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SSA: The best supporting the rest

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Marie Brown
  • U.S. Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs
Southwest Asia --  As the Army’s supply distribution hub, the supply support activity is responsible for ordering, storing, receiving and issuing the supplies required for daily operations. Soldiers of the SSA here, currently deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C., work relentlessly to provide their fellow Soldiers everything they need.

“Our mission is to provide inventory and material management supply support for four main classes of supply to our battalion’s mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve,” said Staff Sgt. George, SSA NCO in-charge.

The SSA is broken down into four sections: receiving, issue, shipping and stock control.

Items enter the SSA through the receiving section, where they are verified using the accompanied paperwork that gives the item name, unit of issue and quantity and then processed using the Standard Army Retail Supply System.

“I get our parts from the Traffic Management Office and Air Terminal Operation Center,” said Private First Class Frank, logistics specialist. “I bring them in and verify what it is supposed to be according to SARSS. I process everything out and contact the customer for them to come pick it up.”

Receiving and processing nearly 250 pieces of equipment on a daily basis is truly a team effort.

“Everything going on in the SSA is more or less connected,” said Frank. “Issue helps me and I help them. If one section goes down it pretty much affects everybody.”

Stock control, the “nerve” of the SSA, tracks everything that goes on in the warehouse. This section tracks the status on every item that is on order, en route and currently in the warehouse.

“We are mostly in charge of filing, inventory management and reconstitution,” said Sgt. Eddie, stock control NCO in-charge. “Anything that tracks the movement of a part, we know about it.”

Each section in the SSA is run by Soldiers whose ultimate goal is to ensure their customers receive their supplies in a timely manner. It’s no surprise that customer service plays a big part in their everyday duties.

“Above all else, every Soldier must possess professionalism,” said George. “Some of our customers by virtues of their mission and location have to transact business in civilian clothing. Chances are, if any of my elements display improprieties, they could be a not-so-good situation.”

They must also be resilient, given the austerity they encounter from challenges ranging from extremely hot temperatures to a deluge of parts, added George.

Accountability of equipment is very important for any military unit, and this is no different for the Soldiers working in the SSA.

“A ten percent inventory and location survey is conducted monthly,” said George. “A 100 percent inventory, known as ‘wall to wall’, is conducted twice a year or when the officer-in-charge deems it necessary.”

The Soldiers in the SSA receive and store everything from pencils and uniforms to oils and equipment components for their battalion as well as the Navy. On average, they receive up to six truck loads a week.

Regardless of the work tempo, George said his Soldiers are definitely putting their best foot forward.

“We are kind of constrained with it comes to personnel,” said George. “We have a very good team and everybody understands the primary reason we are here. They come to work in the morning with enthusiasm and prepared to own the mission.”

Regardless of what the Soldiers of the Air Defense Artillery Regiment might need, the SSA Soldiers will do their best to get them what they need for their mission.

“Our function here is to make sure that we can provide our warfighters what they need to make the mission happen,” said George. “We are doing everything to make sure that critical repair parts are provided timely and accurately.”

(Editor’s note: Due to safety and security reasons, last names and unit designators were removed.)