More than 300 Army Reserve Soldiers arrived at the depot recently to participate to receive specific ordnance and logistics training during their annual training exercise called Golden Cargo. Some of these Soldiers, however, received training of a different sort.
Members of the 811th Ordnance Company from Rainelle, W.Va., are participating in Mobilized Ordnance Specific Training in preparation for deployment this fall. MOST is a program designed to provide critical job-specific training, currently unavailable at mobilization stations, to Soldiers who will be working with ordnance during their deployment.
"Once we get there, we'll be in an Ammunition Service Point," said Pfc. Christopher J. Thompson, 811th Ordnance Company ammunition specialist. "There we'll load ammunition and rockets, things of that nature, and get it to whichever unit is picking it up. We'll have to get it done fast so other people can do what they need to do... so we can all go home."
In order to best prepare Soldiers for ordnance operations, units in the MOST program review their standard operating procedures and set a daily schedule which mirrors the rhythm of working in theater. As these units perform their daily work routine they receive hands-on training in loading and unloading munitions, maintenance of munitions, as well as driving and operating large load-bearing vehicles such as forklifts and super-stackers. The availability of this training here has even benefited ordnance Soldiers participating in Golden Cargo, who would have otherwise not taken part in MOST.
Pfc. David F. Stone is a cargo specialist with the 302nd Transportation Company from Fort Eustis, Va. Although his unit is at Blue Grass Army Depot for Golden Cargo, Stone was able to receive driver's training on the All Terrain Lifting Army System, which is a 10-ton forklift used to transport pallets of cargo.
"It's helping us refresh and keep trained on the vehicles for future deployments," Stone said.
Golden Cargo is the latest in a series of annual training operations sponsored by the Joint Munitions Command and executed by members of the United States Army Reserve, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy. This year's exercise organizer is the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) headquartered in Coraopolis, Pa.
Social Sharing