Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Diandra Harrell | Staff Sgt. Wilfredo Cay, Supply Support Activity noncommissioned officer in charge...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. -The soldiers of A Company, 407th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division began their Joint Operational Access Exercise “Falcon Thrust”, at drop zone Sicily, Feb 27, 2013. This training event is meant to prepare the units of the 82nd Airborne Division along with partners and enablers, to respond as part of the Global Response Force.
The elements of the GRF are committed to maintaining the ability to deploy on short notice anywhere in the world by land, air or sea to perform a variety of mission sets. To prepare for this exercise, the unit has been conducting constant training.
“For the past six months, we’ve conducted battalion and brigade training exercises and a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation,” said Capt. Morgan S. Beck, A Company commander. Since we are on the GRF mission there is very little down time, and when there is down time we use it to conduct our own training.”
As part of the company’s mission, they conduct resupply convoys to different parts of the drop zone where the remainder of the unit is located.
“Our company’s mission is to provide food, water, fuel, ammunition, concertina wire, and equipment parts to the whole brigade,” said Beck.
Upon the unit’s arrival they began setting up their individual platoon areas but before they were finished the transportation platoon was tasked with two missions to escort C Company on a route reconnaissance and to deliver concertina wire to Task Force White Falcon.
Staff Sgt. Fred Buddie, a transportation platoon squad leader, A Company, 407th BSB, gathered five soldiers and two Humvees then headed to the C Company command post for a convoy brief from the mission commander Capt. Andrew W. Jones, C Company, commander.
“The purpose of this mission is to confirm the location for the link up with the 1/73rd Cavalry Regiment,” said Jones. “This will also get the drivers acquainted with the route so they are able to recognize it at night when the actual mission will take place.”
After the brief the soldiers loaded their vehicles and proceeded towards their designated route and then returned to the command post where they established a link-up time for the mission.
Staff Sgt. Juan J. Vargas, a squad leader for the transportation platoon, selected seven soldiers and instructed them to prepare the trucks for the night’s mission.
They loaded three load-handling systems or (LHS) with flat racks containing concertina wire and picket sticks and then drove the trucks to the company staging area and waited for their escort. As the night fell their escort arrived, and the mission began.
“Slow down and keep your distance,” yells Vargas to his driver Pfc. Torri L. Cowart, a motor transport operator.
The convoy was conducted using blackout drive, where drivers turn off their white lights and use blackout lights, which provides concealment from the enemy during night operations.
Once on the road, each flat rack was unloaded at specific locations. At each stop, the truck commander of each LHS, ground guided each vehicle to ensure that the mission was completed safely with no accidents. Vargas also annotated the serial number of each flat rack to keep accountability of the unit’s property while it is away from the company’s area of operations. After all the flat racks were unloaded the convoy returned to the drop zone to rest up for the night.
“This was our first mission, there were no accidents and the soldiers drove very well given the limited visibility,” said Vargas. “The mission was a success.”
| Date Taken: | 03.02.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2013 09:51 |
| Story ID: | 102985 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 762 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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