FORT BRAGG, North Carolina -- (Feb. 7, 2017) Soldiers from the 419th Contracting Support Brigade uncased their colors in a ceremony Feb. 2 after their nine-month deployment and then joined the rest of their organization, family and friends in welcoming a new leader in an assumption of responsibility that followed.
Members of the 419th CSB headquarters recently returned to Fort Bragg following a deployment to Afghanistan where they served as the lead for contracting with the Expeditionary Contracting Command-Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel. While there, the unit administered an $18 billion contract portfolio in support of U.S. and coalition forces in all provinces in Afghanistan.
The ECC-A is strategically aligned with the Resolute Support, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, and Logistics Civil Augmentation Program commanders to optimize services provided to the warfighters while reducing cost by leading and coordinating efforts to transition from NATO Support and Procurement Agency to LOGCAP across the Combined Joint Operations Area -- Afghanistan.
"We learned how powerful strategic sourcing could be while complex to coordinate and implement, and also how challenging it can be to make it work seamlessly," Col. Carol Tschida, the 419th CSB commander, said. "We went through a significant conversion in southern Afghanistan transitioning contracts from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency over to the LOGCAP program, yielding an abundance of cost savings that extended taxpayer dollars exponentially and brought auditability, transparency and better oversight of services for our warfighters to the forefront."
The team also down-sized and restructured the entire ECC-A Task Organization through the Force Tracking Numbers modernization, a process the team wasn't trained to perform but executed. The use of FTNs improve the sourcing and tracking of request for forces and rotational force requirements throughout the deployment process and enhances force-closure reporting.
The brigade also transitioned all Afghanistan supply buys off the battlefield to reach-back support located at the Qatar-Regional Contracting Center in Qatar, while simultaneously developing and incorporating a GPC program to help streamline the supply buying process.
"Readiness begins with MICC, not at the headquarters, but with each and every one of you in the field committed to our profession," said Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Gabbert, the MICC commanding general. "You help deliver the training, capabilities and highest quality equipment to our deployed forces and coalition partners that allows us to engage the bad guys with a decisive edge. Thank you for all that you do."
This was the 419th CSB headquarters staff's first deployment since its activation in June 2013.
Following the uncasing of colors, Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Perryman assumed the responsibility of the brigade from Tschida during the ceremony.
Command Sgt. Maj. Eliecer Quintero, who joined the 419th CSB in September 2013, is now assigned to Army and Air Force Exchange Service-Europe in Germany.
The assumption of responsibility ceremony included the passing of the brigade colors. The colors symbolize the heritage and history of the organization as well as unity and loyalty of its Soldiers. As the brigade command sergeant major, Perryman is the keeper of the colors.
Perryman comes to the brigade from the 905th Contracting Battalion at Fort Bragg, where she served as the battalion sergeant major, providing contracting support to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at home and abroad.
"Colonel Tschida and I look forward to this opportunity of working with you as a command team and as a team will continue to build on the great successes and accomplishments of the 419th CSB," the Linden, Alabama, native said. "I hope to have a great impact on the Soldiers and civilians and ensure that this will be the brigade that everyone wants to become a part of based on the caliber and quality of services that we provide to our customers."
After enlisting in the Alabama Army National Guard with the 1135th Quartermaster Company in 1989, Perryman entered the Army in 1999 as an automated logistics specialist and has since served in numerous leadership positions. Perryman is an Army Acquisition Corps member and holds a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III certification in contracting and a Level I certification in program management. She is a graduate of all of the Army NCO Education System courses, including the Sergeants Major Academy Class 65. Perryman also holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Management and Technology in Arlington, Virginia.
The new command sergeant major's operational experience includes deployments to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.
"To the units the brigade supports both locally and geographically, I look forward to effectively expanding on the established relationships, ensuring we continue providing premiere and timely contracting support to the warfighters," Perryman said. "Also, members of the 419th CSB can expect me to have a positive attitude and share my experiences and knowledge to inspire them in achieving whatever objectives they set out to achieve."
The 419th CSB is a subordinate unit of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The brigade provides core contracting customer service through strategically aligned support to commands and installations. It is made up of approximately 400 Soldiers and civilians across four geographically separated contracting battalions and two installation-level contracting offices in the U.S.
Related Links:
Mission and Installation Contracting Command
Related: 419th CSB assumes command of ECC-Afghanistan
Related: Contracting brigades transfer ECC-Afghanistan authority
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