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Ensuring Excellence: ASC is key to safety at Cadet Summer Training
By Kelly Haertjens
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- In the sweltering heat of Fort Knox, Kentucky, thousands of cadets are currently honing their leadership skills, from drill and ceremony to obstacle courses and night infiltration courses. Beyond the tactical drills and field exercises lies a critical piece to their success – hundreds of hours of planning and work from the U.S. Army Sustainment Command. Responsible for things like ammunition quality assurance and food preparation, ASC ensures that cadets stay safe and healthy during their rigorous training.
ASC provides nearly anything that a Soldier needs to excel. If a Soldier eats it, wears it, shoots it, communicates with it, or flies it, ASC is behind it. Cadet Summer Training camp is no different, and there are many involved in making the program successful each year. One of those individuals is Amir Jimenez, a quality assurance specialist ammunition surveillance at the Fort Knox Logistics Readiness Center.
"Cadet Summer Training provides cadets with opportunities to develop leadership skills, which are essential for success in the Army," Jiminez explained. "Cadets are challenged to lead and follow, fostering confidence and competence in their ability to command. It provides them with hands-on training in tactical skills, which is critical for effective performance in combat operations.”
Cadet Summer Training is the Army’s largest annual training event, designed to lay the foundation of Army future leaders in the Active force, Army Reserve and National Guard. Nearly 12,000 cadets attend annually – learning the ethics and values important to the Army’s success. Cadet Command, the leadership behind Cadet Summer Training, produces approximately 70 percent of the officer corps.
Jimenez works diligently throughout the training camp to keep cadets safe so they can learn effectively. His role as a QASAS means he is responsible for identifying and assessing any risks associated with training ammunition activities and developing strategies to mitigate those risks. He makes sure the proper materiel, especially ammunition, is placed in the hands of Cadet Summer Training camp cadets and provides support on the ranges while cadets open fire.
So far, Jimenez has been successful in keeping everyone safe since starting his role in 2019. He attributed his various experiences, ranging from deployments to Afghanistan to managing the depot and Army Standardization Program in Germany to his success.
"This has helped when it comes to answering questions from either the Soldiers from the ammunition support team or cadets, and also letting Cadet Summer Training safety and munitions personnel know what is right."
While Jimenez focuses on ammunition safety, the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program – which is a part of ASC that is essentially responsible for building small “towns” from scratch, including food, sleeping areas and hygiene products across the world during natural disasters or during other unexpected times -- ensures all cadets get the nutrition they need to focus and physically perform. Brian Almonrode, ASC director of operations for LOGCAP, sets his sights on the barracks and food service aspect of the training camp, utilizing the six dining facilities on the training complex.
“Food is fuel,” Almonrode acknowledged. “A well-balanced nutritional meal is required to combat the physical and operational demands placed on the cadet’s body. Fort Knox is not exactly known for its mild summers – rather heat, humidity and operational stresses on the cadets is exacerbated by training and operational demands most college students don’t face during the school season. These six weeks of Cadet Summer Training also impact their physical well-being, as well as shaping them into the Army’s future leaders.”
That all being said, Almonrode has high standards for the success of his mission. Each regiment is assigned a dining facility within the training complex. Oftentimes, those buildings have been sitting empty for months, and LOGCAP is responsible for taking them from storage condition to full service in about 10 days. In that time, they ensure all areas and equipment meet safety and health inspections and make sure there is enough fresh, canned and frozen food to service around 40,000 meals per day.
Oftentimes, the facilities don’t come equipped with everything needed, so it’s necessary to lease additional equipment – like refrigerators – to keep food safe.
In fact, Almonrode said food safety and personal hygiene are "paramount" for both garrison and field meals. "LOGCAP's goal is no food-borne illness attributable to LOGCAP during Cadet Summer Training." LOGCAP is required to follow all regulation and preventive medical protocols that other food service operations require.
"We overcome challenges by making plans and decisions well ahead of the date of mission start," he said. "That enables LOGCAP to make transportation and lodging arrangements for food service staff and ready the facilities. Like with so many other LOGCAP missions, the further ahead we can get of the requirement, the better, and often cheaper, job we can do."
This, he admits, is something unique to LOGCAP since it would be difficult for other programs or small businesses to handle. While the Army has tried to utilize small businesses for food services three times for the training camp, LOGCAP has needed to step in to save the day each time on an emergency basis. Almonrode said it’s a difficult mission for many due to the short time that it’s needed, the area having a smaller population to draw the labor force from, and the long hours ranging from early morning to late at night seven days a week. However, it’s business as usual for LOGCAP.
For this year, Almonrode, Jimenez, and all others from ASC involved, will continue to work together with U.S. Army Garrison Fort Knox and everyone involved with the camp to make sure it's a success. Whether it's ensuring cadets stay safe when handling ammunition or keeping them fed no matter where they're working, ASC will help build the Army's future leaders one bullet and one meal at a time.
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2024 11:30 |
| Story ID: | 476418 |
| Location: | ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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