Editor's note: LOGCAP - Logistics Civil Augmentation Program - is a multi-billion dollar Army initiative to hire civilian contractors to perform services supporting the U.S. military in wartime and other contingencies. Use of contractors allows military units to focus on combat operations. It leverages worldwide corporate resources to bridge the gap between military logistics force structure and actual theater needs. As of April 2009, nearly 1 billion meals have been prepared, close to 300 million pounds of mail have been delivered, and close to 270 million tons of ice have been produced and delivered to Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. Working with Army Contracting Command's Rock Island Contracting Center, LOGCAP enables the Army to focus on the fight. The following reports from field activities highlight some recent examples of LOGCAP making the difference.
Water keeps flowing at hospital
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - On July 29, 2009, the water bladder at the Air Force Theater Hospital at Joint Base Balad ruptured. The team at JBB had a plan prepared for this possibility as the bag was nearing the end of its life cycle.
Camp Services immediately provided a water tanker to the hospital, which allowed the hospital to remain open without interruption to patient care. The LOGCAP contractor water technicians worked with military bio-environmental specialists into the night, ensuring correct water tests were performed and all results displayed safe levels. The responsiveness of the JBB team was recognized by Lt. Col. Tracey Kop, deputy commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group, who sent a "Thank-You" letter to the LOGCAP III JBB operations manager.
Dental Clinic opens at COB Q-West
The Army's 45th Special Troops Battalion Troop Medical Clinic and the 561st Medical Command Dental Clinic opened the new Q-West Dental Clinic May 23 in Iraq. The LOGCAP contractor delivered the project on time with the new facility housing six treatment rooms, a laboratory, a lead-lined x-ray room, a sterilization room making oral surgery possible, a waiting area and offices.
During the grand opening ceremony, Maj. Roger Jackson, 16th Sustainment Brigade projects officer, thanked the LOGCAP contractor for the excellent quality of work in the dental clinic project.
While being recognized for his own efforts, Jackson said: "I just push the paper around; it's the [contractor] people in the field, pouring the concrete, erecting the walls and wiring the electrical, that really make the difference and make COB Q-West a great place to live." During a follow-on reception and tour of the facility, attendees were impressed by the caliber and quality of the work performed.
DCMA enhances contingency Contract Administration Services support
A strong supporter of U.S. forces in Southwest Asia, Defense Contract Management Agency has taken additional steps to enhance its support to American forces deployed there.
DCMA's mission includes performing important contract administration services -including those performed in support of contingency contracting operations - aimed at ensuring that the U.S. military fully receive the quality support they need to perform its critical mission, on time and within cost.
Reflecting their commitment, DCMA recently announced its intention to increase its in-theater manning levels by 11 percent from 228 to 253 for LOGCAP alone. DCMA provides additional dedicated support throughout the theater.
The most significant change in the requirement fill is the addition of 13 fire specialists to be assigned theater-wide and nine quality assurance specialists and property administrators earmarked specifically to the LOCAP III to LOGCAP IV transition in Afghanistan.
DCMA has also announced plans to: Partner with the LOGCAP Executive Directorate to embed and more formally integrate DCMA into both Army contracting officer representative orientation training and Army pre-deployment exercises; increase DCMA participation in service-sponsored exercises that incorporate employment of LOGCAP, Armed Forces Contract Augmentation Program, and theater-wide contracts; and leverage the enormous benefit to be gained from operating in a joint environment by participating in select joint training and UCC-sponsored exercises.
Housing units improve life quality at FOB Frontenac
FOB FRONTENAC, Afghanistan -- LOGCAP support for the troop surge in Afghanistan has involved many new requirements that call for heroic efforts to get the mission accomplished while ensuring the warfighter is properly housed, fed and, taken care of.
A great example of high-quality LOGCAP support was seen in the housing of Soldiers in containerized housing called relocatable buildings or RLBs. These highly adaptable housing units are critical in Afghanistan where temperatures can fluctuate over a range of as much as 130 degrees during extended months in the summer and with frigidly cold weather and snow in the high elevations during the winter.
LOGCAP is responsible for 6,020 RLBs at Regional Command South locations in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan RIP/TOA seamlessly completed
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and 82nd Airborne Division conducted a Relief In Place and Transfer of Authority June 3 with no interruption in LOGCAP service even though the military footprint is increasing during the transition period in Afghanistan.
This required temporary adjustments in housing and feeding and all base life support services and demonstrates the flexibility of all involved including the warfighter and those, like Team LOGCAP, that support them.
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