FORT SILL, Okla. (Feb. 8, 2018) -- Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery spent the first three weeks of the new year preparing their equipment for mobilization for their upcoming deployment to Southwest Asia.
The unit has completed the surface movement to the port of embarkation by way of line haul and rail transportation.
The road to deployment requires planning and concentrated effort by the Soldiers of 3-2nd ADA and Logistics Readiness Center (LRC) staff members here. The LRC staff provides logistical resources to units including movement operations and transportation. This logistical support enables units to sustain readiness by serving as a hub through which parts and equipment are resourced.
"Due to changes in the timeline concerning the shipment of equipment, the unit had to adapt to complete the mission expeditiously and correctly. The coordination between 3-2nd ADA and the LRC enabled the equipment to be validated and shipped by rail and line hauled by truck," said 1st Lt. Greg Rice, 3-2nd ADA movement officer in charge of rail operations.
Before the shipment of the equipment, all batteries in the unit worked to ensure the serviceability and cleanliness of their equipment by moving them through the movement preparation area operations (MPA Ops) facilitated by the battalion's organic E Maintenance Company. Each piece of equipment went through eight stations, in which it was inspected, fueled, weighed, and marked, concluding at an assigned sterile lot awaiting departure.
"At the railhead, we loaded the vehicles onto the trucks and the rail cars. There we completed the final stations of MPA Ops, ensuring the cleanliness of the vehicles, correct vehicle markings, weight, and dimensions prior to directing it to the staging lot," said 1st Lt. Daniel Coffield, 3-2nd ADA movement officer in charge of the port operations and line haul.
Once the equipment arrived in Beaumont, Texas, a team of the battalion's Soldiers met the equipment at the port of embarkation to verify its safe arrival and oversee the final load-out onto a freighter.
The Soldiers worked with the 842nd Transportation Battalion from Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, which is responsible for the shipment of the equipment from the port to the final destination. The follow-on port team departs shortly to resume verification of the final rail movement's arrival.
With the initial departure of about 90 percent of containers and rolling stock, the 3-2nd ADA is ready to deploy within the upcoming months. Soldiers will continue deployment preparation through events, such as weapons qualification ranges, driver's training for new Soldiers, and gas mask familiarization through chemical biological radiological nuclear training. The upcoming training and preparation will ensure the battalion maintains its deployment readiness.
Social Sharing