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    Sword Soldiers prepare for training

    Working with civilians

    Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Selvage | Soldiers assigned to the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion worked with the...... read more read more

    FORT DRUM, N.Y. - More than 90 Soldiers assigned to the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade, conducted railhead operations July 28 on post.

    Soldiers loaded and secured 18 trucks and pieces of equipment that will be needed to accomplish the 548th CSSB’s upcoming rotation to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Folk Polk, Louisana, to prepare them for any mission that may arise.

    JRTC is the Army's premier combat training center. It acts as a power projection platform to mobilize, validate, deploy and redeploy active, National Guard and Army Reserve forces.

    There were Soldiers from the 110th Transportation Company, 514th Support Maintenance Company, 543rd Quartermaster Company and the 620th Movement Control Team supporting the railhead operation.

    The day before the trucks and equipment were loaded on the rail cars, which consisted of palletized load systems, all terrain lifter Army system, M978A4 fuel servicing trucks, handling system water tank rack systems and generators, the units conducted a walk through to familiarize themselves with the requirements for this operation.

    Soldiers who performed most of the loading and securing of equipment were young and new to the Army.

    “This was great training for the newer Soldiers,” said 1st Lt. Matt Diaz, a platoon leader assigned to the 110th TC. “It was just the kind of hands-on training they needed.”

    Trucks and equipment were staged and inspected the Friday before the operation to ensure there would be no issues when it came time to execute. The entire operation was completed in less than six hours.

    “No one was hurt and the equipment was loaded in a timely manner, and I consider that a success any day,” Diaz said.
    Soldiers weren’t the only ones on the scene. Civilian subject-matter experts were working alongside and providing insight from years of experience.

    “They have done this so many times,” Diaz said. “Their experience was key to our success. They really know their stuff.”

    The operation was small in size compared to that for a brigade combat team, but it still needed to be completed.

    “Even with the temperatures rising and the humidity in the air, the Soldiers never quit and [they] did what they had to do to complete the task at hand,” said Staff Sgt. John Hymes, a squad leader assigned to 110th TC. “It went very smooth with no issues at all. It was educational for the newer Soldiers and a lot of fun.”

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.06.2015
    Date Posted: 08.06.2015 11:26
    Story ID: 172341
    Location: FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US

    Web Views: 126
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN