Well wishers, family and friends gathered at the Quadrangle Colonnade on Fort Sam Houston to witness a moment in history as the 412th Contracting Support Brigade unfurled itAca,!a,,cs flag, thus becoming the newest subordinate brigade of the Expeditionary Contracting Command.
Aca,!A"Starting something new is not an easy task and it requires very talented people to take an idea, a vision, that guidon; plant it and build a high performing organization around it,Aca,!A? said Brig. Gen. Camille M. Nichols, ECC commander. Aca,!A"Col. Jeff Morris is just that person to bring the 412th into reality! He is here and he is ready to do real work! His past assignments have brought him here today well prepared to accept this honor and this challenge of command.Aca,!A?
Established to plan and execute contingency contracting support for United States Army North in support of Army and Joint Operations throughout the NORTHCOM area of responsibility, the 412thAca,!a,,cs headquarters is located at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Aca,!A"With the activation of the 412th, we have consolidated the battalions and can provide a consolidated support system here,Aca,!A? said Morris, the unitAca,!a,,cs first commander. Aca,!A"We can do more together than with sum of the parts than we could with the individual parts.Aca,!A?
The 412th Contracting Support Brigade consists of four combat support battalions. The 900th CSBn, Fort Bragg, N,C.; the 901st CSBn, Fort Hood, Texas; the 902nd CSBn, Fort Lewis, Wash.; and the 904th CSBn, Fort Irwin, Calif.
Each battalionAca,!a,,cs mission is to deploy worldwide, serving as a combat multiplier for contingency, operational and sustainment contracting. The battalions also provide command and control of trained and ready contingency contracting teams which support the war-fighting commandersAca,!a,,c ability to accomplish their strategic, operational and tactical missions.
Aca,!A"We are truly a force multiplier. This can be seen today in the support for ARNORTH as well as in Iraq and AfghanistanAca,!A? said Nichols. Aca,!A"Our Army needs the ability to surge support structure to handle the adaptive nature of its missions. We will be able to contract for that support for the tactical commanders.Aca,!A?
Nichols said the realization of the need for military contracting officers has taken a while to take hold and is evident now in the way folks talk about the contingency contracting officers.
Aca,!A"General (Thomas R) Turner, (commander, U.S. Army North) your staff has asked me numerous times, Aca,!a,,cwhen do we get our brigade'Aca,!a,,c Today is that day,Aca,!A? said Nichols.
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