FORT HOOD, Texas - Soldiers of the 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), opened a new facility to provide Fort Hood Soldiers with Class III package items like lubricants and cleaning solvents during a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 22.
The Class IIIP warehouse, operated by Soldiers of the 565th Quartermaster Company, 49th Transportation Battalion, 15th SB, 13th SC(E), is a place units can bring excess Class IIIP items and turn them in, said Warrant Officer George Salazar, the officer in charge of the warehouse.
But the warehouse customers are not limited to turning in excess items; they can also get items other units have turned in, said Salazar, a native of San Antonio.
The only items this warehouse handles are Class IIIP items, such as oils and lubricants issued in containers of 55 gallons or less.
Salazar explained the warehouse is meant to be a "free issue" warehouse, a place units can turn in their unused and get needed Class IIIP items with minimal paperwork and without the unit ordering them through the normal supply system.
"The opening of the Class III package warehouse is another step in Col. (Promotable) [Paul] Wentz's intent for us to do as much as we possibly can to support this installation," said Col. Larry Phelps, the commander of the 15th "Wagonmaster" brigade.
He explained the new warehouse serves three purposes.
"It's a huge way to save taxpayer money, because instead of units having to repurchase or regenerate new requirements for supplies that are already on hand on the installation, we're providing them an easy and customer friendly way to get the products," Phelps said.
He said it is also a great opportunity for the logistics Soldiers in the unit to train on their core skills on a daily basis.
"Logisticians train for their combat jobs every day, and one of those combat jobs is warehousing," Phelps said. "It's pretty important that we have the opportunity to practice those core competencies, those core skills."
The third purpose is it makes things easier for Soldiers of Fort Hood to get the Class III package supplies they need as well as turn in what they don't need while going through processes such as Army Force Generation, deployment and redeployment.
The Class IIIP warehouse is open to all active duty, Army Reserve and National Guard units on Fort Hood without appointment Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and is located in building 4919, near the intersection of 79th Street and Santa Fe Ave.
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