Going the extra mile - LTF Kandahar civilians and contractors step it up to assist 33rd Mountain Bat

By Summer BarkleyMarch 17, 2015

Going the extra mile -- LTF Kandahar civilians and contractors step it up to assist 33rd Mountain Battalion (Romania) Soldiers
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – David S. Arnold, TACOM Armaments Logistics Assistance Representative deployed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, provides hands on training Mar. 2 on mounting weapons on a vehicle to Sgt. Maj. Cristian Doltu, a member of the Romanian National Service E... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Going the extra mile -- LTF Kandahar civilians and contractors step it up to assist 33rd Mountain Battalion (Romania) Soldiers
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Princeton Sanemai, a Harris and Thales radio field service representative, provides some instruction on working with the equipment to Soldiers from the Romanian National Service Element and the 33rd Mountain Battalion (Romania) force protection unit ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Going the extra mile -- LTF Kandahar civilians and contractors step it up to assist 33rd Mountain Battalion (Romania) Soldiers
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - When people get a new vehicle, they usually expect to get an owner's manual with it. The same is true when MRAPs are issued to Soldiers - they get an operator's manual. So what do Romanian Soldiers receive when they will be using MRAPs in their mission? Thanks to the detective work of Dale L. French, a TACOM Engineering Logistics Assistance Representative assigned to Army Field Support Battalion-Afghanistan's Logistics Task Force Kandahar, they will get digital operator's manuals in their language.

This is just one example of how LTF and Logistics Support Team personnel went the extra mile to ensure Romanian Soldiers who will be using U.S. provided equipment in their missions have all the tools they need to operate the equipment safely and effectively.

Vehicles and associated equipment were signed for Mar. 2 by Task Force No Slack, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, and will be used by Soldiers from 33rd Mountain Battalion (Romania) for missions in and around Kandahar Airfield.

French, deployed from Fort Eustis, Virginia, said he realized the need for operator's manuals and started asking questions.

"It took about three weeks, but I found out that TACOM has manuals in different languages," he said.

He said the manuals are available electronically so the unit will be able to print as many copies as they need.

Since weapons were included in the equipment sets, TACOM armament LAR, David S. Arnold was able to find translations and also provide some hands-on training for Romanian Soldiers the day the vehicles were issued to Task Force No Slack.

"I provide capabilities, maintenance and support," Arnold said.

Arnold provided an impromptu lesson on mounting weapons on the vehicles the Romanian Soldiers will be using. Arnold and Sgt. Maj. Cristian Doltu, a member of the Romanian National Service Element that provides logistics support to Romanian forces at Kandahar Airfield, got on top of a MaxxPro where Arnold worked with Doltu on mounting the weapons.

Lastly, David R. Stanton, Logistics Task Force Kandahar primary hand receipt holder, took a group of Romanian Soldiers to the shops that provide support for the radios and other equipment they will be using. Stanton made sure the troops knew where the shops were located and that they had a face and name to go to when they needed repairs, advice or more training.

"This Battalion remains committed to sustaining strong relationships with our partner nations and the research on technical manuals translated into the Romanian language by our Logistics Assistance Representatives demonstrates that commitment," said Lt. Col. Mark W. Susnis, Army Field Support Battalion Afghanistan commander.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command

U.S. Army Materiel Command

1st Theater Sustainment Command

13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

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AFSBn-Afghanistan Facebook

TACOM Life Cycle Management Command