CRANE, Ind. – When Soldiers of the 1032nd Transportation Company rolled into Crane Army Ammunition Activity this summer, they were preparing to do more than participate in a regularly scheduled annual training mission. The unit was instead stepping into Operation Patriot Press--a high-stakes, nationwide logistics mission led by Army Materiel Command. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with Crane’s civilian workforce for the annual mission, the unit spent two intensive weeks hauling sensitive munitions and facilitating critical equipment moves, directly strengthening not just their own capabilities, but the entire Department of War’s industrial base.
Demonstrating overall tactical readiness, drivers with the unit not only got to train navigating 18-wheelers around Crane’s tight roads, but also successfully convoyed munitions to Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond, Kentucky in between driving to and from their home unit, racking up invaluable drive time in support of the Department of War.
“We had to have all the right placards in place and be able to move ammunition correctly,” said First Sgt. Robert Monette, enlisted leader of the 1032nd. “And a lot of guys were seeing that for the first time, but they executed excellently.”
Beyond placing specialized placards on the vehicles, moving ammunition takes extra time and focus for drivers. Routes must be planned more carefully, convoys have to have extra spacing, and Soldiers need to raise their overall awareness to the next level to allow for safe shipment.
“I am more careful overall,” said Spc. Juan Hernandez. “You have to be more aware of your trailer and what you’re hauling, how to strap it down and where to strap it down.”
The 1032nd Transportation Company had participated in the nationwide logistical mission before, but with many new faces in the unit and a newer leadership team, their time at Crane presented exciting challenges and training opportunities alike. The Gate City-based unit brought more than 70 service members from the East Coast to provide support of OPP and CAAA.
“We have a lot of truck drivers in our unit, given that we are a transportation company, and a lot of new Soldiers,” continued Monette. “A lot of guys here got to see firsthand what truck drivers in the Army do and how that looks in a tactical environment.”
Through their efforts supporting OPP, the National Guardsmen found ways to both improve CAAA and advance their own capabilities as well. In addition to helping move more than 700,000 pounds of cargo and freeing up space at depots, dozens were able to obtain forklift licenses, perform maintenance on CAAA vehicles, and garner experience working in and around railroads–a feature unique to bases like Crane.
Success for OPP at Crane is only possible because of the collaboration between uniformed service members and civilian staff members at CAAA. By working side-by-side together, civilian employees were able to share their expertise across a variety of components of the munition manufacturing process, making the warfighters more versatile while also being able to better leverage the extra manpower.
Dedicated staff members at Crane like Misty Conkle were not only responsible for the planning and implementation of missions, but with providing classes and training opportunities to the Soldiers, driving equipment to load trucks, and overall working alongside their uniformed counterparts.
“We love to see the unit develop and gain experience, accomplish their training objectives, and overall stepping out of their comfort zone,” said Conkle, who led the way in organizing OPP at Crane. “And we learn a lot from the Soldiers too through working with them… We all get to learn and develop, and that is awesome.”
Getting to support a critical and unique mission set through OPP proved to be such a positive experience, that Monette says he is advocating for the unit to return for future iterations.
“Our Soldiers loved the training they got, they felt supported by the staff, and they want to come back next year.”
Crane Army Ammunition Activity is a vital component of the U.S. Army's Organic Industrial Base, responsible for the full life-cycle management of conventional munitions to enable Joint Force readiness. It is part of the Army Sustainment Command which provides globally responsive strategic logistics capabilities and materiel readiness to ensure America’s military forces are equipped to conduct the full range of military operations. Established Oct. 1977, it is located on Naval Weapons Station Crane.
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