"Four Corners" Prepares for Withdraw

By Spc. Ekta ShresthaOctober 4, 2011

CAMP VIRGINIA, Kuwait - The 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, also known as the

Leopard Battalion, took over the Four Corners Operation, a vital part of the responsible drawdown from Iraq, to retrograde multiple classes of supply at Camp Virginia and support redeploying units.

The Four Corners' mission is to receive self-redeploying units from the Iraq Theater and efficiently

download multiple classes of supply, including munitions, HAZMAT, medical supplies, office

supplies and sensitive materials. These items are then systemized at the site and processed into their designated classification area.

Members of the 553rd have been operating the Four Corners site since May 24, 2011. Since then, they have been busy training and learning their new roles, and assuming new responsibilities.

"The team has accomplished many tasks including the complete set up of the Four Corners

convoy lanes, 6-K and 10-K forklift training, individual Soldier skills training along with learning

the different classes of supply," said Sgt. 1st Class Maxwell J. Teneyck, noncommissioned officer

in charge of the Four Corners Operation. "Training is ongoing and will continue into the future

as we wait for convoys to arrive for download."

The Leopard team is ready for the mission and striving for excellence. They have been working

hard to improve the download site. "Right now, we have been doing a lot of planning and rehearsals to make sure that we run a safe and efficient download site," 1st Lt. Jounita A. Meekins, officer in charge of the Four Corners Operation.

"My expectations and goals for this mission are to quickly and efficiently download self-redeploying convoys within one hour of arriving at the Four Corners," said Teneyck. "Our goal as a military unit is to process units as quickly as possible and to prevent bottlenecking the Iraq redeployment schedule."