Courtesy Photo | Capt. Robert Tremblay (center), commander of Company F, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor...... read more read more
Story by: Sgt. Mary S. Katzenberger
BAGHDAD — Capt. Robert Tremblay is not afraid to tackle challenges.
For the past 10 months the logistics officer and commander of Company F, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, has split his time between leading his company and advising Iraqi Army leaders from the 9th and the 11th Iraqi Army Divisions on the nuances of logistics.
Tremblay, a Stuart, Fla., native, said while it has been a challenge to manage the logistics for a battalion and a full-time ISF adviser, he has seen positive results in the work his soldiers have performed, as well as improvements within the IA maintenance spare parts supply system—developments he attributes both to the desire of the IA to increase its logistical proficiency and to the liaison officers appointed to oversee the improvements.
Tremblay has been assisted in the advisory mission by 2nd Lt. Maurice Bellinger, 2nd Lt. Cameron West and Capt. Scott Saucer.
“It’s baby steps, but I think we’re getting there,” he said. “Sometimes [the results aren’t] always there staring you in the face. You’ve got to go find [them].”
Tremblay’s primary focus has been helping the IA leaders increase their confidence in, and improving the effectiveness of, their maintenance spare parts supply system through encouraging decentralization.
The biggest challenge facing the IA system is 80 to 90 percent of their maintenance spare parts are centralized with the Joint Repair Parts Command located at Contingency Operating Base Taji. This centralization can cause occasional delays in the distribution of parts, Tremblay said.
Tremblay said the increased confidence in the system will lead to a more efficient and effective operation.
To help ensure that result, Tremblay said he and the liaison officers “shadow-track” the operation of the maintenance spare parts supply system, encouraging accurate reporting and correct use of the systems in place.
Bellinger, a Columbia, S.C. native, said he feels his advisory work has had a positive effect on the IA maintenance spare parts supply system. The ordnance officer often works to bridge communication gaps that arise between different areas of the supply system.
“They’re happy to see us and I’m happy to help them,” Bellinger said of his Iraqi counterparts. “They know I’m talking to the upper levels [and] any information I can bring to them is helpful. I think we’re building good relationships with them.”
Tremblay said the successes the partnership has reaped are small, but very meaningful—such as spare parts requirements analyses and projections and the transfer of a communication and reporting server.
“If we can speed up that [operational readiness] rate through decentralization [of] the parts and through good reporting,” Tremblay said, “I think we’ll make leaps and bounds.”
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.22.2010 03:24 |
| Story ID: | 60620 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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