U.S. Army Spc. Kitanah Helgen, an automated logistical specialist with the 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 1st Armored Division, inspects a packing list at the Supply Support Activity at Powidz, Poland, June 5, 2025. Helgen is part of a team that processed and returned 581 pallets of supplies worth $40 million to the Army supply system in 30 days, significantly improving logistics efficiency across 1 AD's area of responsibility along NATO's eastern flank.

From left, U.S. Army Spc. Larico Spinks, Spc. Kevin Portalatin, Spc. John Ramos, Spc. Ja'mese Lewis, Spc. Sudeep Bhandari and Spc. Kitanah Helgen, all automated logistical specialists with the 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 1st Armored Division, pose for a photo in front of the turn-in section at the Supply Support Activity at Powidz, Poland, June 5, 2025. The six-soldier team processed and returned 581 pallets of supplies worth $40 million to the Army supply system in 30 days, significantly reducing customer wait time across 1 AD's area of responsibility along NATO's eastern flank.

POWIDZ, Poland — When Lt. Col. Steven Smith and his team from the 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 1st Armored Division, took over the Supply Support Activity at Powidz in February, they found a five-year backlog of materiel worth $40 million unreturned to the Army supply system.

"What we inherited was a ... distribution center that wasn't distributing," said Smith, who commanded the 142nd DSSB. "We had items like tank engines, tank cannons, track, you name it, waiting to be turned back in."

The Army's standard customer wait time — measuring how quickly supplies reach commanders after arriving at the SSA — should be two days or less. When the 142nd DSSB assumed the mission, that wait time was 95 days.

"The way we measure an SSA's efficiency is through customer wait time," Smith explained. "When a supply item arrives at the SSA, the Army is measuring how quickly that item gets to a maneuver commander."

Spc. John Ramos, an automated logistical specialist and turn-in section noncommissioned officer in charge, found himself leading the effort to clear the backlog.

U.S. Army Spc. John Ramos, an automated logistical specialist and turn-in section non-commissioned officer in charge with the 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 1st Armored Division, communicates with his team in a Supply Support Activity warehouse at Powidz, Poland, June 5, 2025. Ramos and his team processed and returned 581 pallets of supplies worth $40 million to the Army supply system in 30 days, transforming logistics operations across 1 AD's area of responsibility along NATO's eastern flank.

"When we first arrived in October, this section was completely packed," Ramos said. "When we started digging in and doing inventory, we started finding things from back in 2017."

"If parts are just sitting here collecting dust, you're wasting money," Ramos explained. "We had parts worth $50,000 doing nothing."

In 30 days, Ramos and his team processed and returned 581 pallets of supplies to the Army supply system — $40 million worth of equipment.

"That's $40 million back into the supply chain where it can support warfighters who need it," Smith said.

Due to Ramos and his team, customer wait time has dropped from 95 days to 35 days and continues to improve.

"All credit goes to Spc. Ramos and his team of five Soldiers tackling the mountain of turn-in actions," Smith said. "His team were the ones who physically palletized bulk items for turn-in, prepared each and every single one of those 581 pallets and loaded them onto the trucks using forklifts."

U.S. Army Spc. Larico Spinks, an automated logistical specialist with the 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 1st Armored Division, operates a forklift to move a pallet of supplies at the Supply Support Activity at Powidz, Poland, June 5, 2025. Spinks is part of a team that processed and returned 581 pallets of supplies worth $40 million to the Army supply system in 30 days, significantly improving logistics efficiency across 1 AD's area of responsibility along NATO's eastern flank. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Lefty Larimer)

U.S. Army Spc. Ja'mese Lewis, an automated logistical specialist with the 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 1st Armored Division, inspects a packing list at the Supply Support Activity at Powidz, Poland, June 5, 2025. Lewis is part of a team that processed and returned 581 pallets of supplies worth $40 million to the Army supply system in 30 days, significantly improving logistics efficiency across 1 AD's area of responsibility along NATO's eastern flank.

The workload at Powidz far exceeds what the team experienced at their previous assignment.

"It's extremely busy. There's no slow moment, and we always have something to do," Ramos said. "The only difference between this SSA and the one back at Fort Bliss, is that this one has about ten times more work or more parts that we are receiving daily."

The SSA supports over 500 customers in either direct support or general support roles, including the 173rd Airborne Brigade; 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group and various joint units assigned to European Command.

"The 142nd DSSB is the backstop logistics support to the 1st AD, so our area of responsibility is just as vast and large as the 1st AD," Smith said.

Ramos recently received the Army Commendation Medal from the 1st AD Commanding General Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor for his leadership in the transformation.

"I don't really like to be in the spotlight," Ramos said. "I just do it because it's my job, not because I want to be recognized. I have a team with me, and I know that even though I'm being recognized, it's because of them. It's like an award for the team and not just for me."

Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of the 1st Armored Division, pins an Army Commendation Medal on U.S. Army Spc. John Ramos, an automated logistical specialist and turn-in section non-commissioned officer in charge with the 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 1st Armored Division, at Powidz, Poland, April 16, 2025. Ramos led a team that processed and returned 581 pallets of supplies worth $40 million to the Army supply system in 30 days, significantly reducing customer wait time and improving logistics efficiency across 1 AD's area of responsibility along NATO's eastern flank.

For other Soldiers facing similar challenges, Ramos offers advice: "Someone will always have the right answer. If someone tells you no or you can't do something, see if you can find a second opinion from someone else."

The 142nd DSSB also established doctrinal field trains command posts where forward support companies and brigade support battalion liaison officers position themselves at the SSA.

"The LNOs know their formation and what parts are critical to returning combat power to the 1st AD," Smith explained. "When we have that responsiveness, the LNOs can immediately identify critical parts their units need."

As units prepare for the next rotation, the 142nd DSSB is working to ensure their successors inherit an efficient operation.