Task Force 3 prepares to deploy

Courtesy Photo | Maj. Gen. Ronald Silverman, Commanding General of Task Force 3, emphasized that communications were the key to success in its upcoming mission.  

UNITED STATES

08.24.2006

Courtesy Story

Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office       

By: Maj. Bob Hart
Task Force 3 PAO

FORT MCCOY, Wis.—The next time the group gathered in the conference room at the Wisconsin Military Academy meets again, it will be under much different circumstances in a more hostile environment.

Commanders and key leaders from Task Force 3 met July 16 to continue plans prior to deploying to Southwest Asia in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Maj. Gen. Ronald D. Silverman, commander of Task Force 3, organized the two-day event which included a live video teleconference (VTC) with personnel from Task Force 30 who are currently in theater and will be replaced by Task Force 3.

Silverman emphasized to the group the importance of communication and safety and stressed that his main objectives were "to provide the best medical care for the finest soldiers in the world" and "for everyone to come home safe and sound."

Silverman continued to tell the 14 subordinate units in attendance, which along with 3rd Medical Command from Fort Gillem, Ga. make up Task Force 3, that the key to success for the entire task force will be discipline and maintaining a firm allegiance to Army Values.

"There are Army Values that set us apart as the finest Army in the world," Silverman said, "but as medical professionals, we are held to higher values. We're the people our soldiers come to and the people our soldiers trust."

Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Schulz echoed those sentiments saying, "We have an awesome mission," Schulz said. "We have thousands of soldiers who are depending on us and many more thousands of family members who are counting on us to get their loved ones home safely."

Each of the 3rd MEDCOM general and special staff sections presented an overview of its responsibilities including what it was looking for from the subordinate units and what the subordinate units could expect from them.

The subordinate units then briefed their missions and expressed concerns facing them as they prepare to deploy to a hostile region for the next year.

A highlight for the conference was the VTC which gave the leaders an opportunity to speak one-on-one with the people they will be replacing.

"The VTC gave our commanders a chance to ask the questions they have and get the answers first hand from the people on the ground now," said Lt. Col. Jonathan Bailey, project officer, who along with Sgt. Maj. Jose Torres, was in charge of coordinating the conference. "The folks at Fort McCoy were very helpful, especially Bethany Forbes. We couldn't have pulled this off without their help."

The concept seemed to work according to Lt. Col. Mike Kolodziej, operations officer for the 399th Combat Support Hospital. "The main thing was we were able to meet face-to-face with the people we will be working with on a daily basis for the next year," Kolodziej said. "We learned how we going to do business which provides the continuity that allows us to continue planning on our way into country."

Silverman closed the conference with a story about an Iraqi woman who was being treated in one of the coalition medical facilities. She made the statement that she hoped her country would one day be like the United States.

When asked if she meant the opulence of the U.S., she said no. "As I lie in bed, I was treated by a black doctor," she said. "I have a doctor who is Asian. Some wear a cross around their necks, some have the Star of David. They're different, but they all work together and live in peace. That is what I want for my country."

• Date Taken: 08.24.2006
• Date Posted: 08.24.2006 15:20
• Story ID: 7541
• Location: US