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58th finishes challenging tour in Iraq

Photo By Sgt. Spencer Case | Troops of the outgoing 58th Quartermaster Company pose after receiving ARCOM medals...... read more read more

CAMP CEDAR II, IRAQ

06.19.2006

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP CEDAR II, Iraq - The 58th Quartermaster Company of Fort Lee, Va. concluded a challenging and diverse mission in Iraq with a transfer of authority ceremony on May 19.

Lt. Col. James Carmean, the commander of the 406th Corps Support Battalion, presented each Soldier in the 58th Qm. Co. with the Army Commendation Medal.

"You have all done a superb job and deserve all the accolades I can give you," Carmean said, addressing the troops of the 58th Qm. Co. who had gathered with their replacements, the 1016th Quartermaster Company from Pocatello, Idaho. "As far as I'm concerned, you are a superior unit."

Over the course of a year, the 58th completed more than 180 ground transportation missions, delivered 8 million gallons of fuel and drove more than 500,000 miles. Their combat logistics patrols have taken them as far north as Kirkuk and as far south as Kuwait. Additionally, the unit assisted in numerous details such as guard tower duty, supervising a refuel point for civilians, and guarding the locals who come on post to work.

Capt. Peter Caggiano, the commander of the 58th Qm. Co., said his troops accomplished all their missions despite being undermanned.

"The unit's strength that is supposed to be at "full" looked at almost 170 people," Caggiano said. "This unit accomplished that mission, and then some, with a little over 130. So, at a near forty person deficiency we were still able to manage, execute, and organize every task that came down."

For Staff Sgt. Dewong Franklin, a squad leader, the most memorable mission of the deployment was a six-day CLP to Kirkuk. Franklin said his combat logistics patrol was hit by two improvised explosive devises, and received small-arms fire all within fifteen minutes. "That was a shaky one," Franklin said of the mission.

Sgt. Chip Yoder, a section sergeant in 2nd Platoon, 58th Qm. Co., said experiences like Franklin's will cause many of the troops to go home with new perspectives.

"I think I saw a lot of people grow up in the last year," said Yoder. "A lot of people have stepped up in ways they wouldn't have otherwise"if this unit hadn't been deployed. I think a lot of people, too, realized the real reasons why they wanted to join the Army when they got out here."

One such individual was Sgt. Roger Wilson. Wilson was a newly-promoted sergeant when the unit first arrived.

He became the communications NCO and dedicated himself to memorizing the national stock number to every piece of communication equipment imaginable.

He would wake up at five in the morning to sign out their communications equipment, whether or not he was on the mission.

Yoder, who has gone on four deployments in his 10-year military career, said being away from home never fails to change his perspective when he gets back.

"Every deployment I've ever gotten back from, I've always gotten back and marveled at how easy Americans have it and you never really realize it until you get back from deployments like this."