Company implements innovative program

Photo By Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda | 1st Lt. Adam Van Dusen, 23, commands about 40 Soldiers currently deployed to southern Iraq with a detachment of Fort Story's 119th Cargo Transfer Company. Of 10 officers who graduated with him from Fresno State's ROTC program in 2004, eight have already served deployments in Iraq. Van Dusen's relative youth coupled with his NCOs experience has helped the 119th launch a few innovative programs to keep the troops morale high and re-enlistment rolling.  

IRAQ

06.22.2006

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

A detachment of Fort Story's 119th Cargo Transfer Company from Virginia, hit the ground running in southern Iraq where the troops are adapting to an ever-changing mission while implementing some innovative programs to increase reenlistments and boost morale.

Just two months after arriving in Iraq, approximately 40 Soldiers from the 119th have seen their mission take several turns.

"Our biggest challenge has been constantly adjusting to the mission changes," says 1st Lt. Adam Van Dusen, the unit's commander. "When we first got here, we were in charge of the containers, then the vehicles and then the escorts. It's been an evolving mission."

Ultimately, the unit is assigned to three main tasks, all of which are crucial for coalition operations throughout southern Iraq. "The primary mission [became] to run a retrograde containment yard," Van Dusen explains. "All the containers that need to leave theater come here first."

A second task is to do the same with all vehicles entering or exiting the country for coalition use.

Lastly, the troops provide security escort runs to facilitate movement between Camp Cedar II and nearby Camp Adder, one of the largest military installations south of Baghdad. Staff Sgt. Richard Bullard, the detachment's top enlisted Soldier, says the troops have adapted to the changes.

"They have outstanding motivation and morale is high," says Bullard of his troops. "I couldn't have asked for a better group of Soldiers."

With approximately ten months to go, these are cautious declarations. Morale tends to spiral downwards much later in the deployment, especially in southern Iraq, where a high tempo mission can still seem monotonous because of low combat incidents.

"I expected more things to go "boom" to be honest," says Spc. Corey Christensen, a transportation management coordinator. "But, of course, I feel fortunate that this is a low [combat] density area."

Aware that monotony can bring down the mightiest, Van Dusen and Bullard are implementing programs that boost morale, keep the troops lean, and increase reenlistment at a time when retention is imperative.

Aside from conducting physical training as a unit four times a week, the Soldiers challenged each other to reenlist for a cumulative of 100 years and to accumulate $250,000 in reenlistment bonuses by the end of the deployment.

So far, six Soldiers have reenlisted for a total of 36 years and $118,200 in bonuses. Spc. Robert Scherrer, a mechanic, reenlisted for six years and a $22,500 bonus.

"I know I'll get deployed again and I'm going to make the best out of it," says Scherrer. "I mean, that was the most money I've ever seen in my account all at once."

• Date Taken: 06.22.2006
• Date Posted: 06.22.2006 12:32
• Story ID: 6925
• Location: IQ