Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, the Rakkasans, turn in packets Feb. 18 for equipment and vehicles they are turning in prior to their redeployment. Non-mission essential equipment is turned in to one of the 401st Army Field Support...
A Soldier from 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, the Rakkasans, cleans a weapon before turning it in as a piece of non-rolling stock Feb. 18. Non-mission essential equipment turned in to one of the 401st Army Field Support Brigade Redistribution ...
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (Feb. 19, 2013)--The Rakkasans are on a 'slingshot' course that will lead them straight home to Fort Campbell.
Elements of 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, the Rakkasans, entered their equipment into TPE planner, checked and rechecked serial numbers, scrubbed their paperwork, convoyed for hours, and 17 vehicles rolled into the LTF Bagram Redistribution Property Assistance Team yard Feb. 18. The unit was ready to turn in vehicles to bring them one step closer to redeploying.
Nicknamed 'Operation Slingshot' the Rakkasan equipment turn-in was planned along the model used for the off-ramp of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, in August 2012. Using the model and lessons learned, the Rakkasans built their process by early coordination with Bagram RPAT personnel.
"Our Soldiers got to Bagram last night, staged their vehicles and got everything ready for the turn-in this morning," said Capt. Travis S. Hunter, who has been at Bagram for about six weeks to liaison with AFSBn-Bagram, 401st Army Field Support Brigade. "Major Ayvazian briefed them on what to expect and then they started the Four Corners process."
Hunter said he expected to have the turn-in of the 17 vehicles completed in about eight hours. He said Lt. Col. James Davis and Maj. Brett Ayvazian were a 'big help' and that the RPAT personnel were able to complete multiple actions at once to expedite the turn-in process.
"We completed the first Four Corners operation for the 3rd Brigade," said Master Sgt. Sheldon J. Mayfield, support operations non-commissioned officer-in-charge. "We turned in three vehicles yesterday and the guys said it was 'too easy'."
"The process is really, really fast when the paperwork is in place," said Ayvazian. "The paperwork goes inside while the vehicle is still at Four Corners."
Ayvazian said the Soldiers turning in paperwork were missing one signature and because the paperwork was looked at while the vehicles were still in the Four Corners process, one of the Responsible Officers for the battalion was able to come to the RPAT yard and resolve it.
Editor's note: Four Corners refers to removing excess classes of supplies from vehicles in one location as opposed to going to several places to turn in excess supplies. The Four Corners operation in Bagram is run by the 1st Sustainment Brigade who takes the supplies to the retrosort yard where they can be reutilized or disposed of.
Social Sharing