Soldiers with the 32nd Composite Truck Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and the Army Reserve’s 257th Transportation Company standby for communications checks prior to a recovery mission in support of 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., Aug. 31, 2016. (Photo by 1st Lt. Trevor Kinkade)
By 1st Lt. Trevor Kinkade
32nd Composite Truck Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
FORT IRWIN, Calif.— Army active duty, National Guard and Reserve components came together to form a multi-dimensional sustainment force to support 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during its rotation at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California, from Aug. 12, 2016, to Sept. 16, 2016.
Nested under the Tennessee National Guard’s 176th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, elements from the 68th CSSB, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Inf. Div., trained alongside Army National Guard and Reserve units from Alabama, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee and Wyoming.
Soldiers with the 32nd Composite Truck Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and the Army Reserve’s 257th Transportation Company work together Aug. 26, 2016, to recover tracked vehicles in support of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. (Photo by 1st Lt. Trevor Kinkade)
Represented by Soldiers with the 32nd Composite Truck Company, 59th Quartermaster Company, 60th Ordnance Company and 247th Composite Supply Company, the 68th CSSB provided 3rd ABCT with 82,500 gallons of water, 700 pallets of cold and dry food, 60 pallets of equipment, 242,700 gallons of fuel, 32 pallets of construction material, 332.65 tons of ammunition, 203 recovered pieces of equipment and 210 pallets of repair parts.
“It benefits (the Guard) to gain experience from the active duty component,” said Maj. Patrick Ellis, 176th CSSB executive officer. “This was a great opportunity for us to train with active duty, Reserve, and Guard, all in one unit under the CSSB.”
Capt. Joshua Krevy, commander, 32nd CTC, 68th CSSB, also noted the value in the training.
“Our Soldiers learned what National Guard and Reserve units could bring to the table. A Soldier in the Guard or Reserve could be something else on the civilian side, (such as) a lawyer or a mechanic. They bring other skills to the fight … our Soldiers saw what types of units they would go to if they get out of the active component.”
“Active-duty Soldiers have more opportunity to train and get proficient on a day-to-day basis. Soldiers from the Guard and Reserve have an added challenge; not only do they hold civilian jobs, but they also have to balance Army requirements,” said Sgt. Blane Dziolek, team leader, 32nd CTC.
The synchronization of these components was neither immediate nor seamless. Staff Sgt. William Perry, truckmaster, 32nd CTC, said he felt the gap between components.
“Adjusting to the way they operate was a challenge. Their orders process is a bit different from ours, but once they understood where we were coming from and vice versa, it was easier.”
Initially, the 176th CSSB and its diverse group of subordinate units grappled with its first set of missions. Miscommunication between the three components led to ambiguous orders, stalled convoys and an unclear concept of support. However, these trials created a mutual understanding of standard operating procedures and the 176th CSSB’s effectiveness improved toward the end of the rotation.
All in all, Ellis was satisfied with 176th CSSB’s experience during NTC Rotation 16-09.
“From the first time we met with 3ABCT, (Col. Christopher R. Norrie, 3rd ABCT commander) and his group brought us in. … He brought us in as part of the team which made us feel at home.”
Soldiers with the 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, move simulated casualties to the decontamination point in support of 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., Sept. 6, 2016. (Photo by 1st Lt. Trevor Kinkade)