CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Iraqi 10th Army officers visited COB Adder, May 28, 2011, to gain insight into U.S. forces logistical operations. Officers and noncommisioned officers with the Logistical Training Advisory Team, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, worked side by side with their Air Force counterparts to conduct a tour of the base.
Col. Muthana Subhi Abid AlJabbar, commander of Medium Workshop " Ur, 10th Iraqi Army Division, was joined by 13 other IA officers and enlisted Soldiers for a tour of the facilities, which included the ice plant, the U.S. Air Force Medium Workshop maintenance facility, the Coalition Dining Facility and finally the supply support activity warehouse.
The group started with a tour of the ice plant given by Gabriel Montoya, the superintendent. "The plant is capable of producing up to 130 tons of ice in a 24 hour period, using five different machines," said Montoya. "We also have a distribution point that is open 24 hours a day," he added. The plant employs 20 workers around the clock and Muthana and his team said they were very impressed with the state of the art equipment.
Escorted by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Pearson, the senior advisor for Echelon Above Division " Advisory Team, Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Army, and Capt. Richard Benson, with LTAT, the tour group visited the Air Force Medium Workshop maintenance facility where they were greeted by Master Sgt. Luis Velarde, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., and noncommissioned officer in charge of vehicle maintenance. Velarde explained the process of submitting a work order, ordering parts, fixing the vehicles and then how to close out a work order.
Velarde told Col. Muthana that even if an Airman comes in without paperwork and they have been in an accident they would still help. "If the vehicle gets into an accident, we look at the vehicle to see if it is a small accident or a bigger accident, and to see if it is to be repaired or not. I have to make a decision on that." said Velarde, "Then obviously the unit is advised."
After a brief walk through the maintenance bays, the group headed to the parts department. Muthana commented on how well stocked it was, "I am amazed at the amount of spare parts you keep in here, this is very good," he said, "You don't have any vehicles waiting outside (to be fixed) that is also good."
The tour moved on to the Coalition Dining Facility, where everyone enjoyed a selection of meats, fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, followed by various desserts and hot tea.
After the food had settled, the group were given a tour of the dining facility and kitchens by Spc. Amber Jones, a Greenville, S.C. native, and Spc. Muhamed Manze, a native of Kampala, Uganda, both currently food service specialists with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion.
The final leg of the tour was the supply support activity warehouse and is run by the 565th Quartermaster Company, 4th Sustainment Brigade. Sgt. Vanessa Foote, a native of Ripley, Miss., showed the group around the warehouse explaining the different supplies and procedures she was responsible for. "We store our stuff in alphabetical order, so we know what the customer ordered and where it is in the warehouse," said Foote. "I have a certain amount of days that I will keep their merchandise and I will call them to pick it up, if they don't come and get it, it goes back in the system."
Muthana said "I am impressed with how few personnel were needed to run the warehouse." He then thanked Foote for her time before getting back in the vehicle and headed to the vehicle control center.
On the way to the visitor control center the group stopped for an opportunity to take some photographs in front of the 215th BSB headquarters building. Once they reached the VCC, Col. Muthana thanked Lt. Col. Pearson, Capt. Benson and the LTAT team for their hospitality and said that he hoped he could return the favor some day.
This tour marked a stepping stone in the gradual realignment of U.S. forces in Iraq, and is one of the first visits to the GREYWOLF foot-print by Iraqi military officials.
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