HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga.-- </B>-- As Soldiers across Fort Stewart prepare for deployments supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, the 10th Transportation Company, 3rd Infantry Division embarked on a different mission.
More than 150 Soldiers deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response., Jan. 23. The unit will join military members across all five services in providing humanitarian relief efforts to the survivors of the earthquake-ravaged nation.
"We're proud to be representing the 3rd Infantry Division by providing humanitarian relief to the people of Haiti," said Capt. Stephen Lambe, commander, 10th Trans. Co. "The Soldiers are excited to go there and do their part to provide relief to the people who need it most."
The unit had only been notified of the pending deployment Jan. 19 and had been instructed to be packed and ready to leave no later than 5 p.m., Jan. 22. Then in the early hours of Jan. 23, Capt. Lambe received the call - they would be leaving that day.
"I believe one of the reasons we were chosen for this mission was that we are already at a high state of readiness," he explained. "We have been training for disaster relief for months."
Back in October, the 10th Trans. Co., who returned from an Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment just seven months ago, was charged with supporting the U.S. Northern Command's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosives Consequence Management Response Force. Just before Thanksgiving, the unit returned to Hunter Army Airfield after training on the CCMRF mission at Camp Atterbury, Ind.
Haiti is a different type of mission that falls under the U.S. Southern Command, but Capt. Lambe stressed that the readiness is just the same. The difference, however, in this situation is that the unit went into the unknown.
"One thing we've been talking about to the Soldiers is getting them ready mentally," explained Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Durant, 10th Trans. Co. first sergeant. "They're excited about going and helping out, but they need to be mentally ready for the devastation they'll see when we get down there."
He added that they also need to be prepared to stay in Haiti for an unknown amount of time.
"We could be down there for a couple of weeks or as long as a few months," he said. "We just need to be ready to stay there until the mission is done."
The 10th Trans. Co. is the only 3rd ID unit that has been deployed to Haiti, but other 3rd ID Soldiers have been deployed individually to serve as translators. Additionally, the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, is also awaiting the order to leave for Haiti.
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