Photo By Sgt. Dakota Price | Sgt. Deshawn Mason, a motor transport operator assigned to the 846th Transportation...... read more read more
FORT DRUM, New York – The normally quiet Army National Guard Armory in Lynchburg, Virginia, swarmed with activity recently as groups of Army Reserve Soldiers met there to fill out inventory forms, double check personnel and convoy numbers, and communicate with their National Guard hosts.
While that was going on another group of Reserve Soldiers there were busy conducting preventive maintenance checks and services to their vehicles, hauling empty trailers away from a staging area and preparing to load military vehicles and other equipment for a long haul mission.
This busy scene took place May 26, as Soldiers from the 846th Transportation Company, 812th Transportation Battalion, 518th Sustainment Brigade prepared to haul a load of military vehicles from Lynchburg, Virginia, to Fort Drum, New York, as part of Exercise Nationwide Move 15.
Exercise Nationwide Move 15 is an annual Army Reserve approved functional training exercise designed to provide Reserve Component transportation units with valuable, realistic training, by conducting real-world operations in support of Continental United States (CONUS) activities.
“The objective of this mission was to safely transport 53 pieces of equipment,” said 2nd Lt. Stuart Huller of the 846th Transportation Company and officer in charge of this mission. “Everyone did a really good job.”
Huller had conducted a reconnaissance of the convoy route a few months prior to the mission. He said that scouting out the areas beforehand greatly helped in executing quick stops and avoiding unnecessary delays.
However, some delays are unavoidable. A front tire on one of the trucks blew out on the interstate. The immediate need to stop and change the tire safely on the side of the road is an example of the functional training that exercises like Nationwide Move give Soldiers.
“The Soldiers did what they were supposed to,” said Staff Sgt. Edward Bromley, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the convoy, assigned to the 846th Trans. Co. “They didn’t panic. Had they panicked, they could have lost control of the truck and rolled it.”
The rest of the trip went without incident. Once the convoy arrived at Fort Drum, active duty mechanics were standing by to unload the equipment with forklifts. The vehicles were quickly unloaded and staged in a large motor pool for later use by National Guard Soldiers for their Annual Deployment training.
“Missions like this give us valuable experience and training,” said Spc. Ahmad Moffett, a food service specialist assigned to the 846th Trans. Co. “It also prepares us for doing our job overseas and forces us to work as a team and unit.”
Other Soldiers expressed appreciation for the training as well. Last year when the company came home from deployment there were many new soldiers to the unit. Now Soldiers with more experience can help teach those with less in a realistic environment.
“Our NCO’s are more than willing to step in and help or teach us,” said Spc. Jordan Waters, a motor transport operator in the 846th Trans. Co. “We can definitely rely on them.”
The planning, teamwork, experience and leadership of the 846th Transportation Company allowed for the greatest benefit possible for the Soldiers participating in the annual training.
“We made it a priority to take care of our Soldiers,” said Huller. “And they accomplished the mission.”
| Date Taken: | 05.26.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.04.2015 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 165462 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 207 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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