Photo By Spc. Paul Harris | Sgt. Edwin Larkin, native of Seattle, senior cook, Forward Support Company E, 1-8...... read more read more
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BALAD, Iraq (June 16, 2006) -- Napoleon once said "an Army marches on its stomach." What was true then is still true today. Soldier's need a constant re-supply of not only food but ammunition, fuel, water and spare parts just to name a few.
It is the job of Forward Support Company E, 1-8 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers to provide vital elements for the Soldiers of 1-8 CAB fighting the war against terror in Iraq.
The FSC is based out of Logistical Support Area Anaconda near Balad, Iraq, and provides support for two nearby bases, Forward Operating Bases O'Ryan and Paliwoda. Daily combat logistics patrols deliver supplies to each base while also picking up maintenance items, laundry and empty containers.
FOB O'Ryan is a new acquisition for the FSC. The tiny FOB has no kitchen to prepare food and must rely on the FSC twice a day for a hot breakfast and dinner to be brought in from the LSA.
Though the FOB is relatively small it still serves about 600 meals throughout the day, said Sgt. Edwin Larkin, senior cook, FSC E, 1-8 CAB.
For lunch, Soldiers, civilian contractors and Marines stationed there rely on microwaveable items from the freezers like frozen pizzas, corndogs and Buffalo wings.
"I get re-supplied once a week, so I have to be careful what I go through," Larkin said. "It gets frustrating, especially during the lunch meals, when you can't do anything special for these guys."
Without the services Larkin and his crew provide, the troops would have to rely on Meals Ready to Eat, "which is probably just as good," Larkin joked. But, he knows the servicemembers and FOB workers are appreciative of the food he serves, helping them complete their mission.
In addition to food, an estimated two million pieces of ammunition has been transported by the FSC since operations began seven months ago. In that time, with CLPs on the road everyday, the FSC has not had a single fatality.
1st Lt. Bryson Rossol, ordinance officer, FSC E, 1-8 CAB, attributes the success of their patrols to the way Lt. Col. Jeffrey Martindale, commander, 1-8 CAB, had the company trained.
The Soldiers trained for this deployment using some of the same techniques the maneuver companies of the 1-8 CAB used. They learned how to conduct patrols, completed live-fire exercises and learned how to clear houses while at Fort Carson, Colo.
Many of Soldiers in the FSC have had to perform jobs outside their military occupational specialty. Such is the case for Sgt. Stuben Beard, Bradley Fighting Vehicle mechanic acting as a gunner, FSC E, 1-8 CAB. His job changed to providing security on patrols and has four junior enlisted Soldier he is responsible for. The biggest hurdle he overcame is not letting his Soldiers get complacent in their daily job.
Beard talks with his Soldiers daily, in an informal manner, to let them know the insurgents are still out there trying to kill them and just because it may not have happened in a while does not mean they have packed up and gone away.
Beard and his Soldiers are a self-admitted close-knit group who keep a positive attitude toward the somewhat bleak surroundings in Iraq.
It is that sense of family here and back home that keeps Staff Sgt. Frederick Hinton, petroleum supply specialist, FSC E, 1-8 CAB, focused on the mission. Hinton's wife, Trudy, recently gave birth to a baby boy and when he is not on patrol, Hinton said he likes to watch his boy wiggle around via Web cam.
The FSC has transported more than one million gallons of fuel, a fact Hinton is proud of knowing he and his team played a major part.
"It makes me feel good to be a part of the team to support the battalion," Hinton said. "Being in support we do not always get the limelight and I am happy with that. I just want everybody to get home safe."
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2006 14:30 |
| Story ID: | 7198 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 99 |
| Downloads: | 22 |
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