Photo By 1st Lt. Nathan Lavy | The 224th Sustainment Brigade’s Personal Security Detachment’s Spc. Shavneel Nand,...... read more read more
CONTINGENCY OPERATING ADDER, Iraq — The sustainment brigade’s security detachment here does far more than escort their commander and command sergeant major around the battlefield as they begin conducting missions here at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.
Soldiers from the 224th Sustainment Brigade’s Personal Security Detachment successfully conducted their first mission as convoy security escort July 2 at COB Adder, Iraq.
“We moved out with vehicles of all types, mostly military flatbeds and KBR (Kellogg Brown & Root) commodity trucks. While enroute we encountered a major sandstorm which engulfed the entire convoy which was spread out over two miles of highway.
After being in the sandstorm for about 10 minutes the sky started to become amber, then orange. It was an amazing sight, but it heightened my situational awareness because the convoy had to slow way down due to safety concerns because of limited visibility. With the terrain so desolate, local population was far and few with nothing more than just local camel hoarders and truck stops along the route,” said Sgt. Alan Sullivan, team leader, Headquarters to Headquarters Company, 224th Special Troops Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a native of Long Beach, Calif.
“After several hours of driving we arrived safely at Camp Basrah. Upon arriving we ate lunch and immediately began recovering our vehicles and refueling and getting ready for our RTB (return to base). After our recovery we then stood fast awaiting the loading and off loading of the KBR commodity/military trucks. This took several hours because they removed all the equipment/commodities and reloaded new commodities,” Sullivan said.
“Once reloaded, we then completed our checks and began moving out at nightfall. With nightfall upon us the terrain and surrounding villages quickly slipped into the darkness. Gunners played a key role using spot lights to recon overpasses for threats, TC's (truck commanders) were also relaying info from vehicle to vehicle to alert the next duck in the row,” Sullivan said.
“After several more hours of driving and calling back to the convoy commander the road hazards, we had returned to base. All personnel and equipment returned safely with high motivation and satisfied customers. Mission complete,” said Sullivan.
The soldiers for the 224th SB PSD team had received months of training up to this point to get them ready to begin conducting missions.
“Training is at least three to four months long for a soldier on a PSD team. It includes individual and collective tasks, roll-over drills, react to IED (improvised explosive device), and weapons qualification,” said 1st. Lt. Manuel Arino, PSD officer-in-charge, HHC, 224th STB, 224th SB, 103rd ESC, and a native of Temecula, Calif.
“They have to go through the 32 Army warrior tasks and 12 Army battle drills, and it consists of lanes training and hands on. It’s what we did back at Camp Roberts (Calif.),” said Master Sgt. Adais Garcia, the PSD non-commissioned officer-in-charge, HHC, 224th STB, 224th SB, 103rd ESC, and a native of Palm Springs, Calif. “To add to the 32/12’s and the lane training, we’ve practiced missions on downed helicopters, recovering personnel, public relations with people in the area of operations, and spotting IED’s.”
In addition to all the training that every 224th SB Soldier has received at their pre-mobilization and mobilization sites, the PSD soldiers have completed PSD specific training at every location to include Camp Buering, Kuwait and COB Adder, Iraq.
“PSD specific training includes convoy live fire, how to occupy a building with a principle (the person they are protecting), how to move a principle from a vehicle to a building, and how to evacuate a principle,” Arino said.
“With all the training that we’ve had at AT (annual training), Fort Hood, Texas, and Camp Buering, Kuwait, I think the training has been top of the line, plus the classes we’ve been getting in country (Iraq),” said Sgt. Eric Barger, gunner and driver, from HHC, 224th STB, 224th SB, 103rd ESC, and a native of Paso Robles, Calif. “Classes like EWO (electronic warfare), drivers training, C-IED level two and three - things that have a big impact on our mission.”
After months of training and preparation, the motivation and confidence of these PSD soldiers is high as they complete their first mission.
“I love being a gunner. I enjoy it. You can see everything, and basically you’re the security for everyone. It keeps me alert and occupied,” said Sgt. Lynette Prendez, gunner and dismount, HHC, 224th STB, 224th SB, 103rd ESC, and a native of Santa Maria, Calif.
“What I like most is convoy security and leaving the wire, moving commodities and helping out with the overall picture and doing our part,” Barger said.
The 224th SB PSD will be conducting various escort missions throughout southern and western Iraq until this sustainment brigade completes its mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn in 2011.
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2010 04:16 |
| Story ID: | 53034 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING ADDER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 415 |
| Downloads: | 85 |
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