Courtesy Photo | Staff Sgt. Raul Martinez from Brownsville, Texas, shows Spc. Ignacio Berrones III of...... read more read more
By: Sgt. Mendez Eulalio IV
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Cooks put down their spatulas for full combat gear, ready to hit the streets of Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq.
As the sun rises and sets, day in and day out, four soldiers assigned to the 370th Transportation Company, 394th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 77th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, make their way to the dining facility three times a day to fulfill their duties as food service specialists, while one spends his day handling company supply issues.
Spc. Rumaldo Noriega, a San Benito, Texas, native, Spc. Bentio Perez, a Santa Rosa, Texas, native, Spc. Ignacio Berroneso, a Houston, Texas, native, and Spc. Omar Cantu of Brownsville, Texas, native, can be seen every day at the dining facility, morning, afternoon and evening.
These soldiers are responsible for maintaining accountability of soldiers and civilians entering the facility.
With time flying by like the speed of light, many troops are realizing their rest and recuperation window has rapidly approached. March was a busy month where many drivers and truck commanders went on R&R, and with missions and tasks popping up left and right, commanders and leadership were left scratching their heads, asking themselves, “Who will we send on these missions?”
Eager to get out on the road, Cantu quickly geared up for driver’s training, instructed by Staff Sgt. Raul Martinez III, a Brownsville, Texas, native and a mission commander for the 370th Transportation Company.
After multiple blocks of instruction and a wide variety of hands-on training, they were ready to fill the shoes of those motor transport operators on leave. Although time was taken away from their food service and supply duties while on missions, they would resume those duties as the mission allowed.
“The soldiers have gone through all the necessary training on M915A3, which includes the class and hands-on,” Martinez said. “We strive for success and make sure that every soldier understands the importance of [preventive maintenance checks and services], pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections for their safety while they are on the mission.”
Upon completion of the course, the soldiers were issued a permit to operate the M915A3 line-haul tractor along with learners’ permits.
Of the five soldiers, Cantu has been the first so far to receive a full operator’s license for the M915A3.
“It was a very big difference from working in the dining facility to being outside, seeing the other side of Operation New Dawn” Cantu said.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.17.2011 07:11 |
| Story ID: | 68871 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 220 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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