Critical support equipment delivered to 838th AEAG

Published June 25, 2011
By Capt. Jamie Humphries
438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group in Shindand, received much-needed support equipment recently that will aid in the buildup of a new advisor camp.

This equipment will support approximately 300 incoming personnel supporting the NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan.

The equipment, including tents, environmental control units, latrine systems, shower systems, generators and electrical equipment, was shipped from Forward Operating Base Delaram II by the 548th Transportation Company and 298th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.

According to 838th officials, the equipment is necessary to build a new camp that will support personnel arriving within the next six months and be built by the time the first people arrive in July.

Needing 43 people to accomplish the move, soldiers and an Airman from the 548th and 838th traveled to Delaram II to load and transport the equipment. Logistics Civil Augmentation Program contractor DynCorp, also provided 20 people to help tear down and load equipment over the span of 13 days.

The mission was the collective idea of 838th Base Civil Engineers, LOGCAP and Defense Contract Management Agency who jointly developed a logistical plan with the Marine Mayor's Cell and DynCorp at Delaram II. The Mayor's Cell is responsible for the living arrangements at the FOB.

"The actual shipping of this critical support equipment was a four-day operation," said 1st Lt. Daniel Hamilton, an 838th AEAG engineer. "More than $6 million in equipment was convoyed more than 300 miles. If we would have ordered this from the United States, it would have taken the delivery between six and nine months, leaving our Soldiers and Airmen without a place for billeting or services."

Now that the equipment has arrived at Shindand, crews have begun the difficult operations to construct the new camp. The current plan is for the Air Force and Army advisors to use the joint camp in an effort to continue improving the advising mission with the Afghan Air Force and according to base officials, establish the premier training base in Afghanistan.

Of course, Airmen indicate none of this would have been possible without the support of units at Delaram II who worked tirelessly to supply and deliver the equipment.

"The most challenging part of the job was coordinating all of the equipment and vehicles and personnel to accomplish this mission. Once I got it all put together, it was just a matter of moving equipment from point A to point B," said Sergeant First Class William Nicholas, 548th Transportation Company Platoon Sergeant. "It is satisfying to be able to take part in something that is bigger than yourself and see it come together as a success."

In the long run, Air Force officials at the base agree, working together with units at Delaram II was the key to success in order to facilitate the move.

"Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of all the units and organizations at Delaram II, who worked tirelessly to supply and deliver the equipment," said Lt. Col. Lance McCuiston, Shindand's base civil engineer. "The outstanding joint effort and thinking out of the box resulted in major mission success in supporting our Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines."