Photo By Staff Sgt. Coltin Heller | Staff Sgt. James Weathers, first serial leader goes over the route and fuel stops with...... read more read more
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CAMP RAPID, S.D. – While some members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard prepared to board a plane bound for South Dakota, soldiers with 1st Platoon, 1067th Transportation Company, prepared for a long drive across the U.S.
The 1067th Transportation Company soldiers, part of the Combat Support Sustainment Battalion, 213th Regional Support Group, geared up, checked their vehicles and rolled out from Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., early morning May 29, 2013, in support of Golden Coyote an annual training exercise comprised of 3,500 service members from 11 states and four foreign nations, which provides a realistic training environment for missions in addition to the opportunity for units to conduct training on tactics and familiarize with their equipment.
The soldiers drove more than 1,600 miles during the course of four days, driving 33 trucks split between three serials, loaded with conex’s, vehicles and other military equipment through several states to include Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, before arriving in South Dakota.
“It was challenging,” said 2nd Lt. Ryan Sample, convoy commander and platoon leader with 1067th Transportation Company. “A lot of the things we worked on during the planning phase, we had to change it, had to be flexible. We had to deal with construction zones, traffic and the weather.”
Sample coordinated the route taken; stops for fuel and rest during the trip, as well as with the senior noncommissioned officers in charge of the serials, ensuring the convoy would run smoothly.
“I’ve been taught that nothing ever goes one hundred percent according to plan,” said the Jefferson, Md., native, referring to the weather and traffic. “You can’t let any set back affect your overall mission.”
“I thought it was a great opportunity and experience to see what it would look like if I were to deploy,” said Spc. Ashley Padmorebaker, a driver assigned to 1067th Transportation Company. “I looked forward to it.”
Padmorebaker, along with a good portion of the 1067th Transportation Company, never drove on such a mission before.
“My biggest challenge was adjusting,” said Padmorebaker, who hails from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “I wasn’t ready for the long days and the long driving.”
The second day tested all drivers as they covered more than 600 miles in a 24-hour period and braved the city of Chicago during rush hour, all without a single incident.
“A lot of them did very well,” said Staff Sgt. James Weathers, first squad leader with 1st Platoon, 1067th Transportation Company. “Our second day was our biggest push and that’s where the rubber met the road on that day for our younger guys. For a lot of them that wanted to deploy […] that second day was a taste of what a deployment would be like.”
Despite the challenge, Padmorebaker turned the long drive into an opportunity to better her soldiering skills.
“I learned how to effectively communicate over [the radio], how to maneuver my truck appropriately in civilian traffic. I learned a lot of things from my battle buddies that I didn’t know before,” she said. “Like how to tie down loads, they know a particular way that was more effective than what I learned.”
For the more seasoned drivers, who deployed with the 1067th Transportation Company to Afghanistan in 2010 -2011, the drive seemed easy compared to what they faced overseas.
“You have to be on high alert at all times, and there’s a lot more gear to wear,” said Spc. Steven Sweeny, motor transport operator with the 1067th Transportation Company.
Sweeny, who provided convoy security to local national drivers while they delivered equipment and goods between the bases during his deployment, says the convoy overseas are harder than the one out to South Dakota.
“You’re dealing with local national people, you’ve got to deal with breakdowns, as their trucks are not the best, and if you run in contact and enemy you have to deal with that also,” said Sweeny who calls Oxford, Pa., home.
Weathers, also a veteran, knows the risks of sharing the road with civilian traffic, something the 1067th will do as they transport supplies during the Golden Coyote exercise.
“When driving here, we have to be a lot more conscientious of the civilian traffic on the road,” said Weathers, calling Atglen, Pa., home. “We don’t own the road here.”
Despite the adverse weather and road conditions, the drivers, both new and old, came together to complete the mission.
“Once a lot of the younger folks understood how to communicate on the road, it came together like a well fit glove,” said Weathers.
For Sample his first time as convoy commander was time well spent.
“The mistakes, or problems made this time will be something I’ll know to look for the next time,” he said. “It’s something new every time and you just have to learn from it and move on.”
Padmorebaker also enjoyed the trip across the states.
“I thought it was great. I got to see the country so I guess my recruiter was honest when he said that I would get to see America, because I was able to go across different states and see them, gather things from each stop and talk to other people,” she said. “I thought it was exciting. Everything is what you make it.”
The soldiers of 1st Platoon will travel throughout South Dakota delivering supplies enabling other military units participating in Golden Coyote to set up small bases of operation throughout the state. Once done, 2nd Platoon will come in and relieve the 1st Platoon soldiers.
After the conclusion of the exercise, the soldiers of 2nd Platoon will be responsible for the transportation of vehicles, conex’s and equipment back to Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., where the equipment will then be off-loaded and returned to the respective units.
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2013 00:55 |
| Story ID: | 108427 |
| Location: | RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, US |
| Hometown: | ATGLEN, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | JEFFERSON, MARYLAND, US |
| Hometown: | OXFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 326 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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