Former service members help 3BCT Soldiers swap old gear for new during CIF exchange

By Spc. Jazz BurneyMay 10, 2010

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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Spc. Arnaldo Suarez, a forward observer with Co. A, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, opens his personal duffle bag at the Schofield Central Issue Facility and pulls o... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii-As the pace begins to quicken toward the next deployment for 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment received new personal military equipment in exchange for their outdated or unserviceable items, during the brigade's Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment reset, Mar. 29.

The goal of OCIE reset is getting Soldiers, who have recently deployed, outfitted with new gear to equip them for training or their next deployments. A main problem in meeting this task often is having a Soldier's up-to-date clothing records in a system that keeps the issuing and exchanging process simple.

The OCIE field team is comprised of Central Issue Facility workers and combat veterans who served our country but could not stay away due to their love for the military. From a retired first sergeant, to a commissioned officer, the OCIE has a wealth of military foreknowledge with equipping Soldiers with the proper gear.

Justin Boytim, a West Point Graduate and a former tank platoon leader, operates as the OCIE reset field team leader and ensures that the exchange process has a smooth flow and gets Soldiers the equipment they need quickly.

"We often find that with most units we serve [it is their] first time going through a reset process and consequently there isn't a flow. The Schofield barracks has already gone through this process and conveniently have a computer system that tracks all the clothing records for Soldiers and helps this process," he said.

Upon arrival to the Schofield CIF, Soldiers are met by OCIE workers, who are seated behind a set of tables arranged in an assembly line fashion, to begin the process of receiving their new military equipment.

"Each battalion is allotted one day plus a makeup day to come into CIF to reset any equipment that was damaged, lost or unserviceable in order for them to be prepared for any upcoming training or deployments," said 1st Lt. Joshua Klaehn, OCIE officer in charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the brigade.

Klaehn also explained to assist the CIF workers the leaders of the brigade would lay out all of the equipment that was either outdated or unserviceable, record those items and forward the list ahead of time to the CIF to cut down additional hiccups in the process.

During a deployment items that are commonly used by Soldiers are military sleeping bags, poncho liners, rucksacks, various carrying bags. These were the main items Soldiers traded in to receive the latest and most up-to-date gear.

"I received a new chin strap that I've needed forever because I had my old helmet held together by 550 cords," said Spc. Daniel Hicks, an infantryman with Co. A, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment. "This process is useful because I have been trying to purchase this chin strap in other ways but now have what I need and am able to fulfill my mission with the proper equipment," he continued.

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