Sustainer September 2012

September2012

Sustainer
Published in the interest of Joint Sustainment Command - Afghanistan Soldiers and their Families

Riggers inspect airdrop bundles
Page 6

Medics tackle battlefield stress
Page 10

Volume4 Sustainer September2012

On the inside ... From the editor:
Commander’s Corner Welcome to the fourth edition of Sustainer
magazine - a monthly publication by the Joint Sus-
Page 3 tainment Command - Afghanistan Public Affairs Of-
fice.
The Chaplain’s Office
Page 3 This magazine is for you - Soldiers and Fami-
lies of the JSC-A. We’d like to get your feedback on
CSM’s Corner the content and anything you’d like to see in future
Page 4 issues, so send me an e-mail, or write on our Face-
book wall (www.facebook.com/3dESC).
Truck rodeo I want to remind everyone that the deadlines
Page 5 for submitting absentee ballot requests are coming
up soon. It is extremely important that every Soldier
KAF riggers inspect bundles and Family member takes the time to vote - it is a
Page 6 right we defend, so we need to take the time to exer-
cise that right.
Wounded Warrior run
Page 7 Each state has different deadlines and re-
quirements, so head on over to FVAP.gov to find the
Air drop mission exact details for your home state, and as always, if
you have any questions, or need any help, please let
Page 8 me know.
WLC graduation As always, be sure to keep informed through
Page 9 the 3d ESC and FRG Facebook pages for the latest on
events and information.
Battlefield stress training
Page 10 Sgt. 1st Class Rob Strain
Sustainer Editor
UMO rodeo
Page 11
Cooks back in the kitchen
Page 13
And much more ...

The Sustainer magazine is an authorized publication for members of the DOD.
Contents of Sustainer are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by,
the U.S. Government or the Department of the Army. The editorial content of this
publication is the responsibility of the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)
Public Affairs Office.

Brig. Gen. Kristin French, Comanding General, 3d ESC

Maj. Jim Bono, Public Affairs Officer

Sgt. 1st Class Rob Strain, Sustainer Editor

Staff Sgt. Michael Behlin, Sustainer Staff Writer
Sgt. Candice L. Funchess, Sustainer Staff Writer

Contributing Writers:
Sgt. Gregory Williams

The Sustainer staff can be reached by email at robert.j.strain.mil@mail.mil, by
phone: (502) 624-8523, or by mail to 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary),
ATTN: PAO, 1747 Old Ironsides Ave, Fort Knox, KY 40121.

Spc. Tiffany D. Major, a parachute rigger, 647th Quartermaster Detachment, secures cargo on a C-130 aircraft on August 1, 2012 at Kandahar Air-
field. Cargo must be properly loaded in order to make sure it lands intact at a landing zone (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams)

Page 2


Commander’s Corner - Afghanistan
Joint Sustainment Command
Brig. Gen. Kristin French
Sustainer Families and friends, forces, the remainder of JSC-A
has been extremely busy with
Greetings Sustainers and sustaining the Warfighters and
Families! It is hard to believe, but facilitating the reset and redeploy-
we are at the half-way mark on ment of personnel and equipment.
our current Afghanistan deploy- On every occasion, your Soldiers
ment! As with all long deploy- have worked hard and executed
ments, the first half of our time missions well above their expecta-
away seems to take forever, but we tions.
expect the second half to pass by
a lot quicker. The good news is we With the start of the
are closer to returning to you, our school-year, there are many fami-
Families and friends, at Fort Knox ly-related programs and agencies
and elsewhere in the United States. now available on-post. I highly
encourage you to use them. Also,
A lot has happened over contact our Family Readiness
the past thirty days and I expect Support Assistant, Family Readi-
more updates and modifications as ness Group POCs and 3d ESC
we continue our deployment. The rear detachment to ensure that
biggest change this past month you are receiving the most current
is that we added another subor- who are responsible for advising, information from homestation as
dinate brigade to our formation. assisting and processing equip- well as updates from Afghanistan.
The 593d Sustainment Brigade, ment departing the country. All
from Fort Lewis, Washington, 3000+ individuals are assigned to As always, thank you for
recently arrived in Afghanistan to an organization called the CENT- the support you’ve showed us to
lead/manage selected units who COM Materiel Recovery Element date on this deployment. We ap-
are here assisting in US Forces’ (CMRE). They have a lot to do, but preciate everything. Have a great
retrograde/drawdown. The bri- the 593d and subordinate units September!
gade is currently headquartered are part of the first wave of logisti-
with us in Kandahar Airfield and cians dedicated to this task. Sustaining the Line!
oversees over 3000 newly-arrived Brig. Gen. Kristin K. French
military and civilian personnel Along with the CMRE Sustainer 6

The Chaplain’s Command - Afghanistan
Joint Sustainment Office
Chaplain David VanderJagt
The Halfway Point goal. this mission of sustainment and
retrograde going strong. We have
There is something spe- Once we cross that half finished the first half, and the
cial that happens to one’s psyche, way point, we are reminded that journey ahead is ours for the tak-
one’s emotions, and sometimes the journey ahead of us is shorter ing. We can, we will, and we must
even one’s spirit when they reach than the journey behind. It is at finish strong.
the half way point in any impor- this point in which we take a deep
tant endeavor. breath, re-gather our resolve, and We look ahead knowing
determine not to be stopped before now that the journey left before
I think we all have set the goal, the task, or the mission us is now shorter than what is
goals in our past, that with reflec- is accomplished. behind. As a chaplain, I also know
tion, we can remember the exhila- that during this journey we do not
ration that we felt when we knew Well JSC-A, we are at that travel alone. May God, who has
that we were half way there. An special time in our journey. We sustained us this far, carry us the
example would be, if we are moti- are running the race hard, we are rest of the way, until we all arrive
vated about losing twenty pounds, fighting a good fight, and the mis- safely at home. Mission Complete.
then when ten pounds have been sion is being accomplished. Let us
lost, we “know” we can make our resolve to finish to the end, to keep Chaplain VanderJagt

Page 3


Command Sgt. Command - Afghanistan
Joint Sustainment Maj.’s Corner
Command Sgt. Maj. Karl Roberts
Greetings from Kandahar Air- Resiliency is basically the
field, ability to bounce back or adjust
easily from unexpected changes or
Team - I would like to first issues.
say thank you to the families,
friends and community supporters Although we as Soldiers
of the 3d Sustainment Command are trained to be resilient, we
(Expeditionary) for the continued sometimes need a push from our
amount of support for our Soldiers support network to keep us going.
as we continue through this de-
ployment. If we continue to practice
resilience as one team, there isn’t
I would also like to thank anything we can’t accomplish.
our Rear Detachment for their
dedication to our forward mission Again, thank you all for
and their flexibility. your support. Remember to sus-
tain the line!
We are a fortunate organi-
zation to have such amazing sup- Sustaining the Line!
porters on our team. CSM Karl A. Roberts
Sustainer 7
We are heading into the
second half of our deployment and
things are rapidly changing.
bers of the 3rd ESC team.
As you know 3rd ESC
is shifting personnel due to the Because of these events, I
drawdown of troops in theater. thought it would be a good time to
stress the importance of resilience.
Those sent to UL and those
sent home are still valuable mem-

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Page4


Truckers collide at first ever KAF rodeo

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The
25th Transportation Company hosted the first ever
Kandahar Airfield Truck Rodeo on August 17, 2012.

The units that participated were the 515th,
781st, 25th and 1486th Transportation Companies,
whose mission is to support Joint Sustainment Com-
mand- Afghanistan Soldiers throughout southern
Afghanistan.

“This competition is great because it gives
drivers the opportunity to prove just how good they
are,” said Spc. Audrie W. Dary, a truck driver and
team member with the 515th Transportation Com-
pany. “The hardest thing at this competition is going
A M915 navigates through a Serpentine obstacle during the first ever Kan-
to be that backward Serpentine obstacle though.” dahar Airfield Truck Rodeo on August 17, 2012. The truck rodeo graded
truck drivers on their maneuvering and abilities on different vehicles. (U.S.
The goal of the truck rodeo was to not only Army photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams)
provide an opportunity for truck drivers to sharpen minating mystery event.
their skills, but to also allow the winning unit to
have bragging rights and be called the best transpor- To take part in the rodeo, drivers had to be
tation company at Kandahar Airfield. licensed on both the M915 and PLS. Each transpor-
tation company had the opportunity to send three
“The armor on these vehicles takes away their personnel per vehicle type to compete in the competi-
peripheral vision and forces the drivers to use their tion.
better judgment,” said Sgt. 1st Class Rohan Duncan
of the 25th Transportation Company, who was also Drivers were graded by a point system de-
one of the rodeo’s judges. “The rodeo is to not only termined by judges which included deductions for
provide motivation and morale, but it makes them hitting cones, time taken to complete an obstacle and
better drivers too.” not following safe practices.

For most Soldiers who operate both the up- “These guys drive through a lot of narrow
armored Palletized Load System and M915 vehicles, roads and bridges on their convoy routes so we’re
the only opportunity to become better drivers are looking at how they maneuver through the obsta-
during convoys, which can present challenges rang- cles,” Duncan said. “This is a simulation of what they
ing from tight alleys to rough terrain. encounter out there already and 75% of the rodeo is
based on judgment.”
The obstacles simulated during the rodeo
included the alley dock, serpentine course and a cul- Duncan said that competitions like this could
help the government save money.

“Simple accidents cost money,” Duncan said.
“People don’t realize that just like in the civilian
world, broken mirrors and vehicles sideswiping each
other costs money. The less accidents truck drivers
have, the more money the Army saves so definitely
this is still helping us train.”

Duncan said there are no losers when it
comes to training because the truck rodeo brought
drivers together from different Army components.

“We have active duty and National Guard out
here learning from each other so regardless to who-
ever wins we all had fun and this has left me feeling
humble,” Duncan said.
Soldiers with the 515th Transportation Company change a Palletized Load
System’s tire during the truck rodeo competition on August 17, 2012 at
Kandahar Airfield. The truck rodeo’s culminating mystery event chal- “I’m glad we had the chance to build camara-
lenged drivers to change a tire and load cargo on the PLS as fast as they derie with one another.”
could. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams)

Page5


KAF riggers inspect air drop bundles
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Af-
ghanistan - Work starts at 1 a.m.
for a group of Soldiers with the
647th Quartermaster Detachment.
As one of the Soldiers, Spc. Manu-
el A. Perez, a parachute rigger with
the 647th Quartermaster Detach-
ment inspects a cargo load, the
pitch black morning sky causes
him to use a mini flashlight as he
climbs on top of the 5-foot stack.

Sifting and shivering, Perez
continues to inspect and tie knots
on the load trying to ensure that
it will pass flight inspection. If the
load is rejected, the fuel will not
reach the Soldiers out in the field
and these days fuel is more pre-
cious to them than gold. Spc. Tiffany D. Major, a parachute rigger with the 647th Quartermaster Detachment, ties a knot on a
cargo load on August 1, 2012 at Kandahar Airfield. Parachute riggers must make sure all knots and
straps are correctly tied down on each cargo load. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams)
After an hour of making
sure the loads are ready for in- the load to burn in.” that air drop missions are crucial
spection, Perez rubs his hands to the Soldiers in the field.
together and yells, “Alright, let’s When cargo that is air
move out”, signaling the riggers to dropped crashes to a landing site, “Some of the smaller out-
move the cargo to the flight line. it is considered a burn in, which stations that we support can only
could result in wasted supplies be supplied by air drop,” Bradford
“Other than working long and government dollars. said. “Not only does utilization
hours I would say getting last min- of air drop give us the ability to
ute missions are a big challenge, Warrant Officer Roger ensure the war fighter receives
but hey it is what it is,” Perez Bradford, an air drop systems the commodities they need, it also
said. “Passing inspection is really technician with the 647th Quar- reduces the requirement for items
important because you don’t want termaster Detachment, said some to be convoyed.”
of the things important to the rig-
gers before getting the cargo ready The work loads may vary
are the weight and quantity of the and the hours may be long, but
commodities a unit in the field sometimes the riggers get to enjoy
requests. the fruits of their labor.

“We have to calculate how “Sometimes we get to go
many bundles it will take to rig out in a Chinook helicopter on an
the commodities and depending on air drop mission to push out our
how many bundles we calculate own loads so that’s always cool to
we may require multiple aircraft,” do,” Perez said.
Bradford said.
Whether the cargo is
In order to make sure dropped out of a hovering Chinook
the detachment books the right or out of a C-130 aircraft flying
amount of aircraft and cargo thousands of feet in the air, the
doesn’t burn in, the riggers work riggers don’t care how the cargo
with the 772nd Expeditionary gets there; it just has to get there
Airlift Squadron to make sure in one piece.
each bundle gets to the drop zone
A loadmaster with the 772nd Expeditionary
Airlift Squadron signals for a cargo load to be securely.
released out of a C-130 aircraft August 1, 2012
over Southern Afghanistan. Air drop operations As the two services work
are conducted by the squadron in order to sus-
tain troops in the field. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. together to get cargo from the
Gregory Williams) skies to the field, the riggers know
Page 6


KAF hosts Wounded Warrior fundraiser
Sgt. Candice L. Funchess
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – There
are few causes that Soldiers, civilians and local na-
tionals in a deployed environment come together in
support of. Friday morning, the Joint Sustainment
Command- Afghanistan Chapter of the Sergeant
Audie Murphy Club sponsored such a cause bringing
roughly 475 participants together in support of a run
for the Wounded Warrior Project here at Kandahar
Airfield.

The JSC-A Chapter, headquartered by the
3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) based in
Fort Knox, Ky., hosted a week-long fundraiser which
culminated in a check presentation of nearly $11,000 Roughly 475 participants wait for the horn to start the 5K run for the
to the Wounded Warrior Project and a 5k run. Wounded Warrior Project at Kandahar Airfield Aug. 10. The run was
hosted by the Joint Sustainment Command-Afghanistan Chapter of the
Sergeant Audie Murphy Club. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Candice L. Funch-
Sergeant Audie Murphy Club members held ess)
several meetings to decide how to give back to the
The “he” Smith referred to was Sgt. Audie
local community here on KAF. That is, after all, what
Leon Murphy himself. Murphy was the most deco-
the club is all about according to Sgt. 1st Class Ches-
rated combat soldier of World War II. The advocate
tine Sanders, the brigade operations non commis-
for veterans, was awarded the Medal of Honor for
sioned officer in charge for Headquarters and Head-
“conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of
quarters Company, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade
his life and above the call of duty.” The S.A.M.C. was
and chapter secretary, originally from Pine Bluff,
founded on the principles Murphy exemplified.
Arkansas. “The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club is an
elite group of NCOs that give back to the community.” The wounded warriors appreciated the sup-
port the S.A.M.C. generated according to Staff Sgt.
“We thought it would be a good way to let the
Scott Mason, the KAF Wounded Warrior Center
wounded warriors know they’re not forgotten,” said
NCOIC, originally from Rochester, N.Y. Mason at-
Master Sgt. Wyman E. Loveless, senior enlisted advi-
tended the event and received the check on behalf of
sor for religious support operations for JSC-A and the
the center. “They [wounded warriors] were also sur-
chapter president, originally from Lawton, Okla. “It’s
prised by the amount [of the check],” said Mason. The
one thing to say something but it sends a totally dif-
center plans to use the money to buy the necessary
ferent message when you do something for someone.”
items first, such as eye protection, shower shoes and
One of the participants of the run, Sgt. 1st wounded warrior physical training gear.
Class Scott D. Smith, a decorated wounded warrior
Appreciation was the common theme from all
from San Antonio, Texas definitely received the mes-
the people involved in the event. The participants
sage. “He did a lot in his time and the club is living
and club members were appreciative of the sacrifices
on in his name by supporting the rest of the wounded
the wounded warriors made. The wounded warriors
warriors.”
were grateful for the sentiment the club members and
participants showed. The club members were thank-
ful for the support of the community as well.

“We want to let people know there’s no way
we could’ve done this event without people’s sup-
port,” said Loveless. “The amount of support we have
received over this last week has been overwhelming.”

The JSC-A Chapter is scheduled to host sev-
eral more events in support of soldiers in the coming
months.

“It’s just about taking care of soldiers,” said
Sgt. Maj. Cynthia R. Johnson, operations senior
Members of the S.A.M.C. and volunteers of the event take a photo with
the check that was presented in honor of the Wounded Warrior Project at enlisted advisor for JSC-A and S.A.M.C. member.
Kandahar Airfield Aug. 10. The money raised will help purchase needed “That’s just what we do.”
supplies for the wounded warriors. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Candice L.
Funchess)

Page7


10th SB coordinates air drop missions
for JSC-A Soldiers

David R. Thompson, a loadmaster with the Flightworks Inc., begins a
systems check on an automatic cargo release system on August 8, 2012
inside of a Caribou aircraft. Thompson has completed 50 air drop missions
as a loadmaster, helping to deliver cargo to Joint Sustainment Command
– Afghanistan Soldiers and Special Forces Operational Teams. (U.S. Army
photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams)

ABOVE: David R. Thompson, a loadmaster with
Flightworks Inc., and 2nd Lt. David McDevitt,
the officer in charge of air movement for the
622nd Movement Control Detachment, rig cargo
loads on August 8, 2012 inside of a Caribou
aircraft. The 622nd MCT helps coordinate air
drop missions for Joint Sustainment Command-
Afghanistan units who need supplies in
southern Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt.
Gregory Williams)

LEFT: A Soldier stands on a 25K Loader as cargo
is loaded onto a Caribou aircraft on August 8,
2012 at Bagram Airfield. The 10th Sustainment
Brigade coordinates with contractors to drop
supplies, food and water by air to Troops in the
field who fall under the Joint Sustainment Com-
mand – Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt.
Gregory Williams)

Page8


Sustainer speaks at Third Army WLC graduation
Staff Sgt. Michael Behlin one of the places where you get the
basics.”
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD,
Afghanistan – Command Sgt. Maj. Third Army’s WLC is the
Karl A. Roberts, the senior enlist- Army’s only forward deployed WLC
ed advisor for Joint Sustainment course.
Command – Afghanistan and the
3d Sustainment Command (Ex- Over the course of 15 days,
peditionary), recently served as Soldiers are tested on the fun-
the guest speaker for the Third damentals of leadership, both in
Army Noncommissioned Officer and out of the classroom. Training
Academy’s Warrior Leader Course during the course included conducting
graduation ceremony at Camp squad tactics exercises and sur-
Buehring, Kuwait on August 6, veying counter improvised explo-
2012. sive devices.

Roberts considered his par- For Command Sgt. Maj.
ticipation in the event to be special Franko J. Antolovich, the Third
as the Soldiers attending received Army NCO Academy Comman-
the opportunity to attend a Non- dant, his choice to select Roberts
commissioned Officer Education as guest speaker was special as he
System school while deployed to a considers him a great role model
combat zone. for the Army’s junior leaders.
Command Sgt. Maj. Karl A. Roberts, the senior
enlisted advisor for Joint Sustainment Com- “CSM Roberts’ words of
Roberts said he was hon- mand – Afghanistan and the 3d Sustainment
ored to have the opportunity to Command (Expeditionary), recently served as wisdom to the graduates of War-
speak to the future leaders of the
the guest speaker for the Third Army Noncom- rior Leader Course Class 12-708
missioned Officer Academy’s Warrior Leader
U.S. Army. Course graduation ceremony at Camp Buehring, were especially pertinent and ap-
Kuwait on August 6, 2012. (U.S. Army photo by preciated as these Soldiers take
Staff Sgt. Michael Behlin)
“With your graduation charge on the challenging journey
here, you’ve become members of “It is often said amongst of leadership and assume their
a select group who’ve attended an us older, seasoned NCO’s that we positions as leaders in the U.S.
NCOES while deployed,” Roberts need to get back to the basics. Army,” said Antolovich.
told the graduating Soldiers. Here, in Warrior Leader Course, is
“We thank CSM Roberts for
investing his time and energy into
the future of all Soldiers. He is an
awesome role model for whom I
have the utmost respect and admi-
ration for.”

In all, 125 Soldiers gradu-
ated during the ceremony for WLC
Class 12-708. In his remarks to
the graduates, Antolovich encour-
aged them to perform the duties
expected of a NCO.

“Go back to your units and
have the courage to take charge;
you owe it to America’s sons and
daughters to lead well,” Antolovich
said.

“Train America’s warriors
to think critically and creatively,
and to operate in any environment
Command Sgt. Maj. Karl A. Roberts, the senior enlisted advisor for Joint Sustainment Command – and lead our Army to fight, win
Afghanistan and the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), speaks to graduates of the Third and survive our Nations wars.”
Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy’s Warrior Leader Course graduation ceremony at Camp
Buehring, Kuwait on August 6, 2012. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Behlin)

Page9


Combat medics receive battlefield stress training

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - As four
Soldiers watched Jeopardy in the hospital waiting
room, a female Soldier began looking over the stack
of papers she’d just received after a briefing.

Her eyes skimming over the front page, Spc.
Larre A. Donaldson, a combat medic, 1086th Trans-
portation Company, began to read how Soldiers could
employ daily self relaxation techniques.

For Donaldson treating the warfighter is not
a game as the task to help Soldiers seek treatment
begins now.

Armed with the new material and playaway
Spc. Larre A. Donaldson, a combat medic with the 1086th Transportation
listening devices in hand, she exits the room pre- Company, reads the instructions on the back of a playaway listening device
pared to administer psychological first aid to help on August 7, 2012 at Bagram Airfield. Combat medics give the listening
device to their patients for relaxation treatment in order to combat stress
Soldiers combat stress on and off the battlefield. and anxiety. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams)

Donaldson and four other combat medics with officer in charge of combat stress for the 455th Expe-
the 10th Sustainment Brigade attended a battlefield ditionary Medical Operation Squadron, who gave the
stress brief on August 7, 2012 at Bagram Airfield. brief to the combat medics, told the combat medics
that it takes a lot of swallowed pride for Soldiers to
“It’s not just worrying about Soldiers getting seek help dealing with stress.
hit in the field,” Donaldson said. “It’s about always
looking out for them because it’s not just the physical As he handed out material that described
injuries that affect how they perform. I just want to emotional reaction to trauma, Sefcik dumped the
be there for support any way I can.” playaways on the table showing the group a new
medical instrument they could use to treat the warf-
Local combat stress facilities and medical ighters they encounter.
units are partnering together to promote mental
health to Soldiers they treat out on the battlefield. “Combat medics are the first line of support
for our Troops so now they can teach skills that may
As the military expands their roles, combat reduce the incidence of mental health problems later
medics are being briefed on how to recognize symp- on down the road,” Sefcik said. “Now combat medics
toms related to combat stress in hopes to not only can provide education to Soldiers on signs of mental
help Soldiers heal physically, but mentally. health disorders if they emerge.”

Staff Sgt. Rouven Sefcik, a non commissioned As more combat medics attend combat stress
training, they will be expected to become more per-
sonally involved with their patients.

Teaching relaxation exercises to Soldiers and
sometimes lending a listening ear can do a lot to help
Soldiers deal with stress during deployments.

“I’m a combat medic, but I’m also there as
a friend because I actually like my job,” Donaldson
said. “You have to care about people to be a medic
and you have to notice when things are wrong with
your patient.”

Donaldson is an emergency medical techni-
cian back home in Louisiana with a set schedule,
but said she prefers to be on call 24/7 if her Soldiers
A 10th Sustainment Brigade soldier listens on as Staff Sgt. Rouven Sefcik,
need her.
a non-commissioned officer in charge of combat stress with the 455th
Expeditionary Medical Operation Squadron, explains the function of the “As an EMT back home I don’t know 98% of
playaway listening device on August 7, 2012 at Bagram Airfield. Sefcik is a
big advocate of the listening device, which can help Soldiers to relax in the
battlefield. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams) See MEDICS, next page
Page10


MEDICS, from previous consultation.”

the patients I treat, but I’m out on the road with my Combat medics are briefed on all the services
guys every day,” Donaldson said. “Whether it’s for a combat stress facilities offer and can educate Soldiers
prescription or if they just want to talk, my door is on the advantages of the stress relieving program.
open 24 hours a day for my drivers.”
Donaldson said there is a misconception most
Combat stress facilities are hoping combat Soldiers have about combat stress facilities.
medics will let Soldiers know that combat stress
classes are available for them at their convenience. “Soldiers need to know that going to a combat
stress facility doesn’t go on their record,” Donaldson
During a combat stress class, Soldiers have said. “An appointment will not hinder their career
the opportunity to talk about any experiences that and there is a good doctor and patient privacy policy.”
may make them feel emotionally numb, agitated, or
irritable, which is expected after combat. As Donaldson and the four other soldiers
prepare to go back to the unit, she knows stress is
“We call emotional reactions after combat nothing to play with. Donaldson said she can tell
“normal reactions to abnormal situations” so the when something is wrong with a patient whether it’s
best thing we can do is help the Soldier to return to the melancholy in their voice or uncharacteristic like
normal functioning by continuing to socialize and try body language. All the combat medic said she can do
out a variety of coping techniques,” Sefcik said. “If is try to help her patients stay in the fight by treating
the symptoms persist or are too severe then Soldiers their wounds and healing their mind.
are advised to go to a warrior restoration center for

Soldiers wrangle in redeployment training at UMO rodeo
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD,
Afghanistan - The 209th Avia-
tion Support Brigade trained more
than 100 Soldiers during a Unit
Movement Officer Rodeo on August
14, 2012 at Kandahar Airfield.

The key tasks for the rodeo
was to teach Soldiers how to pre-
pare movement documentation,
facilitate container management
with in transit visibility, prepare
cargo for joint inspection and navi-
gate the Transportation Coordi-
nator Automated Information for
Movement System II class.

When a unit is ready to
leave Afghanistan, the UMO must
put together a load plan that will
track and ship equipment that Soldiers with Task Force Lightning measure a M105 trailer during a Unit Movement Officer Rodeo on
August 14, 2012 at Kandahar Airfield. The UMO Rodeo provides Soldiers with hands-on experience
could easily be worth over one mil- in learning about the redeployment process and how to prepare equipment for joint inspection clear-
lion dollars back to the states. ance. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory Williams)

Joint Sustainment Com- cess so they know what to expect Careful planning is essen-
mand – Afghanistan provided so they have enough time to plan tial to the redeployment process
trainers to teach Soldiers how to ahead,” said Staff Sgt. Khris L. De because it could present many
prepare these plans for redeploy- La Pena, a transportation man- challenges.
ment, which can make the process agement noncommissioned officer
of shipping cargo back home much with the 822nd Movement Con- “I feel if you have every-
easier and less strenuous. trol Detachment. “UMO’s have to thing that belongs to the unit
know that they only have a certain on a well put together load plan,
“It’s important to Soldiers amount of time to get their equip- then a UMO should be good,” said
and especially for the UMO’s to ment ready to be shipped out.” Sgt. Irene Campos, an automated
understand the redeployment pro-
See UMO, next page
1
Page1


UMO, from previous the military, but instructors were During the rodeo, Campos
challenged during the rodeo to said she tried to absorb as much
logistics noncommissioned officer teach the Soldiers the basics in knowledge as possible because the
with the 25th Combat Aviation two days. systems are always being updated
Brigade. “If not… well then you’re to become more proficient.
a ‘SOL’ (Soldier out of luck), be- “The class size was a chal-
cause not one container can be left lenge because I’d prefer to teach “Going into AALPS was
behind.” smaller groups, so I could give good because I have some experi-
that individual attention since ev- ence using it manually, but now
The rodeo also gave Sol- eryone learns at a different pace,” some of the features are automat-
diers the chance to gain hands- De La Pena said. “I’d hope that at ic, which is a time saver,” Cam-
on experience with conducting the very least, Soldiers know who pos said. “It’s supposed to be a
inspections and weighing equip- to contact if they need help with refresher, but I learned a lot more
ment, which is usually a job for an any part of the process.” because we went into more detail
Air Force cargo load team. about the program.”
Besides having the chance
As the groups entered the to learn from a transportation The UMO Rodeo train-
training yard, Soldiers separated manager, JSC-A provided a Sus- ing was meant to not only give
into teams as instructors taught tainment Automation Support Soldiers knowledge about the
one group to measure and weigh Management Office instructor to redeployment process, but also
the equipment while the others teach the rodeo participants more gave the instructors the chance to
learned how to prepare packing about the redeployment process. instill an unwavering confidence
lists along with special handling in the skills that Soldiers have at-
cards. “I help teach Soldiers the tained.
air planning applications, which is
Once the teams were fin- what the transportation commu- “I hope the Soldiers take
ished with their tasks outside, Sol- nity uses to support the warfighter away the skill and confidence to
diers headed back inside for more worldwide,” said David Bowman, redeploy their unit home,” Bow-
instruction on TC-AIMS II, trying a SASMO trainer with Tapestry man said. “They now have the
to cram as much information as Solutions Inc. “With this, the most accurate information to
time would allow into the class. Soldiers will learn how to not only ensure that all equipment and
use TC-AIMS II, but also the Auto- personnel arrive at their home sta-
The TC-AIMS II course mated Air Load Planning System.” tion safely.”
is a two-week course offered by

Soldiers with Task Force Gunfighter weigh a High- Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle during a Unit Movement Officer Rodeo on August 14, 2012 at Kandahar
Airfield. The UMO Rodeo taught Soldiers the weighing and marking standards according to joint inspection criteria. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory
Williams)

Page12


Sustainers get back in the kitchen
Staff Sgt. Michael Behlin

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – For
cooks assigned to the 3d Sustainment Command
(Expeditionary) and many other units across the
Army, working in a dining facility was typically not
an option, even though it was what they were trained
to do.

But with recent cuts to the Army’s dining
facility budget, Installation Management Command
has recommended assigning more military cooks to
do exactly what they were trained to do, “cook”.

To accommodate these recommendations, the
3d ESC worked with Kandahar Airfield’s Special Op-
erations Task Force-South to allow its cooks to work
in the DFAC so that they could be prepared for what
they may face upon returning to Fort Knox.

Fort Knox’s 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division
recently reintegrated military cooks back into the
DFAC, and the 3d ESC’s cooks could possibly do the
same after their return from Afghanistan in support
of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“This is a great opportunity for our young
Soldiers because originally they wouldn’t have had
any opportunity to learn and grow within their
career field,” said Staff Sgt. Wesley McCarty, a food
service specialist with the 3d ESC. “We don’t work
in the DFAC at Knox, or go to the field in a manner
that would allow for the operation of a mobile kitchen
trailer, so this opportunity is great for our young Sol-
Spc. Isaac Montalvo, a food service specialist with the 3d Sustainment
diers.” Command (Expeditionary), works to prepare a meal while working at the
Special Operations Task Force – South dining facility at Kandahar Airfield,
McCarty, who has served as a cook in the Afghanistan. Montalvo is one of four Soldiers from the 3d ESC currently
working at the SOTF-S dining facility. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mi-
Army for 21 years, said that the time away from the chael Behlin)
DFAC wouldn’t necessarily affect him as much as it
He explained that the job requires lots of
would the Soldiers working for him. These Soldiers,
preparation, time and extended periods of standing.
Spc. Isaac Montalvo and Spc. Viviana Baker, both
While this is an adjustment from what he’s used to,
food service specialists assigned to the 3d ESC, had
it’s all a part of the job.
no prior experience in their career fields. They both
arrived at the 3d ESC fresh from advanced individual The adjustment was just as tough for Baker,
training, but are now getting the opportunity to gain but she admitted that this experience would help her
valuable knowledge working in the SOTF-S DFAC. as she progresses in her career. She said that work-
ing in the DFAC thus far has helped her gain a better
“This has been a good experience for me be-
understanding of the Army’s food services processes
cause I now know what’s expected of me in my job,”
and procedures. With the skills and knowledge she’s
said Montalvo, a native of Guayanilla, Puerto Rico.
gained by working in the DFAC, she feels as if she
Much of the expectations Montalvo speaks of will be better served to lead others in the future.
include the early mornings and late nights associated
“Most of the cooks I met before I deployed said
with working in a DFAC. Both Soldiers said the ex-
that whenever they deployed, they did everything
perience of working in a DFAC is much different than
other than their actual job,” said Baker. “So for me
what they were used to. Montalvo, who worked the in
to do my job on my first deployment is a big deal.”
Joint Sustainment Command – Afghanistan’s mail
room when he began the deployment, said the rigors
associated with working in a DFAC are much more
than what others may think.

Page13


JSC-A celebrates Women’s Equality Day
Sgt. Candice L. Funchess
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD,
Afghanistan – The Joint Sustain-
ment Command- Afghanistan
celebrated Women’s Equality Day
with two independent events on
Friday and Saturday here on Kan-
dahar Airfield.

On Friday, Brig. Gen. Kris-
tin K. French, commander of the
ten
JSC-A headquartered by the 3d
Sustainment Command (Expedi-
tionary), was the guest speaker at
the Women’s Equality Day Ob-
servance hosted by the Regional
Command-South Equal Opportu-
nity Office. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jean Ritter, the multiclass senior supply systems technician for Joint Sus-
tainment Command-Afghanistan, narrated the reading of “Failure is Impossible” here on Kandahar
Airfield Aug. 24, 2012. The reading, authored by Rosemary H. Knower, was based on the women’s
“Gen. French was chosen suffrage movement that began in 1848 and concluded in 1920 with Congress passing the 19th
to speak because she is the senior Amendment giving women the right to vote. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Candice L. Funchess)

female general officer in the Com- knows no rival.
bined Joint Operations Area – Af- The reading is based on the
ghanistan and the commander of “When a woman wants to women’s suffrage movement that
the JSC-A,” said Master Sgt. Adam serve in our Army – they enter began in 1848 and concluded in
Eckstein, the command equal op- knowing there are no glass ceil- 1920 with Congress passing the
portunity advisor for JSC-A. “So, ings, there are no caveats, and 19th Amendment, giving women
I thought it would be the perfect there are no limits,” said French. the right to vote.
caveat for the observance.” “There are only opportunities.”
The rendition was narrated
In her speech, French French went on to point out by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jean
highlighted three main points: the accomplishments of Gen. Ann Ritter, the multiclass senior supply
Dunwoody as an example of how systems technician for JSC-A.
Take pride in the fact that far women have come in the mili-
there are opportunities for women tary and noted that there are no On Saturday, the JSC-A
to lead and serve in today’s mili- limits to the heights women can hosted a Women’s Equality Day
tary, women have a critical role in reach in the armed forces. Observance 5k Run/Walk in
the military – and their sacrifices which approximately 500 people
underscore their dedication and At the conclusion of participated.
willingness to serve and lastly, French’s speech, members of the
women serving in today’s mili- JSC-A did a rendition of the read- The race concluded with
tary have proven that the extent ing, “Failure is Impossible” by the top three male and female
of their patriotism and bravery Rosemary H. Knower. finishers receiving plaques from
French and Command Sgt. Maj.
Karl A. Roberts, the senior enlist-
ed adviser for the JSC-A.

At the end of the events
Eckstein said, “Women still have
the same jobs and are just as
capable as a man, still a double
standard exists. Until we
overcome that barrier, we need
to keep emphasizing events such
as Women’s Equality Day to show
that there are still disparities be-
tween men and women.”
Approximately 500 participants ran in the Women’s Equality Day 5k held on Kandahar Airfield Aug.
25, 2012. The top three male and female runners received plaques from the commander and com-
mand sergeant major of the Joint Sustainment Command-Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt.
Candice L. Funchess)

Page14


Photos from Facebook: Wounded Warrior Run
and Combat Olympics

Page15

Training, discipline and standards are the
bedrock of our Army, and as Soldiers, you’ve
been taught what right looks like. As leaders,
you have a duty and a responsibility to maintain
standards in your formation. You also have an
obligation to your Soldiers and their families to
manage risk and take action to correct
problems. In our fight against accidental
pr
fatalities, knowledge is the weapon of choice.

https://safety.army.mil

Sustainer September 2012

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Sustainer September 2012