ANA’s 215th Corps move into new Forward Supply Depot
Story by Bill Putnam
Regional Support Command-Southwest, Public Affairs Specialist
NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan
The 215thMaiwand Corps cut the ribbon on a major facility that will increase their logistical ability to supply their soldiers for operations Sept. 5.
The Corps’ Regional Logistics Supply Center took over a set of 23 barracks, offices and warehouse buildings during a ceremony in the site’s new dining facility attended by officers and soldiers from the ANA and their advisors from Regional Support Command Southwest, NATO Training Mission and the 1stMarine Expeditionary Force (Forward).
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Clark LeMasters, right, the deputy commander of Support Operations, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, and Afghan National Army Maj. Gen. Hotak, the commander of the ANA’s Army Support Command, cut the ribbon to open the 215th Maiwand Corps’ Forward Supply Depot at Camp Shorabak, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept. 5, 2012. The FSD will supply the Afghan National Army’s 215th Maiwand Corps in Helmand and Nimrouz provinces. (Photo by Bill Putnam,Regional Support Command-Southwest, Public Affairs Specialist)
Afghan National Army Maj. Gen. Hotak, the commander of the ANA’s Army Support Command, thanked (through an interpreter) NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Regional Command-Southwest for their help in building the facility.
“I’m very happy to be here participating in this ceremony,” Hotak said during his speech. “On behalf of the (Ministry of Defense) I’d like thank you for building this facility.”
Logistics plays a very important role in supplying an Army, Hotak continued. “It doesn’t matter how units are fighting if they don’t have strong logistics they won’t perform well,” he said.
“In history of the ANA we’ve never had such a facility. I’d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Hotak said. “Since we have such a great facility that will actually increase what we do.”
During the ceremony, U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Joe Strumolo said he was happy everything during the ceremony went smoothly. He was planning the next step in the move from the FSD’s current facilities to the new site.
Strumolo, an adviser to the 215th Maiwand Corps RLSC, said the ANA in the RLSC planned the entire event.
“You’re a little nervous but they executed the way they were supposed to,” Strumolo said. “They planned and executed that entire event.”
Strumolo said how everything related to how the Maiwand Corps fights will be stored in the warehouses and, like Hotak said during the ceremony, the ANA are grateful for the site.
“How the kandaks fight, eat and treat the wounded comes from those buildings,” Strumolo said.
Afghan National Army soldier with the 215th Maiwand Corps’ Regional Logistics Support Center holds up a certificate of appreciation during the opening ceremony for the Forward Supply Depot on Camp Shorabak, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept. 5, 2012. The FSD will supply the Afghan National Army’s 215th Maiwand Corps in Helmand and Nimrouz provinces. (Photo by Bill Putnam,Regional Support Command-Southwest, Public Affairs Specialist)
“They’re very grateful,” Strumolo said. He also said few of the ANA soldiers have told their advisers they understand what it will take to maintain the buildings.
“’We want to make you proud, we want to make your country proud’ and they want to use this to support their brothers fighting,” Strumolo said. “They understand if they don’t take care of these buildings their ability to do that goes down.”
The ANA have started moving into the buildings and they should be fully up and running in the next month or so, Strumolo said.
“That’s everyone living and working out of the new buildings,” he said.
The FSD is part one of a three-part build to increase the Corps’ logistics, Strumolo said. An ammunition bunker complex and a new set of vehicle maintenance buildings will be finished in the next few months.
Building upkeep will be done by 75 ANA soldiers trained in plumbing, wiring and even cooking equipment maintenance, Strumolo said.
NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan, is a coalition of 38 troop contributing nations assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.
Category: News - Logistics, News - News
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