Service members get new housing at Kandahar Air Field

Photo By Craig Rader | Workers lay the foundation for the new RLBs being placed in Kandahar. The RLBs will house between 6 to 7,000 service members stationed at Kandahar Air Field.  

AFGHANISTAN

09.29.2009

Story by Pfc. David Hauk 

22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

From the food service members eat to the equipment they use every day, the Defense Logistics Agency provides them with everything they need to continue the war fight.

"I think a lot of people don't think about where the food comes from at the dining facilities," said Navy Capt. Robert Marcinek, commander of DLA in Afghanistan. "But we have that responsibility."

Not only are they responsible for the food but the DLA also handles almost every item that gets delivered to service members all around the world.

"There is a saying that if a Soldier, Airmen, Sailor, or Marine eats it, wears it, or uses it to maintain equipment," said Marcinek, "chances are good that DLA provided that item."

The big project for DLA right now is to get better housing for the service members in Afghanistan, said Army Maj. Robert Wojciechowski, the Operations Officer for DLA in Kandahar. Currently, DLA has over 17,000 relocatable buildings sent to Afghanistan, with 3,000 in Kandahar.

"Right now we have Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Sailors living in tents," said Wojciechowski, "and the RLB will be an increase in the living conditions and quality of life for them."

The RLBs are planned to start housing service members in the next two weeks, said Wojciechowski. The RLBs will be able to house nearly 7,000 service members.

With all the challenges of being deployed, service members won't have to worry about being properly equipped and provided for to continue their missions.

"The bottom line is that we provide the war fighter with all the material and equipment that they need to sustain the fight," said Marcinek.

• Date Taken: 09.29.2009
• Date Posted: 09.30.2009 00:08
• Story ID: 39460
• Location: AF