Courtesy Photo | Lt. Gen. John Wood (left), deputy commanding general, Joint Forces Command, walks with...... read more read more
by Sgt. 1st Class Nick Conner
15th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq–Lt. Gen. John Wood, deputy commanding general, Joint Forces Command, met with leaders of the 15th Sustainment Brigade during visit here Dec. 5.
As part of an overall Enabling Force Assessment, Col. Aundre Piggee, commander, 15th SB, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), provided the foundations and capabilities of the "Wagonmasters."
One of Wood's first priorities centered on matching strategic capabilities to resources available.
"We need to bring the right size force to the fight; to support the fight," he said.
As one of the new, restructured sustainment brigades, Piggee said the modularity design worked well, especially coming from Fort Hood, Texas.
"By replacing the 4th Infantry Division, we already had a good working relationship with those units from home station," he said.
Piggee pointed out that the Soldiers of his brigade provide supply distribution and logistics support to virtually every coalition unit with in the Multi-National Division- Baghdad footprint.
"We move equipment throughout the entire battle space," said Piggee. "Everyday, all classes of supply move on the roads of Iraq by troops of the 15th Sustainment Brigade."
In addition to ensuring that ammunition and materials get to the fight, Piggee explained his brigade has more than half of all the supply support activities in the Iraqi theater.
With an area that large, Wood asked if the "Wagonmasters" could extend that support to Marine Corps units operating in the west?
Piggee told the general his brigade could easily support the Marines, noting the issue wouldn't be maintaining supply and logistics to Marine units, but one of inter-service supply communication channels. Simply put, translating Marine Corps supply lingo to Army supply lingo.
One solution offered by the brigade during the assessment discussion was the creation of "super" SSAs -- large, centrally located multi-class supply yards. With two or three of these logistics hubs, units would have a "one-stop-shop" for material, ammunition and supplies.
"In my opinion, it would work very well," said Piggee.
Another point Wood asked of the 15th SB leadership was training the Iraqis on logistics.
"We've grown tactically within the ISF (Iraqi Security Force)," he said, but noted that the logistic effort hasn't grown at the same pace.
"That's the chronic weakness...of the ISF," he said.
Piggee said his brigade currently gives technical assistance and advice to the training of the Iraqis.
"Currently separate units have the responsibility of operating Mobile Training Teams. We advise the MTTs, but they do the training," he explained. "We stand ready to undertake a larger role in training the ISF. We have experience upon experience."
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2006 13:29 |
| Story ID: | 8533 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 337 |
| Downloads: | 259 |
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