|
|
September 11, 2012 - Staff Sgt. John Loughran poses for a photo while deployed to
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, with the 316th Sustainment Command
(Expeditionary). Photo by Army Staff Sgt. Peter Berardi
|
|
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (10/1/2012) - Since 1990, Staff Sgt. John
Loughran, a native of Amherst, N.Y., and member of the 316th
Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) support operations watercraft
section, has deployed six times gaining experience on land, on sea
and in the air. He served as a Marine during Operation Desert Storm
and Operation Gothic Serpent and as an Army Reservist during
Operation Iraqi Freedom and now Operation Enduring Freedom.
Throughout this period many things have changed including Loughran's
military occupational specialty, the command level of units he has
worked with and the basic living conditions and amenities Soldiers
have access to during deployments.
Starting his career as
infantry in the Marine Corps in 1990 Loughran was exposed to the
life of a line unit. He deployed During Operation Desert Storm with
the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines from 1990 through 1991 in preparation
for a ground war with Iraq.
During his time on the ground
Loughran and his unit had things pretty rough. “We lived in large GP
[general purpose] tents with no A/C,” said Loughran. “We got
two MREs [meals
|
|
ready to eat] a day and one hot meal that was t-rats because
there was no permanent chow hall.”
|
The days were long while the Marines waited. “I was a
grunt so we just kinda stood by waiting for something to
happen,” he said. “We practiced wearing full MOPP gear
[mission oriented protective posture], pulled security and
even had some down time.” In the end the Marines would not
find any conflict on this deployment. “We waited for
something to pop off but it was kind of an air war, it was
over in like a day and a half,” he said. “It was a bit of a
letdown.”
Changing his MOS in 1994 to helicopter
crew chief Loughran got to experience life in the air on two
separate deployments to Somalia. During the first deployment
he was with the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron-369
from late 1993 through early 1994. Upon their arrival the
main objective of the unit was to control Mohamed Farrah
Adid because of his large militia and the amount or
armaments it possessed, said Loughran. “When we first got
there things were pretty hot so we flew sorties 24 hours a
day,” he said. “And after we came back from missions we had
to do maintenance on our aircraft, so we were on call 24/
7.”
“We finally got him [Adid] to keep his militia
and weaponry in compounds and things calmed down,” said
Loughran. And then the incidents that inspired the book
“Black Hawk Down” took place. Loughran's unit provided over
watch and security for the task force that was sent in to
rescue those that were trapped inside the city. “It was
pretty messed up, I don't think anyone was ready for that,”
he said. “We didn't think they had the capabilities to do
it, it was crazy.”
Proper training is of great
importance during those kinds of high stress situations. “It
went by real quick,” said Loughran. “All of the training
comes in and it just became second nature, you're ready to
go.”
In 1998 Loughran decided to get out of the
Marines because of the high volume of deployments he had
participated in. During his time as a civilian Loughran
moved to Florida and worked as a mortgage broker. He moved
back to New York to be closer to family before joining the
Army Reserve in 2007 as a truck driver. “I came back in
cause of the things that were going on with the war,” he
said. “I really wanted to serve again.”
Within a few
years of reenlisting Loughran was sent to yet another
conflict. This time he deployed with the 220th
Transportation Company from New Hampshire, to Iraq in 2010
through 2011. During this deployment he conducted convoy
operations from Baghdad to as far north as Mosul. The 220th
conducted over 150 missions transporting everything from
tanks to housing units across Iraq. In all, the 220th moved
over 20,000 tons of cargo driving more than 350,000 miles.
Currently deployed with the 316th during the units
mission at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Loughran is getting to
experience things at a command level unit. “This is my first
non-combat deployment, my first logistical job,” he said. “I
think my previous experience gives me a better oversight on
how everything works as far as the logistical side. I can
relate to why we are doing the things we are doing.”
Master Sgt. Michael Williams, a resident of Hampton, Va.,
and Loughran's noncommissioned officer in charge, thinks
Loughran is a great asset. “He is a self starter and shows a
lot of initiative. He is always ready to learn, I would have
him on my team anytime.”
Leadership experience and
mentoring are just a couple of things Loughran feels make
him an asset for the 316th. “I feel that my active duty time
in the Marine Corps gave me leadership qualities and basic
soldiering skills,” he said. “Things that I can use to help
out younger soldiers that have always been reservists and
have never done this as a full time job. I know what the
higher ups expect from us now versus our once a month drill
and can help the younger soldiers stay on track.”
Mentoring young soldiers is very important, showing them
what's right and leading them down the correct path, said
Loughran. “Active duty experience, with all of the knowledge
you get from it, definitely helps. You mentor soldiers and
sometimes don't even realize it because it's stuff that you
do naturally on active duty.” Setting the example and
looking right is always important for someone leading
soldiers.
Compared to the other deployments Loughran
has been on, this one is pretty nice. “It's pretty laid back
and the stress level is definitely down,” he said. “The
foods decent and there's lots of MWR activities, there's
enough to keep your mind of things like missing your family.
I spend most of my free time at the gym, going to the
movies, or playing poker at the MWR.”
Staying in
touch with families has also gotten much easier since
Loughran's earlier deployments. “Back in the 90's we had
sat-com phones that you weren't supposed to use, but if you
had guard duty and were near the phone you could get a call
out,” he said. “But letter mail was pretty much the only
form of communication back then.” With so many options now
like wireless Internet, phones devices for computers and
regular phones it's easy to stay in touch.
With all
of the amenities, activities and contact with home the
transition when returning should be much easier, said
Loughran. “You're up to date with what's going on, you can
keep up with current music, movies and other stuff like
that,” he said. “You're not so detached from the rest of the
world. It keeps the transition when you get home easier.”
“Overall, deploying with this unit makes me very well
rounded,” said Loughran, who is currently in his junior year
as a mechanical engineering student at Buffalo State, State
University of New York. “I can do just about anything from
logistics to infantry to aviation. Having so many MOSs and
being in units from the line level to the command level
gives me a lot of opportunities. It can open a lot of
doors.”
By Army Staff Sgt. Peter Berardi
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
Comment on this article |
