Command Sgt. Maj. Jacinto Garza, right, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, explains the way 4th SB conducts talent management of sustainment personnel on Fort Carson to Command Sgt. Maj. Marco Torres, 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Sept. 7, 2016. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class John Cortez)
By Sgt. 1st Class John Cortez
4th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
The commander of the 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command visited Fort Carson Sept. 7-9, 2016, to discuss ways to increase sustainment readiness for the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson.
Col. Douglas McBride, along with 13th ESC Command Sgt. Maj. Marco Torres, met with Fort Carson top officials; toured the headquarters of the 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Inf. Div.; visited with Soldiers and command teams from the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., and 4th BSB, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div; and conducted a sustainment professional development session during their trip to the Mountain Post. They also met with representatives from the 16th Sustainment Brigade out of Germany to discuss logistic operations in Europe.
During their visit to the 4th SB, McBride and Torres received an in-depth tour of the brigade headquarters, including the Division Sustainment Operations Center, Talent Management room and were briefed on 4th SB’s campaign of “Strong Sergeants, Strong Soldiers” from Col. Ronald Ragin, commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jacinto Garza.
“I am very impressed with what I’ve seen here at Fort Carson,” McBride said. “I see here a fully integrated sustainment warfighting function. All the components of the sustainment warfighting functions have been identified. Col. Ragin has pinned the rose with roles and responsibilities and authorities for those agencies, activities and commanders that own that component of sustainment warfighting function. In addition, Col. Ragin is making sure the sustainment warfighting function is integrated with all the other warfighting functions that allow the 4th Infantry Division to operate.”
Sgt. Jason Walker, center, Company C, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, demonstrates how patients are loaded into an M1133 Stryker Medical Evacuation Vehicle to Col. Douglas McBride, left, commander, 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Sept. 9, 2016. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class John Cortez)
McBride assumed command of 13th ESC, headquartered at Fort Hood, Texas, in June. The 13th ESC is responsible for providing sustainment, distribution and health service support for full-spectrum operations. Since assuming command, McBride and Torres have been visiting division installations that fall under III Corps command and conducting assessments of sustainment warfighting functions and identifying ways III Corps can help divisions build readiness through their sustainment brigades.
“This has been a phenomenal visit. Fort Carson is a great place to serve and a great place to grow leaders,”
McBride said. “I see a great leader development program at 4th Sustainment Brigade and across Fort Carson. If you don’t have a deliberate plan to start planting those seeds and then fertilizing it early in that Soldier’s life cycle, we’ll never have the types of leaders we have today.”