Photo By Sgt. Maj. Alexander Burnett | Sgt. Virginia Musall, a rigger with the 623rd Quartermaster Company rigger detachment...... read more read more
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- The soldiers of the rigger detachment, 623rd Quartermaster Company, Special Troops Battalion, Task Force Resolute received Army Achievement Medals for breaking two rigger mission records at Kandahar Airfield, July 2.
Col. Lawrence Kominiak, the TF Resolute commander, presented each member of the rigger detachment with an AAM for their outstanding performance.
“You have only been on the ground for a month, and you hit the ground running,” said Kominiak. “You should all be very proud and I congratulate you on a job well done.”
The first record broken by the “Supply from the Sky” company was for number of bundles dropped in one month. The riggers set a new record for the entirety of Afghanistan with 1,579 bundles dropped. They also set a greatest weight record for KAF, with 1.8 million pounds dropped.
"This is a great achievement for the riggers on Kandahar Airfield,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jose Martinez, a Task Force Resolute aerial deliver officer. “These records came with hard work and dedication from the soldiers.”
The detachment of less than 20 soldiers begins their first 12-hour shift as early as five a.m. The first group, consisting of four qualified riggers and several augmented soldiers of various military occupational specialties, start the day by preparing two rolling lanes for the 60 to 80 bundles to be prepared that day. They lay down wooden slabs, bracing material and the cargo net.
“Our days are always busy,” said Spc. Daniel Sarmiento, a rigger with the 623rd QM Company. “Sometimes we work twenty hours in a day to ensure these bundles are ready. It’s worth every moment to know we are helping forward deployed soldiers.”
The second shift is responsible for building each bundle with supplies. These items include water, food, ammunition, fuel and construction supplies. The bundles are built by both riggers and those of other MOS, but the final touch must be performed by certified personnel, said Staff Sgt. Rorie Short, the 623rd QM company foreman.
“Rigging the actual parachute is one task that only a rigger can perform,” said Short. “These supplies have to make it to their destination intact, and for that to happen the parachute has to open.”
The 623 QM Company remains on KAF to provide aerial delivery support to Soldiers in remote locations. Through hard work and planning they ensure their customers receive the needed supplies in a timely fashion. They hope to break several more records in the process.
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.12.2011 08:46 |
| Story ID: | 73580 |
| Location: | KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 312 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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