With only a few days' notice, the 110th Composite Truck Company of Fort Drum, New York packed their bags, prepared their vehicles, and hit the road for Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Though they traveled from one Army base to another, the 110th Soldiers were not en route to a training exercise or an Army school; instead, they headed to the unknown, deploying until further notice as part of the Army’s response to Hurricane Florence.
Company commander, Capt. Terrell Vereen, said the company received notice on Thursday, September 13, that it was being called into action. By Sunday, more than 150 Soldiers had deployed.
Preparations for deployment included medical screening and immunization, vehicle maintenance, loading trucks onto a line haul, and packing for unknown conditions and an unknown deployment duration.
“This is what we train for,” Vereen said. “We train so we can be ready in a time of need, when the Army needs us, and we’re doing everything we can to be ready to support this mission.”
While Vereen said he did not know and could not predict the specifics of the mission, he said his Soldiers were prepared for whatever would be asked of them.
“We’re a truck company, so we could be out there delivering supplies, moving cargo, possibly transporting personnel – we don’t know yet, but we’re eager to support the American people in a time of need,” he said.
The Soldiers echoed their commander’s sentiments.
“Five years in the Army, and now here I have an opportunity to take all that training and put it to use to help support fellow Americans,” said Sgt. Adam Smith, the company’s master driving instructor. Smith said he did not feel nervous about the mission, but instead felt confident that he and the other 110th Soldiers had been well-prepared.
Most of the Soldiers who deployed Sunday are truck drivers, but the total number also included mechanics, medics, and other Soldiers trained and equipped to provide support.
Before the Soldiers boarded the busses that would move them to North Carolina, their battalion commander, Lt. Col. Anthony Wilson, shared words of encouragement.
“I’m not worried about you. I trust the leadership we’re sending with you, and I know you will be safe and you will be smart,” he said. “It’s an absolute privilege to be able to support our country this way, and when you get back, we’ll continue to support the climb.”
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 09.16.2018 13:30 |
| Story ID: | 293017 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 215 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 110th Composite Truck Company Deploys in Support of Hurricane Relief, by SGT Liane Hatch, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
