Photo By Sgt. Peter Ross | Staff Sgt. Savannah Barrett, a native of Greenville, N.C., helps Pfc. Jasper Ayars of...... read more read more
FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. -- An army preparing for war can’t stand still. It needs fuel, water and supplies to keep moving and that’s why the Combat Support Training Exercise-91 is important to sharpen battle readiness skills.
The 849th Quartermaster Detachment is one of about 50 other quartermaster, transportation, engineering and supporting companies participating in CSTX-91. The 849th, located in Rocky Mount N.C., is here to help move supplies from base camp to base camp.
“Our mission here is to run a warehouse at Camp Roberts. We have about 27 Soldiers on the ground at (Base Camp) Schoonover and more than 30 at Camp Roberts,” said Staff Sgt. Savannah Barrett a native of Greenville N.C. and supply specialist with the 849th Tactical Operation Center, “The troops are transporting (Meals Ready to Eat), ice and other supplies from Camp Roberts to (Base Camp) Schoonover and (Base Camp) Milpitas.”
Amidst the heat and dust, the unit prepares to relocate to Camp Roberts from Schoonover to better facilitate their mission. Supply isn’t the only job for the 849th. Other major responsibilities include operating the 6000-pound-capable forklift and maintaining their electric generators.
Spc. John Anthony, a native of Andrew, N.C., uses these forklifts to move supplies from the warehouse on to trucks for transport to the different base camps.
“I was deployed to Afghanistan. I did the same jobs there,” said Anthony, a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic with the 849th. “The living conditions and the weather are similar to Afghanistan. There is one shower house, no sinks, no bathrooms, living in a tent and sleeping on cots. It feels like Afghanistan.”
This mission helps them conduct operations in similar conditions they may experience if they were deployed. This might be as close to the real thing as many Soldiers here may face. They must always be prepared to maintain their own equipment.
“I set up generators, keep them fueled and run diagnostics and make sure they don’t break down,” said Pfc. Jasper Ayars, of Chocowinity, N.C., a power generator equipment repairer. “I am the power man and if you need power, I run the power, without power you can’t do anything.”
CSTX 91 tests unit’s mission readiness. With the majority of quartermaster and support units belonging to the Army Reserve, this is a vital step in preparing for deployment.
Many of the units are in the second phase of the Army Forces Generation (ARFORGEN) model. Units must complete this three-phase process before they are ready for deployment.
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2012 20:28 |
| Story ID: | 91858 |
| Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | CHOCOWINITY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 326 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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