Operation Iraqi Freedom has led U.S. Forces to Diyala province, Iraq, for the greater part of the last decade. Along the way they have established bases that units have rotated in and out of, leaving behind excess equipment such as radios, ammunition and storage containers, to stockpile over the years.
As the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, stepped foot inside this province, they knew they would be one of the last units to do so. They started taking immediate action to help erase the footprints left throughout the province. To address the excess equipment that the brigade inherited upon its arrival, Task Force Transition was created by 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3 SBCT, 2nd ID.
“It’s not going to be like Vietnam with the images of helicopters being pushed into the water,” said Capt. Jonathan Cheek, of Highpoint, N.C., and the TF Transition officer in charge.
They began this task by exploring every nook and cranny and documenting everything found on the bases selected to be handed back over to the Government of Iraq by 3 SBCT, 2nd ID. While the group administered this process by making sure all of the paperwork was in order, clean-Sweep teams were brought in from the 13th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, stationed at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
The job of these clean-sweep teams was to retrograde (re-enter into the Army supply system) the inherited equipment. These groups confirmed, re-inventoried, packaged and shipped empty containers – and containers full of extra equipment – to other locations to be accounted for once again. So far, a total of 1,370 containers have been relocated by this system, said 1st Lt. Mark Hall, of Hollywood, Fla., and the brigade transportation officer responsible for overseeing movement of equipment and supplies.
Some excess equipment, such as Containerized Housing Units (CHUs), generators and water tanks were left behind to be used by the GoI.
“These are things that we have a lot of, but don’t really need,” said Capt. Sarah Komm, of Kenosha, Wis., and the deputy officer for the transition team. “It costs more for us to take it back than to just leave it here for the Iraqis to have.”
Although supplies from previous units are being left on bases and handed over to the IA, they are not just leaving useless or unserviceable items to be disposed of by the GoI. Everything left behind is in working order and can be used to maintain operations and living conditions on these bases.
“The Iraqis actually do a joint inventory with the FOB mayor [U.S. representative responsible for operations on the FOB] where they show them everything on the base,” said Capt. Komm. “We just don’t hand them a bunch of broken stuff. We try to give it to them in working condition.”
After these bases have been handed over, the Soldiers of 3 SBCT, 2nd ID, have continued their partnerships with the Iraqi Security Forces by training and advising them in combat operations. So far, none of the Iraqi units operating out of these bases have voiced any complaints about the condition of the facilities they received, said Capt. Cheek.
Coming to the end of their tour after operating in the province for ten months, Arrowhead Soldiers have shifted their focus from conducting missions to inventorying and packing their own equipment that they brought with them. While TF Transition is getting ready to go home as well, they are continuing their job for the next unit to finish.
“We have already started inventorying everything on [FOBs] Warhorse and Cobra,” said Capt. Komm. “This will make it a lot easier for [2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division] when they close down these bases.”
