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BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The 10th Sustainment Brigade,
Task Force Muleskinner, operates the largest supply support activity
in the Army here that supplies Soldiers and supports retrograde
efforts.
The Bagram SSA currently supports approximately 85
percent of customers located throughout the Combined Joint
Operations Area-Afghanistan. It serves as a hub for equipment to be
issued or retrograded, which assists in getting equipment back in to
the Army supply system.
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Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Niles, logistics liaison noncommissioned
officer in charge, and Spc. Jaime Rivera, Shindand liaison, both
assigned to the 419th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, unpack
equipment at the Bagram supply support activity August 28, 2014. Soldiers at the SSA
support Soldiers and civilians in the area of operations by ensuring
they are properly supplied and equipped to maintain unit strength
enabling strategic and operational reach. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class
Luis Saavedra, 10th Sustainment Brigade PAO)
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More than 2,000 accounts are supported, which include
accounts transferred from five SSAs that have closed since
the arrival of the brigade and transformed in to forward
issue turn-in points. On an average month, there are more
than 35,000 receipts processed at the SSA.
Muleskinners assumed responsibility as the single
sustainment brigade in Afghanistan February. Since then, the
brigade planned for the synchronization and rapid execution
of the sustainment of Soldiers and transition of equipment
to ensure mission accomplishment.
It is not the first time the brigade has conducted
sustainment operations in Afghanistan and managed the SSA.
“The 10th Sustainment Brigade has established processes,
sufficient life-support capacity and access to transit
routes to permit the redeployment of materiel and equipment
in the same way that we have effectively deployed,
sustained, and recovered forces throughout the brigade's two
deployments in the past four years,” said Col. Willie Rios
III, Houston, native, 10th SBDE commander.
The SSA
plays a critical role in ensuring the sustainment and
retrograde support missions are successful. Its mission is
broken up into five major functions: receipt, issue,
storage, turn-in and stock control.
Although every
area is important, there is an area not listed that some may
consider the most important.
“We are in the business
of customer support,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nicholas
Penna, Springfield, Massachusetts native, 10th SBDE
accountable officer. “Our number one goal is to satisfy
customer demands to assist with their mission.”
The
deliberate and rapid execution of the transition of
equipment in theater is critical to supporting the strategic
mission in Afghanistan.
Items identified to be
retrograded are laid out for a customs inspection. After
items have been cleaned and sorted, they are packed and
shipped to an Army depot.
“I feel that without the
retrograde section, equipment would not get back in to the
Army supply system,” said Sgt. Eric White, Brooklyn, New
York native, retrograde noncommissioned officer in charge
assigned to 10th SBDE. “We are able to save the Army money.
The 10th Sustainment Brigade meets the needs of the nation
by being good stewards of our taxpayer's and nation's
resources while facilitating the transition to the next
phase of the mission.”
White said that during the
initial phase of his mission, his team was packing
approximately 40 boxes a day to be retrograded. He said the
tempo has decreased and he believes the base closures and
transfers may have something to do with it.
The
brigade has successfully retrograded more than 3.4 million
pounds of equipment, which equates to approximately 350
twenty-foot equivalent units. The success may be attributed
to the brigade's deliberate process to transition equipment
responsibly to maintain mission readiness at optimal levels.
Muleskinners have saved the Army more than $750 million
by retrograding equipment back to the U.S. and approximately
$700,000 redistributing equipment back to the warfighter.
“The 10th Sustainment Brigade ensures Soldiers and
civilians in the area of operations are properly supplied
and equipped to maintain Soldier and unit strength enabling
strategic and operational reach providing armed forces with
the endurance needed for mission
success,” said Rios.
Although retrograde is critical to mission success, the
brigade has a mission to sustain the warfighter as well.
The SSA also plays a major role ensuring forces employed
forward are able to sustain mission success through constant
and deliberate logistical coordination and support of U.S.
military equipment and personnel.
“You don't have a
Walmart or Auto Zone in Afghanistan,” said Penna. “You
cannot just go to the corner store and buy what you need.”
He said items ranging from office supplies to vehicle
repair parts have to be requested through the SSA.
“We keep the fleet going,” said Penna.
The SSA has
more than 12,000 different items in stock to facilitate
delivery of equipment to units.
“After some demand
analysis was conducted, we know these items are the most
commonly ordered by our customers,” said Penna. Items that
are not readily available get requisitioned through the
Defense Logistics Agency, General Services Administration or
other agencies.
The SSA is always open, which helps
get supplies to customers within 24 hours if possible.
Penna said he has identified the most efficient route to
get items to customers quickly, which is a priority in the
Muleskinner brigade.
As with most teams, a single person
cannot do it alone.
“Working with tactical level
sustainment as well as strategic retrograde has been a great
learning experience,” said Penna.
“Taking on the
retrograde mission is unique. I have a great team and I'm
proud of how the SSA looks compared to how it was when we
started operations.”
The SSA will continue to operate
well in to the next phase of the mission. The Muleskinner
team assigned to ensure it operates flawlessly will redeploy
soon and transfer the mission to other logisticians who will
continue to make history.
By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Luis Saavedra
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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