Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Tawny Kruse | Maj. Gen. Ben Corell, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard, presents the U.S....... read more read more
JOHNSTON, Iowa – Two units assigned to the Iowa Army National Guard’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division “Red Bulls,” were recognized for supply and deployment excellence during an awards ceremony at Joint Force Headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, on Nov. 4, 2022.
The Combined Logistics Excellence Awards program is conducted each year by the U.S. Army Chief of Staff’s office to identify and reward units that go above and beyond in accomplishing their missions. Gen. James C. McConville, the 40th U.S. Army Chief of Staff, was proud to recognize the two Iowa units and stressed that successful logistic operations play a critical role in today’s battlefields.
“Amateurs talk tactics, but professionals talk logistics,” said McConville. “You can have the best weapons systems on earth, but without fuel, parts or ammunition, they might as well be paper weights on the side of the road. You have proven that you are both highly trained, cohesive teams and true masters of your craft.”
A culture of mentorship
The 334th Brigade Support Battalion was awarded runner-up for the 2021 Supply Excellence Award (SEA) in the brigade/battalion category. The battalion is comprised of three core supply companies and five forward support companies that support specific Iowa units in all their supply needs.
Sgt. 1st Class Abraham Saleh was the senior logistician when the battalion began the process of building the SEA packet. When he started the position, he knew he wanted to take a more hands-on approach with training, and senior leaders in the battalion got on board with his vision.
Saleh began traveling across the state – from Des Moines, to Storm Lake, to Cedar Rapids and more - to help each company’s supply sergeants work through problems and deepen their understanding of supply operations. In the years that followed, Saleh said the 334th BSB went through significant cultural changes.
“People really started to get motivated, to want to be better than our peers,” said Saleh, “and then we started putting in for other events, like the culinary competitions. The change in culture was apparent, and they really went above and beyond.”
Preparing for the SEA and other competitions required hard work and sacrifices across the board. Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Labate was the supply sergeant for Company A in Cedar Rapids throughout most of the award process. Labate credited the consistent mentorship from Saleh for giving him the confidence and motivation to perform at his best.
“He spent countless hours away from his family working late nights making sure we were up to snuff,” said Labate. “He dedicated those two years ensuring we were growing within our careers.”
The culture of mentorship that was nurtured in the 334th BSB and the recognition they received from the SEA weren’t the only rewards.
Saleh recognized the importance of looking past all the numbers, checklists and operating procedures and remembering that the work they do affects each individual they support. When they do everything right, they’re making sure Soldiers are taken care of - fed, clothed and armed.
Deploying during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic
Headquarters & Headquarters Company of the 2/34th IBCT was awarded the 2021 Deployment Excellence Award (DEA) in the small deploying unit category.
The process to submit a DEA packet – which has a 46-item checklist - starts as soon as a unit is alerted for a mobilization, long before boots ever hit the ground. The unit had to gather training certificates, create packing lists, draft equipment loading plans, track flight itineraries and much more.
While completing all of these steps is a big undertaking on its own, HHC of the 2/34th IBCT had to overcome an obstacle that affected every part of the process. The Boone, Iowa, unit was deployed to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian in 2020-2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As they traveled to Fort Bliss, Texas, for pre-mobilization and then to Germany for a joint training exercise, Soldiers spent much of their time in isolation.
“COVID was a huge enemy for us,” said Maj. Gavin Sandvig, the logistics officer for HHC. “There were no site visits once COVID started, so we were kind of going in blindfolded. Even though we had all these conference calls, there’s something to be said about face-to-face interaction.”
Relying on phone and email communication to coordinate such a large logistical movement was challenging, but Sandvig praised his section for practicing discipline as they worked through the roadblocks.
Meanwhile, another Soldier continued working behind the scenes to check off all the boxes for the DEA packet.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Kiel was the HHC mobility officer and was responsible for overseeing the planning and preparation that went into deploying the unit. He compiled all the paperwork for the checklist and ultimately submitted the packet to the excellence award committee soon after they returned home from Kosovo.
“I think one important thing that all Iowa units can take out of this award is that anyone can put in for it,” said Kiel. “Having all of that stuff ready ahead of time is key for deployment readiness and sets a good example for the state.”
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.04.2022 13:12 |
| Story ID: | 432650 |
| Location: | JOHNSTON, IOWA, US |
| Hometown: | BOONE, IOWA, US |
| Hometown: | CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, US |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Always Ready: Iowa Red Bull units receive national awards for deployment, supply excellence, by SFC Tawny Kruse, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Logistics
Logistician
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Logistics Officer
Senior Noncommissioned Logistician
