Sustainer vol 2 ed 4

THESUSTAINERSUSTAINMENT WARRIORS SUSTAIN THE FIGHT

October 2, 2013 Vol. 2 Issue 4

Akron ShadowMarathon

Ohio National GuardBrings SAMS to Sea

Army Divers Trainon AWC(P) Boat

Message From371 STB Commander

27th FMC team travels SouthwestAsia safeguarding soldiers’ finances

Story and Photo by Staff Sgt. KimberlyHill

“It’s the best part of the job,” the youngsoldier says with a smile. “Traveling isinteresting and makes the time go by alot faster, you get to meet new peopleand experience different things.”

While most soldiers working inadministrative positions like financeare chained to their desks or workingcustomer service ironingout eagle cashcard issues for soldiers, Sgt. Vuthy Inand Master Sgt. Yuen S. Lee, bothBrooklyn, N.Y. natives with the 27thFinance Management Company aretraveling to financial officesthroughout theater and conductingreviews of the offices’ protocols andensuring soldiers’ financialinformation is secure.

“We work well together, he’s veryexperienced for his rank and age andwe enjoy traveling together, it’s a lot ofwork, but it’s great,” says Lee, noddingto his counterpart.

In and Lee are tasked with internalcontrol. As the eyes of the commander,they travel frombase tobase, country tocountry, ensuring that paperwork isfiled correctly, soldiers get the benefitsthey have earned, procedures are beingfollowed, soldiers’ privacy is protectedand the proper safeguards against fraudare in place.

The 27th FMC, based out of QueensN.Y, is deployed to Camp Arifjan,Kuwait and have four detachmentslocated throughout Southwest Asia.These detachments provide financialguidance and support to soldiersdeployed in the region.

The financial reviews include acourtesy review that provides thedetachments with guidance and aformal quarterly review, said Lee.

Acourtesy review is completed prior toan official quarterly review, giving thefinance office a chance to make on thespot corrections, implement policychanges and fix any issues in their

process, he said.

Quarterly reviews score the finance officeon their implementation of Army financepoliciesandanofficialreportisgiventothecommander of the unit so he can see howwell his office is performing or where hissoldiers need improvement, said In.

“Courtesyandquarterlyreviewshelpusbyensuring our internal controls are in placeand are functioning at the highest level ofefficiency,” saidCpt. ShannonLeppo, thecommander of the 249th financialdetachment in CampBuehring, Kuwait.

Due to the sensitive and personalinformation that financial specialists andofficershaveaccessto,itisvitaltomaintainseparation and verify that the informationis properly safeguarded, said In.

“Internal control is exactly what it soundslike, internalchecksandbalances, there’salot of potential for issues and we mustsafeguard against abuses in the system,that’s why nobody working in financeshouldbeable tosee thewholepictureofasoldier’s finances,” he said.

Keepingthedifferentprocessesofmilitaryfinances can be a challenge due to thelimited number of soldiers working in thejob field and small detachments operatingfor an entire camp in theater, said Lee.

“Asacommander, I relyonour reviewsasan assessment of how we are managingourselvesintheFinanceOffice,anditgivesmea littlepeaceofmindbecause Iknowifourinternalcontrolstandardsarehigh,thenour risk of fraud or abuse is low,” saidLeppo.

“We are acting as the eyes and ears of thecommander, and we enjoy what we do,we’re always learning something andhaving a positive impact on the units wevisit,” said Lee.

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Master Sgt. Yuen S. Lee, a Brooklyn, N.Y. native and the internal controlnoncommissioned officer in charge with the 27th Finance ManagementCompany, 371st Sustainment Brigade reviews paperwork with Spc. GustavoA. Ramirez, an information management specialist with the 249th FinancialManagement Detachment on Sept. 3, 2013 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

Medic on Deck: Ohio SoldierExperiences Life at Sea

Photo and story byStaff Sgt.KimberlyS. Hill

“Doc, Doc I need help,” he shouts.

The young specialist jogs down thenarrowhallway, holdinghis finger andyelling.

He knocks on the door labeled ‘SickBay’ as he holds his finger tightly,blood drips from his hand to the gentlyrocking floor below.

The young female medic opens thedoor almost immediately, despite thelate hour, and quickly assesses theinjurywhile the soldier explains how ithappened.

She opens the door wider revealing afew personal possessions, a neatlymade bed and an open closet filledwith medical supplies which shebegins sorting through, grabbing whatshe needs to treat her patient.

Shebegins cleaningandbandaging thewound, working quickly andapologizing to the soldier for any painhe may feel.

“You’re always on call when you’re aboat medic,” Piening says with asmile.

Sgt. Rachel E. Piening, a combatmedic and aCincinnati,Ohio native, iscurrently serving as themedic on deckfor the United States Army vesselChurubusco, Landing Craft Utility2013 (LCU- 2013) of the ArmyWatercraft Company (Provisional)since her deployment in support ofOperation Enduring Freedom beganJuly 2013 at Kuwait Naval Base,Kuwait.

Piening,whoispartof themedicalsectionofthe371stSB,basedoutofSpringfield,Ohio,is tasked to provide medical support to thecrewof theLCU-2013.

Her duties include maintaining medicalequipment, diagnosing illness, and treatingany injurieswhileatport andat sea, saidSgt.Kimberly S. Brown, a Brevard, N.C. nativeand a medical administration sergeant withthe371stSB.

Theexcitementofbeingat sea alsoprovidesitsownuniquechallengestosafetyandhealththat surprised theOhiomedic, shesaid.

“Iwasjustsurprisedwiththetypesofinjuriesthatcanhappenwith thelinessnapping,”shesaid.“I’mnotaboatperson,soIwassurprised,thatdoesn’t evengo throughmymind.”

Workingwithropesandnetsisapartofthejobof a watercraft operator and includes ropesand lines to help anchor the vessel while atport, saidChiefWarrantOfficer2MichaelJ.Byrne, the vessel master of the LCU-2013andaSwansboro,N.C.native.

“It (the ropes) can sever limbs, we’re welltrained, but the layman might not see thedanger immediately,” saidByrne.

Aside from the danger of ropes, burns areanother potential risk due to the chemicalsusedbelowdeckintheengineroom,shesaid.

“Dealing with fuel, diesel and differentchemicalsmakes it a real risk,”Pieningsaid.

WhilePieningisalwaysoncall,sheisoftenondeckduringloadingandunloadingcargo,andparticipates in the frequent safety drills thevesselconducts, shesaid.

“They do abandon ship drills, fire drills andthingslikethataboutonceaweek;so,it’sbeenimportant forme to participate and not onlyseewhat theydo,but also to learnmyrole inthedrills,”Pieningsaid.

Despitethechallengesofworkingasamedicon an Army watercraft vessel, Piening isgrateful for the opportunity to not onlyexperiencealifeatsea,butalsotobroadenherhorizonsandknowledgeasanArmycombatmedic.

“It’s been a huge learning experience, I lovegoing out and learningwhat they’re doing,”shesaid.“Thebestpartisthatit’sawholenewexperience, I’ve never done anything likethis.”

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Sgt. Rachel E. Piening, a Cincinnati, Ohio nativeand a combat medic with the 371st SustainmentBrigade, bandages a cut on the finger of Spc.

Marcus C. Reece, a Trenton, N.C. native and a foodservice specialist with the Army Watercraft

Company (Provisional), 371st Sus. Bde. on Aug.25, 2013 while conducting operations at sea.

Sending SAMS to sea:Ohio National Guardsoldier mobilizesmaintenance system forArmy watercraftPhoto and story by Staff Sgt. Kimberly S. Hill

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Staff Sgt. Benjamin A. Burton, the Standard Army MaintenanceSystem (SAMS) coordinator for the Army Watercraft Company,371st Sustainment Brigade and a Quincy, Ky. native, explains

SAMS protocol to Staff Sgt. Dallas J. Hill, a boatswain with theFive Forks (LCU 2018) of the Army Watercraft Company and aTampa, Fla. native at Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait on Aug. 15,2013. Burton created a way for the stationary maintenance

tracking system to be made mobile, so the Watercraft Companycould track their maintenance needs while at sea.

“Theboatswerebasicallyinvisibletous,wehadno way of tracking them and every time onebroke down it would place strain on the othervessels since the turnaround times formaintenance were so slow,” said Staff Sgt.BenjaminA.Burton.

“It really affectedmission readiness, which isunacceptable since the watercraft vessels playsuch a huge role in hauling equipment andsupplies all over theater and aiding in thedrawdownfromAfghanistan,”heexplained.

Burton, the Standard Army Maintenancesystem (SAMS) coordinator for the ArmyWatercraft Company, 371st SustainmentBrigadewashandedthechallengeofsettingupaconsistentandefficientwaytoinstallandusethestationary SAMS on the mobile ArmywatercraftvesselsinJulyof2013,justonemonthintohiscurrentdeployment.

TheQuincy,Ky. nativewhohas served in theArmyNational Guard in landlockedOhio hiswholecareer,wassurprisedwhenhewastaskedwith using the SAMS for Army watercraftvessels, equipmenthehasneverencountered.

“Thechallengewiththevesselsisthattheyaren’tjustapieceofequipment,they’reawholeunit,”saidBurton.“I’vebeenintheArmyfor13yearsandIdidn’tevenknowwehadboats.”

Armedwith his knowledge of SAMSandhiscivilian experience as a production controlmanagerat anFieldMaintenanceShop for theOhioNationalGuard inPiketon,Ohio,Burtonworked long hours while deployed to CampArifjantocreateasolutionthatwouldsolvethemaintenance issues of the Army WatercraftCompany.

“Itwasapainstakingprocess,Iknewitcouldbedone,Ijustdidn’tknowhowitcouldbedone. Ispentalotoftimeinthelab,”hesaid.

“Theproblemhasbeeninthepast,formultipleyearsintheater,howdoyoutrackmaintenance

onaboatbecauseaboat’smobileandSAMSisfixedtoaspot,”saidBurton.

Maintenance is an integral part in themissionreadiness of the Army and is usually astreamlinedprocess.

“SAMSistheArmy’sfleetmanagementtool,”saidSgt1stClassJoelA.Capell,aWilliard,Ohionative and a SAMS operator in supportoperationswiththe371stSustainmentBrigade,an Ohio National Guard unit based out ofSpringfield,Ohio.

Deficiencies are entered into a computer usingthe SAMS, which records the information,sendsit tohigherheadquarters,recordsthefaultin thevehicle’smaintenancehistoryandordersthereplacementpart.

Assimpleasthistaskmayseem,hereatKuwaitNaval Base, Kuwait, the use of SAMShasn’tbeenappliedtoanextremelyimportantyetoftenforgotten piece of Army equipment: Armywatercraft.

SAMS,anefficientandintegralpieceofArmymaintenance for land equipment, was notpreviouslyused inaconsistentmanner to trackmaintenanceandorderequipmentintheaterformore mobile pieces of equipment, likewatercraftvessels.

TheArmyWatercraft Company, 371st SB, iscurrently deployed toKuwaitNaval Base andtheirvesselsareoftenatseawithoutunclassifiednetwork access and no way to send theinformation back to base or correctly use theSAMS installed on the boat, which untilrecently,satinthecornercollectingdust.

As a result, maintenance was often a slowprocessandleadershipwasinthedarkaboutthemaintenance issues or problems that the boatswereexperiencing.

“The question was posed, ‘how can we trackmaintenance and their logistic needs in thistheater?’”saidBurton.

Burton devised a systemwith a standard fixedverysmallaperturesatellitesystemandSAMScomputer. They act as a conduit at the vesselsupportoffice(VSO).Whileatsea,thecrewcansendanimageoftheirSAMScomputerwiththedefaultslistedinthesystemasanencryptedfile.The encrypted file is receivedbyacoordinatormanning aSAMScomputer at theVSOwhothen enters the data for parts andmaintenance.An image of the computer after the data isentered is then sent back to the vessel, heexplained.

Thisallowsdeficienciesandmaintenanceissuestoberecordedimmediately,nomatterwherethevesselisintheworld,saidBurton.

“Icaninonesystemfindafault,analyzeit,figureoutwhatweneed,howlongitwilltaketofix,it,order the parts and track where the parts are,”StaffSgt.DallasJ.Hill,aboatswainwiththeFiveForks (LCU 2018) of the Army WatercraftCompanyandaTampa,Fla.native.

“They’ve been having a lot of logistical issueswith the fact that theycan’tgetparts, theirpartscomeinslowortheyhavereallylongleadtimesbecause they haven’t been generating theirdemandsinSAMS,”hesaid.

It’s also helping the Watercraft Company’svisibility, since the SAMS updates higherheadquarterswhenademandisgenerated,saidCapell.

“We’vebroughtvisibilitytothehigherechelonsowhenevertheyhitsnagswecangivethemthesupporttheyneed,”saidBurton.

With the implementationofSAMS, theArmyWatercraftCompany,basedoutofFortEustis,Va.,isalreadybeginningtoseefasterturnaroundtimesforneededpartsandmaintenance.

“It’sreallystreamlinedourprocessandmadeusmuchmoreefficient,”saidHill.

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The diver’s bright yellow helmet isvisible beneath the clear waters ofthe PersianGulf as he swims up to theramp where his team members wait.

His hands break the surface of thewater first, as he hoists his body onthe ramp and his team circles aroundhim to help pull him out of the waterand unto the vessel.

They help him remove his helmet andtake his air tank off his back as hebegins unzipping his wet suit.

TheArmy diver collapses into a fold-

out chair provided for him while hisfellow divers remove his shoes andpeel his wet suit off his legs,congratulating him on a job welldone and asking him questions abouthis dive.

Although the diver is exhausted fromhours spent below the surfacepatching equipment, he answers thequestions with a slight smile on hisface, knowing he has just passed hissalvage diving qualification.

Soldiers with the 86th Engineer DiveTeam and the crew of the

Churubusco, Landing Craft Utility2013 with the Army WatercraftCompany, 371st SustainmentBrigade, conducted salvage diveoperations in the Persian Gulf nearKuwait Naval Base, Kuwait on Sept.24, 2013.

“For us in the dive field, engineers,you need to have the salvage levelqualification within a year of beingpromoted to sergeant, it’s somethingthey need in order to progress in thedive field,” said Capt. MatthewSchiller, a Germantown, N.Y. native

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Soldiers of the 86th Engineer Dive Team conduct salvage dive operations from the deck of the Churubusco, LandingCraft Utility 2013, Army Watercraft Company, 371st Sustainment Brigade near Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait on Sept.24, 2013

and the commanding officer for the86th Engineer Dive Team.

The divers who participated doveapproximately 30 feet and afterassessing the situation, they weresupplied with the equipment neededand patched a vessel at the bottom ofthe Persian Gulf, he said.

“We put the diver in the water, theyassess what they need, we make thepatch on deck and then they repairit,” said Schiller.

To earn their qualifications, the

divers must successfully assess andrepair the equipment without any aidand complete their task in only acouple of hours, said Staff Sgt. DavidCraig, a diving supervisor with the86th Engineer Dive Team and aHonolulu, Hawaii native.

“I assessed the hole, to see if it couldactually have a patch put on, itcouldn’t so I had to actually cut themetal first in order to put the patchon,” said Spc. Thomas P. Hunnicutt,an Army diver with the 86thEngineer Dive Team and a Macon,

Ga. Native.

The exercise granted some of thenewest members of the team animportant qualification, whichensures that all members of the teamare certified to appropriate level inthe dive field, said Craig.

“Rank goes with rate in our field, thesalvage diver level is a diver whereI’m fully confident that they can godown by themselves, map out thescene and do all the work I needaccomplished without directionfrom me,” said Craig.

86th Engineer Dive TeamConducts Salvage Dive in

the Persian GulfPhoto and Story by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hill

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A view below deck: Army watercraftengineers share their experiences

Photos and Story by Staff Sgt KimberlyS. Hill

Thewavesof thePersianGulf lapgentlyat the hull of the vessel as it sways backand forth along the port. The air ishumid, but comfortable as a cool winddrifts in from the sea.

The sun sets on the horizon, castinggolden and pink shadows on the bluewaters and the deck of the boat.

It’s a tranquil and beautiful image of lifeat sea aboard anArmywatercraft vessel.

Below decks it’s an entirely differentimage.

In the engine room below soldiers aregathered around a piece of machinery,theair is15degreeswarmerandfarmorehumid then above deck.

The scent of chemicals, diesel and oilcoat the air and the constant noise of theengines churning makes it almostimpossible to hear anything else.

Oil is splatteredon thewallbehind them,coating the white paint with streaks ofthickoilwhere a capbrokeoff oneof theengines earlier.

The soldiers work quickly in repairingthe leak, shouting commands above thedin of the engines and wiping their oilstreaked hands on their mechanicjumpsuits.

The soldiers are Army watercraftengineers, and it’s their job to maintainthe picturesque image above deck bymaintaining the equipment below.

“If they don’t do their job, there is noway I can do mine, said Chief Warrant

Officer 2 Michael J. Byrne, aSwansboro, N.C. native and the vesselmaster of the LCU-2013.

Watercraft engineers of the UnitedStates Army Vessel Churubusco,LandingCraftUtility 2013 (LCU-2013)with the Army Watercraft Company(Provisional), 371st SustainmentBrigade, have the challenge ofmaintaining not only theirtransportation, but also their home atKuwait Naval Base, Kuwait.

Both at sea and at port, the watercraftvessel serves not only as a piece ofequipment, butwhere the soldiers sleep,eatand live, saidOmarJ.Cruz, firstmateof the LCU-2013 and a Tampa, Fla.native.

The soldiers of the LCU-2013 are withthe 824th Transportation Company andare headquartered out of MoorheadCity,N.C.,with adetachment inTampa,Fla.

Thegeographicallyseparatedunithad tolearn to work together and become anintegrated unit for their currentdeployment in support of OperationEnduring Freedom.

“There isn’t a job on this boat thatdoesn’tmatter, everyone interlockswitheach other,” said Spc. Lisa F. Carlisle, awatercraft engineerwithLCU-2013andaKansas City, Kansas native. “Half thecrew of this boat is from the Tampadetachment and the rest are fromMorehead City, it doesn’t matter.”

Whether the boat is at port or at sea it isthe engineers job to constantly performpreventative maintenance checks andinspect and maintain the equipment to

ensure the boat is mission capable andthe mission will be completed while atsea, said Carlisle.

“Ifwebroke downat sea,we could drift,wecould float intoenemywaters thatwedon’t want to be in, we could have firesor damaged equipment very easily,”said Cruz.

The expertise and skill required to avoidsuch catastrophic events means thateach engineer is licensed to a specificlevel and must maintain their licensingthroughout their military service, whichcan be a challenge for reservists, saidByrne.

The very unique thing about our field(Army watercraft) is that it is licensedriven,” said Byrne. “Maintaining thatlicense is difficult for a reservist, ourannual trainings are usually at least 29days, a month away from home duringthe summer.”

Carlisle looks at her job as a way to seethe impactofherhardwork immediatelyas well as a way to prove to her husbandthat she’s more than capable to be anengineer, she said.

“I like adventures and I thought thiswould be an adventure,” said Carlisle.“My husband said it was harder forwomen to be mechanics, so of course Ihad to prove him wrong.”

Despite the challenges of the jobcoupled with hot and dirty work, theengineers of LCU-2013 wouldn’t wantto be doing anything else.

“Every day you learn something new,there’s so much down here,” said Spc.Miguel S. Rodriguez, a watercraftengineer with the LCU-2013 and aTampa, Fla. native. “It feels good at theend of the day.”

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Above: Sgt. Arthur Sims, a Brooklyn, NY native and a watercraft engineer with the ArmyWatercraft Company (Provisional),371st Sustainment Brigade inspects equipment in the engine room of the United States Army watercraft vessel, Churubusco,Landing Craft Utility 2013 at sea on Aug. 27, 2013. The crew of the LCU-2013 is currently deployed in support of OperationEnduring Freedom at Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait. Below: Spc. Miguel S. Rodriguez, a Tampa Fla. native and a watercraftengineer with the ArmyWatercraft Company (Provisional), 371st Sustainment Brigade and Spc. Kevin L. Terre, a LaceyWash.Native and a watercraft engineer also with the ArmyWatercraft Company (Provisional), 371st Sus. Bde., change the oil of oneof the engines on the United States Army watercraft vessel, Churubusco, Landing Craft Utility 2013 at sea on Aug. 27, 2013.The crew of the LCU-2013 is currently deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom at Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait.

Photo and Story by Staff Sgt.Kimberly Hill

Soldiers of the 371st SustainmentBrigade, currently deployed insupport of Operation EnduringFreedom, organized and ran ashadow marathon of the AkronMarathon on Sept. 28, 2013 atCamp Arifjan, Kuwait.

“I was really proud to be a part ofthe Akron Marathon. I had the

opportunity to carry the AmericanFlag for the duration of the event,and truthfully that is what got methrough,” said Spc. Brian Soucie,an intelligence analyst with the371st SB and a Cleveland, Ohionative.

“Every time I wanted to quit I had tothink of setting down the flag andwhat that means to me, it was justunacceptable, so I kept moving,” he

said.

Over 300 service members andcivilians came out to run the event,with 191 runners finishing eitherthe half-marathon, full marathon orrelay race, said 1st Lt. KevinMcgee, the race coordinator for theshadow run.

“This is the first half marathon ofthe fall running season, we haven’thad one all summer, but now the

371 Coordinates and Runs

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weather’s cooling down,” saidMcGee.

Mcgee, the Kuwaiti National Guardliaison officer and supportoperations officer with the 371stSB, was in charge of organizing theevent, which included coordinatingwith the Akron Marathonorganizers, mapping 5K, half-marathon and full marathon routes,he said.

“They sent us medals, a startingbanner, really making us feel likewe’re right back at home in Ohio,”Mcgee said.

While the event was open to allmilitary service members andcivilians at Camp Arifjan, the eventallowed soldiers from the 371st SB,an Ohio Army National Guard unitbased out of Springfield, Ohio, toshow support for the state most of

them call home.

“All who ran yesterday showed thatthe desert, the night, the confinedtraining environment, the austeredeployment . . . none of these areenough to defeat our spirit. Isincerely thank each one of you foryour participation in this physicallychallenging event,” said McGee.

s Akron Shadow Marathon

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Service members and civillians start the Akron ShadowMarathon at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on Sept. 28th , 2013

By Lt. Col. Mark A. Raaker, 371Special Troops Battalion,Commander

Professions provide a service to societythrough the expert and ethicalapplication of knowledge and practice.Professions are granted significantautonomy in the society they servebecause of the trust they earn. Theygovern and police themselves, holdingone another to a set of standards.Familiar professions include doctors,lawyers, clergy, architects andengineers. The "Army Profession" isa uniquevocationof experts certified inthe design, generation, support, andethical application of land power,serving under civilian authority andentrusted to defend the Constitution

and the rights and interests of theAmerican people.

We,membersof theArmyand theOhioNational Guard, are professionals. Weare professionals because of ourcompetence, character, andcommitment. We are members of thebest trained force available to anynational government. We holdourselves to a standard that sets theexample for all other Armies of theworld.We strive to be the best in all wedo. Our character and commitment issuch that we volunteer for thisprofession, to provide the security anddefense of our great nation. We do sowillingly knowing of the hardships itentails and with the knowledge that wemay make the ultimate sacrifice in theservice of our country.

Dr. Don Snider, a CAPESenior Fellowstated “The Army is a professionbecause of the expert work it produces,because the people in the Armydevelop themselves to beprofessionals, and because the Armycertifies them as such. They’re not justtime servers, they’re not governmentbureaucrats; these are people who aremotivated intrinsically by a calling—farmore than a job—thedesire to serveand defend the Republic.”

I amhumbled that in such an honorableorganization, I am allowed to be aleader. I am ever amazed at the talentand professionalism that is displayedby those that serve beside me. I ambrought to tears when I consider thelove and support of our families andfriends. I am blessed. I am proud to bea Soldier.

OUR PROFESSION

THE PROFESSION OF ARMS

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