Mayor stays busy, handles forward operating base daily issues

FORT IRWIN, Calif., -- While walking around Forward Operating Base Warrior, on the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., Master Sgt. Kevin Robinson stops to answer his cell phone - it tends to ring often throughout the day. After answering the phone, the person on the other end informs him a group of Soldiers are arriving at the FOB, which is nestled in the middle of the California desert base. "I'm on the other side of the FOB," he tells the caller. The caller informs him the Soldiers would be arriving in about 15 minutes. "OK, I'll be there," he said; then he hangs up and calls one of his Soldiers. "Print me out my speech and one of those new chapel schedules." He then hustles across the FOB to brief the incoming Soldiers, about 300 from two National Guard units from Michigan and Illinois. The briefing is part of his job as FOB Mayor. So far, he has briefed almost every Soldier who has entered the FOB. In all, more than 5,400 Soldiers are present for the NTC rotation, mostly from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Hood, Texas. Other active-duty Army units, Air Force, Marines, Army National Guard and Army Reserve are also supporting the 3rd ACR. The 3rd ACR is scheduled to deploy to Iraq later this year. As FOB Mayor, Robinson is responsible for maintaining everyday situations on the FOB while supervising a crew of 125 Soldiers. Robinson and the Soldiers make up the FOB's white cell. The white cell's daily tasks include keeping the FOB clean by picking up trash, cleaning the five restrooms at least twice a day, guarding several FOB buildings, manning the ammunition supply point and maintaining 87 generators. Robinson, a Louisville, Ky., native, was one of the first Soldiers to arrive on the FOB May 4. An advance party followed him on May 8, and the bulk of the regiment arrived May 13-18. "This is a 24-hour deal," Robinson said about maintaining the FOB. -30-