Muleskinners hand off reins for last time in Afghanistan

By Staff Sgt. Michael K. Selvage, 10th Sustainment Brigade JournalistOctober 30, 2014

Muleskinners
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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- The 10th Sustainment Bri-gade, Task Force Muleskinner, cased the brigade colors during a transfer of authority ceremony Tuesday, signifying the completion of their mission and the start of the mission for 4th Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade, Task Force Wrangler.

"It is most fitting that the 10th Sustainment Brigade closes out as the last sustainment brigade executing tactical sustainment operations in Afghanistan," said Col. Willie Rios III, 10th Sustainment Brigade commander. "Since (the former) 10th Division Support Command deployed to Afghani-stan in the first days of Operation Enduring Freedom in December 2001, this marks the fifth deployment to Afghanistan and sixth overall in the past 13 years."

Soldiers of TF Muleskinner began the grueling nine-month deployment in January as the single sustainment brigade throughout the Combined Joint Operations Area-Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. They provided support across six regional commands with sustainment operations while simultaneously conducting retrograde operations.

Rios praised Muleskinner Soldiers for their commitment to the most complex drawdown and retrograde of forces from a theater of operation the Army has ever been involved in.

The will of the Muleskinner Soldiers was strong as they tackled each challenge with honor, dedication and professionalism.

During the deployment, the brigade conducted more than 680 convoy escort team operations, driving more than 46,000 miles throughout Afghanistan. The brigade successfully closed more than 60 commodity and service redistribution sites, including six supply support activities, two ammunition supply points, seven ration sites and 13 Army post offices.

TF Muleskinner retrograded more than 900, 20-foot equivalent units of serviceable military equipment from the battlefield and put them back into the Army supply system, saving millions of dollars.

The brigade also reduced the overall sustainment contractor footprint by 40 percent.

"The one area that I'm most proud of and thankful for is that every Soldier conducting (convoy escort team) operations and off the forward operating base missions walked away without injury," Rios said.

Because of the hard-working Soldiers of the brigade, every mission they received was accomplished.

"Today, the Muleskinner Family made history," said Capt. Juan A. Cepeda, 10th Sustainment Brigade adjutant. "I'm glad that after every- thing we've done here in Afghani-stan I can go home to my beautiful wife and two little boys."