The 1st Cavalry Division Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade (1CD RSSB) Materiel Readiness Branch (MRB) plays an integral role in the ANDSF 1050 Demilitarization (DEMIL) Program, which is mutually beneficial to both countries on several levels.
The 1050 DEMIL Program allows the ANDSF to turn in vehicles that are beyond repair and no longer mission capable. For every three vehicles turned in by the ANDSF, the U.S. Government provides one new replacement.
“What they’re doing right now feeds into the Afghan’s re-equipping strategy,” said Col. Wayne Bondy, deputy director, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Disposition Services, who has been involved with the program since its inception.
Each vehicle turned in to the 1050 DEMIL Program must go through a process of inspections organized by the MRB before it can be transferred to DLA Disposition Services for DEMIL.
DEMIL eliminates the capabilities and military design features from the vehicles. It prevents any part of the vehicle from being used for its originally intended purpose.
The inspections ensure no useful equipment is still in the vehicle. Also, different types of hazard abatement procedures ensure there is nothing dangerous in the vehicle, and it is safe to DEMIL.
The MRB first coordinates inspections of the vehicles for explosive devices and biological and radiological contamination.
The MRB Mortuary Affairs Section examines each vehicle for human remains. If anything is found, they will arrange for a dignified transfer of the body parts.
All equipment is removed from the vehicle, it is purged of all loose items and it is drained of all fluids.
The 401st Army Field Support Battalion-Afghanistan, Ammunition Abatement Team inspects the vehicles for any loose ammunition.
Before being transferred to DLA Disposition Services, the vehicle is checked one last time. This last inspection is performed by picking up the vehicle and flipping it over several times, so whatever shakes loose may be disposed of. Finally the vehicle is washed and ready for DEMIL.
The program was named “1050 DEMIL” because originally, there were estimated to be 1,050 vehicles requiring DEMIL. The estimate is currently at 3,049 vehicles.
“We’re supplying them with new materials in exchange for their old materials, which helps them fight terrorism,” said Pfc. Cody Taylor, wheeled vehicle mechanic, MRB, 1CD RSSB. “We’re not only helping their Army, we’re helping their economy.”
The scrap metal from the vehicles, after DEMIL, is made available to Afghan businesses for purchase.
Russ Sittenauer, chief, DLA Disposition Services Bagram, said the program provides an opportunity for the Afghan contractor who purchases the raw materials at a fraction of the market value, to sell them or recycle on the local economy.
The MRB is capable of supporting DEMIL operations by DLA Disposition Services at locations throughout the CJOA-A. Since the start of the program, more than 900 vehicles have gone through the DEMIL process at Bagram Airfield, Kandahar Airfield, Hamid Karzai International and Camp Shorab.
Eligible vehicles typically fall into three categories: those that are damaged in combat operations, damaged in noncombat operations or simply old and not cost effective to repair.
Taylor said he gets extra satisfaction from his job, because he gets to see first-hand, the quantity of material that is going back into the Afghan community instead of seeing numbers on a sheet of paper.
He also enjoys driving a forklift and flipping vehicles over.
“Flipping Humvees is a great stress reliever. I used to work on a farm, and I would enjoy exerting myself bailing hay,” said Taylor. “Now this is my ‘bailing hay.’”
The 1st Cavalry Division Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade (1CD RSSB) is currently deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, a training and advisory mission for which the brigade provides logistical expertise and support throughout the country.
| Date Taken: | 12.26.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.27.2016 00:14 |
| Story ID: | 218696 |
| Location: | CAMBRIDGE CITY, IN, AF |
| Web Views: | 257 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Demilitarization program re-equips Afghan Forces, by SGT Michael Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
