Third Army commander visits Bagram Retrosort Yard

By 2nd Lt. Henry Chan, 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Public Affairs and Spc. Alicia Smith, 1462nd Transportation CompanySeptember 17, 2012

Third Army commander visits Bagram Retrosort Yard
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Third Army commander visits Bagram Retrosort Yard
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Brian King (right) explains to Lt. Gen. Vincent Brooks, Third Army commander, how the Virtual Warehouse operates to re-circulate highly-demanded items to local units in the battlefield. This program effectively saves the U.S. taxpayer money in s... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Third Army commander visits Bagram Retrosort Yard
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Third Army commander visits Bagram Retrosort Yard
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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (Sept. 16, 2012) -- Third Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Vincent Brooks visited the Soldiers of the Bagram Airfield Retrosort Yard, Sept. 16, 2012.

The Soldiers of the Bagram Airfield Retrosort Yard, BAF RSY, is operated along with two other retrosort yards in Afghanistan under the 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, or CSSB.

The success of the BAF RSY is contributed to the effort of Soldiers from the 18th CSSB from Grafenwoehr, Germany, the 10th Sustainment Brigade of Fort Drum, N.Y., the 427th Brigade Support Battalion of the New York National Guard and the 1462nd Transportation Company of the Michigan National Guard.

After a warm welcome, the 18th CSSB senior leadership led Brooks to the main processing tent to provide an overview of the Retrosort Yard, or RSY, and how it ties into the other CENTCOM Materiel Retrograde Elements.

The Retrosort Yard is a vital facility in the reduction of the amount of excess materiel in Afghanistan. Between the three main Retrosort Yards in the Afghan Theater, the Bagram Yard is the highest producing facility. In the month of August, the BAF RSY produced more than 400 TEUs (Twenty Foot Shipping Container Equivalent Units), far exceeding all historical productions.

With high spirits, the group proceeded to tour other areas of the RSY.

Sgt. 1st Class Edward Dowd led Brooks to view recently opened shipping containers full of used tires, vehicle parts and even the cab of a 5-ton military transport truck.

Staff Sgt. Barry Ruger and Spc. Brian King introduced the newly built "Virtual Warehouse" to the General. The Virtual Warehouse is a successful program devised by the Soldiers of the BAF RSY to re-distribute high demand items back to units with a higher level of customer service.

Office supplies, computer cables, "Chem-lights" (disposable chemical light sticks) or similar items collected from the processing area are gathered here for issue to local units with no charge to the unit.

As the visit drew to an end, Brooks recognized five Soldiers for their hard work and dedication in running the facility. Staff Sgt. Daniel Scroggins, Sgt. Kevin Root, Spc. Justin Fivecoat, Pvt. Anthony Klenk and Cpl. Jennifer Malone all received coins from the three-star-general.

"My first general [visiting our yard], my first coin," Fivecoat said. "It was exciting and new. He left an impression."

Malone was pleased to have the General visit the yard to see how operations were run.

"It was great to see the general and for him to see how the yard works," she said.

Brooks ended his trip by speaking with all of the Soldiers and at the RSY.

"We needed [the mission] to be done," Brooks said. "We gave the mission to the 1st TSC (Theater Sustainment Command), and they gave the mission to you, because we knew that you'd get it done."

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