OCONUS Program saves money, builds Soldier skills

By Spc. J.p. Lawrence, 42nd Infantry Division Public AffairsSeptember 6, 2011

OCONUS Program saves money, builds Soldier skills
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OCONUS progam saves money, builds Soldier skills
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HOHENFELS, Germany -- Nail by nail, and tile by tile, Soldiers of the 375th Engineer Company toiled in an unexpected German heat wave to put the finishing touches on two squat concrete buildings in the training fields of Hohenfels Training Area.

Units like the 375th have been working on this building since the beginning of the summer as part of Overseas Deployment Training (ODT), a program that gives Reserve and National Guard Soldiers an opportunity to train, participate in exercises and provide support to Soldiers stationed overseas.

Bringing Soldiers like the 375th to train benefits both the Soldiers on ODT and the active duty Soldiers at Hohenfels, said ODT manager Sgt. Maj. Duane Parrigin.

"It allows them to fulfill their job tasks by supporting what the commander wants built," Parrigin said, adding ODT Soldiers have saved his command 6.8 million dollars compared to contractors over the course of a year.

For the Soldiers of the 375th, working on this building and others gives them a chance to work as they would if they were deployed.

"We're really taking the time for the NCOs and the guys who have civilian experience to train the troops," said 1st Lt. Charles Wright of the 375th. "The NCOs are learning how to lead and train, while the troops are learning how to do their jobs."

The 375th is the fourth unit to have worked on these buildings, said Wright. The first unit laid the foundations, the second unit built the walls, the third unit raised the roof trusses, and now the 375th is responsible for weatherproofing the structures for winter.

This entails installing windows, doors and more than 2000 ceramic tiles, Wright added. Soldiers ferry each red tile up to the top of the roof, where they can then layer the tiles and then nail them in place.

Staff Sgt. Marcus Keith, construction supervisor, said this training allows them to focus on their junior Soldiers. While the grizzled 19-year vet said he has built dozens of buildings on deployments and other ODT missions, Keith said that for many of his Soldiers, this overseas training is the first time they have been able to train with their unit.

Spc. Sunny Knight, for example, said this has been the first time he has ever worked with stucco, the first time he has been able to do annual training with his unit, and the first time he has ever been to Germany.

"It's hotter than I expected," the Tullahoma, Tenn., native said, as he applied fresh stucco to a rooftop wall.

Knight's squad leader, Sgt. Andrew Young, said he appreciates this chance to guide his troops and prepare them for overseas duty.

"It's good to get their hands dirty and learn new skills," said Young, a Huntsville, Ala., resident. "It's an opportunity to learn what we do when deployed in the field."

As for the buildings, Wright said the next ODT unit would complete them in the spring of next year. After that, they will become either a civilian role player barracks or a mock headquarters building to help troops preparing to deploy.

Either way, the two buildings, squat and concrete, will prepare another batch of Soldiers for duty overseas.

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