Trans. Co. stands down for safety

By 1st Lt. Danielle R. Gordon, 395th Combat Sustainment Support BattalionMarch 1, 2010

Members of the 40th Transportation Company, 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), practice tying down a load on a trailer during the company's safety stand-down day at...
Members of the 40th Transportation Company, 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), practice tying down a load on a trailer during the company's safety stand-down day at Continge... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq - Soldiers with the 40th Transportation Company, 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), conducted a training stand-down on Feb. 6 and 7 at Contingency Operating Location Q-West, Iraq.

The training stand-down focused on safety and ensured all training and procedures met or exceeded established standards, said Capt. Juan Villatoro, the 40th Trans. Co. commander and Los Angeles, native.

"Bottom line, the Soldier has a better understanding of their duties and responsibility, not only as a driver but as a leader when it comes to safety," Villatoro said. "The leaders are more engaged and on the lookout for safety."

The training consisted of events which included hands-on preventive maintenance measures and classroom instruction taught by some of the company's senior noncommissioned officers, said Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Grogman, from Kansas City, Missouri.

The unit rotated round-robin through the various classes, covering different vehicles, forms, loads, and scenarios, Villatoro said. The refresher training used the Army's "crawl, walk, run" method, focusing the unit on sometimes commonplace and overlooked methods and procedures.

"I believe the last two days have made this unit better and better," Villatoro said.