLE, Wash. - Owain Weinert, 10, the acting ‚”Command Sergeant Major‚” for the day, visits the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment in Marysville, Wash., as part of a tour sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Acting ‚”Command Sergeant Major‚” Owain Weinert, 10, toured the Marysville Armed Forces Reserve Center April 20, and discussed training, equipment, and retention with members of the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command and the 7th Battalion, Army Reserve Careers Division.

Owain, a resident of the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle, was a special guest of the U.S. Army Reserve as part of tour sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Two years ago, Owain learned he has a life-threatening illness, acute lymphocytic leukemia. He often experiences side effects and nausea from chemotherapy. Despite the difficulties, Owain soldiers on each day by attending school at Loyal Heights Elementary School whenever possible, and by providing inspiration to everyone he meets.

Owain had no difficulty assuming the role of “Command Sergeant Major‚” for the day, and asked detailed questions about military life. Owain even

fired some simulated rounds ‚”downrange‚” on the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000, with Sgt. 1st Class David Weaver of the 477th Transportation Company. Owain fired an M9 pistol, an M4-A4 rifle and the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon at a projection screen that displayed enemy troops advancing on his position.

“I prefer that one,” Owain said pointing to the M-249 SAW. “But it’s way too heavy for me to carry around.”

Lt. Col. David Baker, chief of staff of the 364th ESC (Rear), described military customs and courtesies, such as when to salute and when to wear a patrol cap. Baker then quizzed Owain on his knowledge of

Keep On fighting”Command Sergeant Major” for a day visits the 364th ESC


Owain Weinert learns to fire a mock M-249 squad automatic weapon from Sgt. 1st Class David Weaver of the 477th Transportation Company during a session on the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000, a small arms simulator. Army Reserve soldiers greeted Owain at the Marysville Armed Forces Reserve Center as part of a tour sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Capt. Michael Meyer/ 364th ESC MSE PAO


military rank insignia. Owain was spot-on; he had definitely done his homework for this trip.

Master Sgt. Wallace Koehmstedt described the use of various military vehicles and answered Owain’s questions about vehicle armament, logistics missions, and fuel requirements.

“He’s a very smart kid, and he’s as mature as some of the soldiers I have,” Koehmstedt said with a smile. “He has a lot of enthusiasm and energy despite everything he is going through.”

When not asking questions about the military, Owain enthusiastically described how he assisted in the design of a free video game called “Allied Star Police” that is available for download on mobile devices. Owain also said that he maintains his own blog called “Owain’s Army” on crushkidscancer.org.

Owain’s family and friends are participating in the 200-mile Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic on July 9 in an effort to raise public awareness of children’s cancers.

“I am so amazed and I’m just totally overwhelmed,” Owain said as he received the 364th ESC commander’s coin.

“Thanks so much; this has been very interesting and a lot of fun,” he added.

At the conclusion of the tour, Owain signed autographs for all the troops that he’d met, with “Keep on Fighting” printed neatly on the back.

“It always gives me a good feeling when kids visit and want to see what the Army is all about,” said Koehmsted. After a pause, he added, “The public is very good at letting us know that they care about soldiers, it’s times like this that we get the chance to let them know that we care about them too.”

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- The 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, a U.S. Army Reserve unit from Marysville, Wash., transferred its mission to the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit from Pittsburgh, Pa., in a ceremony here, July 18.

The 364th ESC’s flag was slowly rolled up and tucked away as the 316th ESC’s flag was unfurled, signifying the official transfer of the unit’s Middle East sustainment mission.

“The 316th ESC is anticipating covering down on what was our mission here, repositioning the supplies and equipment that came from facilitating the responsible drawdown of forces from Iraq,” said Brig. Gen. Jonathan G. Ives,

of Alexandria, Va., commanding general of the 364th ESC.

After arriving in Kuwait on Sept. 16, 2011, the 364th ESC facilitated the responsible drawdown of forces from Iraq, transferring more than 50,000 personnel home in less than 56 days. The 364th ESC was also instrumental in the successful management of Camp Virginia, Kuwait, during Operation New Dawn, maintaining 100 percent accountability of all personnel and equipment.

“The 364th ESC NCO corps supported our commander in all aspects of operational sustainment, transition sustainment and strategic partner engagements,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Jennings, of Las Vegas, the 364th ESC’s command sergeant major. “Our efforts were instrumental in airdrop operations and our maximum participation in

by Sgt. Christopher Bigelow364 ESC PA NCO

Puget Sound Sustainers transfer authority

Brig. Gen. Jonathan G. Ives and Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Jennings, the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Commands commanding general and comand sergeant major, roll up their units colors signifying their units trasfer of authority to the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command. Sgt. Peter J. Berardi / 316th ESC

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support of the bridging strategy for retrograde operations produced significant results for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom.”

Brig. Gen. Bud R. Jameson, Jr., the 316th ESC’s commanding general, said his soldiers were ready to take on the job.

“Soldiers of the 316th ESC are excited to be in Kuwait, excited for the mission of supporting our forces and working closely with our allies, and excited to be taking over command from the 364th ESC,” Jameson said.

Before heading home, soldiers from the 364th ESC are helping their counterparts from the 316th ESC prepare for their mission.

“By building upon our months of experience here in theater, we’ll make sure the 316th will be able to pick up where we left off and have a successful deployment,” Ives said. “We have provided them with an accurate, day-to-day picture of operations in Kuwait and throughout the Middle East.

“The last seven months have given us the opportunity to set the stage the way we wanted, to establish methods of doing business, and accomplish the mission having gone into it with a short learning curve,” Ives added.

The 364th ESC was mobilized, July 28, 2011. After almost a year away from home, the unit’s soldiers are proud of their accomplishments and are ready for a much-deserved break.

After demobilization activities at Fort Bliss, Texas, the 364th ESC’s soldiers -- who represent 39 states, two countries, and one U.S. territory -- will head home to their waiting families and friends.

“My soldiers’ performance has been nothing short of amazing,” Ives said. “I challenge each of them to move forward with the same drive and passion that has rightly earned each of them a place in our nation’s military history and the absolute start of the 364 ESC’s history.”

The 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command gave the 316th ESC, an Army Reserve unit from Pittsburgh, control of its mission in a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, July 18. “The last seven months have given us the opportunity to set the stage the way we wanted, to establish methods of doing business and accomplish the mission,” said Brig. Gen. Jonathan G. Ives, commanding general of the 364th ESC. Sgt. Peter J. Berardi / 316th ESC

The crew of the USAV Robert T. Kuroda (LSV-7) during daylight with Michael Harris, the sailor rescued from the sinking sailboat Nacht Vlinder. From left to right: Spc. Stephanie Hardee, Staff Sgt. Augusta Dyer, Warrant Officer 3 Clarence Johnson, Staff Sgt. Timothy Cole, Spc. Dustin Baldwin, Sgt. Bennet Hansen, Michael Harris, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Tom Dike (the vesselmaster), Warrant Officer 2 John Sheridan, Warrant Officer Christopher Dorsey. Spc . Courtney Hull / 805th TC Co.

MARYSVILLE, Wash. – The Army Reserve vessel Robert T. Kuroda responded to a U.S. Coast Guard request for assistance and rescued a civilian on a disabled sailboat. The U.S. Coast Guard sector Los Angeles received a distress call from the sailboat near San Nicholas Island, and determined that the Army vessel was the closest vessel to the sailboat.

The crew of the Kuroda, the 805th Transportation Company from Tacoma, Wash., began the search a little after midnight and located the disabled vessel at about 1:00 a.m. The crew rescued the individual on board, Mr. Michael Harris, and the Army medic treated him for mild hypothermia before he was safely conveyed to Port Hueneme, near Vallejo, Calif. with no further medical care required.

Harris, from Ventura, Calif., said that he was caught in a dangerous storm, that created waves 10-15 feet high and battered his boat. The sailboat, named Nacht Vlinder, or the Night Butterfly,was partially submerged underwater, and was deemed to be in an unsafe condition. The Nacht Vlinder sunk as the Kuroda was leaving the scene. The Army Reserve crew did a full risk vs. gain analysis and looked for any way to recover the vessel, but determined in the end that it would not be effective to do so.

The Kuroda belongs to the 805th Transportation Company of Tacoma, Wash., a subordinate unit of the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command in Marysville, Wash., which commands 4,000 soldiers in logistical units across the northwestern United States. One of only eight of its kind in the Army, the Kuroda is a “roll-on roll-off” vessel used to transport heavy equipment and other bulky items. It is capable of discharging a payload of 2,000 short tons - including 15 main battle tanks - directly onto unimproved beaches and ports using large, retractable bow ramps.



Army Vessel Rescues

Civilian Sailor

The Right Combination:


CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Chief Warrant Officer 4 Allen Layton and his team struggled to crack open a safe in temperatures ap-proaching 110 degrees Fahren-heit.

It wasn’t the first time the team had been called upon. The day’s hot project: a 1,300-pound Diebold safe. And it was all per-fectly legal.

“This is the 63rd safe we are opening,” Layton said, a 28-year veteran in the North Carolina National Guard who resides in Greensboro, N.C. “There are 94

in all that need to be opened, and these Diebolds so far are the toughest to crack.”

The North Carolina Army Na-tional Guard’s 113th Sustainment Brigade has been deployed to the Middle East for more than six months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

During the responsible draw-down of forces from Iraq, convoys of soldiers and materiel from Iraq traveled south by the thousands. With that movement came hun-dreds of trucks carrying contain-ers full of equipment, including locked safes. The safes that are not claimed on a units property

by Maj. Mathew DeVivo113th SB PAO book and that are locked and un-

able to be opened are placed in a sort yard to await Layton’s team of safecrackers.

The safecracking mission is an example of additional duties that the 113th has been called upon to accomplish.

“The preferred method of open-ing the safes,” Layton said, “is to cut a hole in the top and break the lock open from the back side of the door.”

Once opened and emptied, the safes are delivered to Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Ser-vices, which manages the surplus federal property warehouse here.

The 113th SB’s Safecrackers

Soldiers from the 113th STB’s safe cracking team struggle to crack open a safe in temperatures approaching 110 degrees fahrenheight. The 113th STB safe cracking teams mission is to open the safes and secure the matierials inside. Maj. Mathew Devivo / 113th STB


Master Sgt. Terrill Huggins, 113th SB main-tenance readiness non-commissioned officer in charge from St. Pauls, N.C., and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Billy Canada from Kinston, N.C., are members of Layton’s safecrackers team. “All of our enlisted person-nel and other NCOs are forward in Afghanistan setting condition for the beginning of the respon-sible drawdown of forc-es there,” said Canada. “So me and the senior guys in the section are having some fun getting dirty and out of the of-fice for a change,” he concluded.

For the past month they have been cracking open unclaimed, locked safes returned from Operation Iraqi Free-dom, securing the items found in them, and de-livering the goods to the brigade’s intelligence officer for disposition.

“We mostly find noth-ing inside the safes, but on occasion, when we find documents we turn them over to our S2,” said Huggins. “With every safe we start to open comes that excite-ment that maybe there is something interesting inside.”

To date Layton’s team of safe crackers has recovered reams of un-classified miscellaneous papers and file folders, a few love letters and receipts for items pur-chased in Iraq, some tools and a few empty ammunition magazines.

His team expects to finish this mission by the end of July.

by Sgt. Miko Booth113th STB

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Spc. James Clayton wants you to think about your local recycling center back home.

Only this recycling center is prob-ably bigger than what you have in mind. This recycling center doesn’t just have newspapers, glass bottles and smashed soda cans. This yard con-tains millions of dollars in vital equip-ment that is ready to be put back, “re-cycled” into the U.S. Army’s system for use by soldiers here or in other bases around the world.

“Sometimes we get to see some re-ally interesting things,” said Clayton, a native of Pembroke, Ga. “Every now and then you come across something that you’ll never see in your Army ca-reer, simply because your specific job doesn’t use it.”

On his fourth deployment in seven years, Clayton’s unit, the 233rd Trans-portation Company, has participated in two separate missions and Clayton has been stationed at various forward

operating bases, making this a very unique deployment for the all.

“When we first deployed, we were stationed at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait,” said the all-wheeled vehicle driver. “My unit was running missions back and forth from Iraq, assisting with the complete drawdown.

“Once our Iraq mission was com-pleted, we got the order to move to Afghanistan,” said Clayton.

A specialist in operating various Army vehicles, Clayton never thought that he would have anything to do with managing a recycling yard, much less the Bagram Air Field sorting yard. Not only did the young soldier learn a new job skill, but he traveled to six different FOBs to show others how to success-fully run a retro sorting yard.

Staff Sgt. Norman Morse, the non-commissioned officer in charge of pro-cessing at the Bagram Air Field sorting yard, is another soldier of the 233rd TC who learned another job skill during this deployment.

Originally an all-wheeled vehicle driver as well, Mores is on his fourth

Going green in Afghanistan: the 233rd TC Establishes Retrograde Sort Yard

Soldiers with the 233rd TC working at the Retrograde Sort Yard sort matierrials that can be reused in Afghanistan and other bases around the world. Sgt. Miko Booth / 113th STB

3 PS Sustainer May 2012


deployment too. His first three de-ployments have all been to Iraq, where he worked at different FOBs as a driver. This is the first time he has done something outside his military occupational specialty.

“It was very different at first, but my Soldiers and I worked together as a team and were able to get it down fairly quickly,” said Morse, a native of Montague, Mich. “After a while, I was able to not only really understand how to work the mission, but then I was able to see a few ways that we could make the system better.”

How does the sort year work? Most sorting yards have a basic schedule for incoming equipment; convoys will bring in trucks hauling containers filled with all different types of equipment. This equipment was packed by units who are getting ready to leave Afghanistan or have already left.

Once the trucks are inspected for safety purposes, the containers on the trucks are unloaded into the yard where 233rd soldiers will begin to go through each container, sifting and “sorting” through all of the items to see if anything can be salvaged and put back into the Department of De-fense supply system, or if the equip-ment is completely unserviceable, making sure it is properly disposed of.

Morse noticed that trucks were just dumping their boxes and con-nexs anywhere in the yard. He was able to organize a system in which the bigger pieces of equipment, such as engines, compressors, refrigera-tors, etc are placed in specific areas, while containers with smaller pieces, such as pipes, tools and batteries, are placed inside tents where the soldiers can sort through in the shade and out of the heat.

Units from the 113th Sustainment Brigade, like the 233rd, are some of the first units to begin setting condi-tions for the responsible drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

“It’s an honor to serve in two dif-ferent and dangerous operations area [Iraq and Afghanistan]” said Clayton, “especially in one single deployment. I’m very proud of my unit, and this is definitely an experience I’ll never forget.”

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