My deployment, in support of Operation New Dawn (OND), as part of the Ali Al Salem Camp Command Cell, expanded my experience as a leader and facilitated the development of my Soldiers during mobilization and deployment. The mission of the 197th Fires Brigade (FiB) for OND from September 2010 to September 2011 was to manage base sustainment for all, or portions of five U.S. camps in Kuwait. Our responsibility, as Soldiers from Task Force 3643d, was to provide all logistical support for the Life Support Area (LSA). This included permanent party quarter management, security, network support, contract management, bottled water supply and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR.) My role was to be 1SG of TF 3643d, and part of the S4 section in charge of all permanent party billeting. This experience paper covers the positive aspects of my OND deployment – our contributions to the mission and our achievements of leadership growth.
Post-Mobilization Tasks and Training
On June 1, 2009, I was promoted to 1SG and assigned to the HHC of the 3643d Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) of the NH Army National Guard. I had already served with several of the senior NCOs during other assignments, so I was familiar with the unit’s mission to support the 197th FiB. Soon after my transfer, I learned that the 3643d BSB would be mobilizing within two years to deploy as part of the 197th FiB, but the mission and theater of operation were not yet finalized. Approximately ten months later, HHC was tasked with providing LSA services for Camp Virginia, Kuwait.
Unlike my previous deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004-2005, where we had only a few months to prepare for mobilization and deployment, this deployment was scheduled over a year in advance. Upon learning of the intended mobilization, we immediately started following the 1st Army guidance and working on our “Horse Blanket” of tasks that needed to be done. Even though some of the tasks were assigned more than one...