Louisiana soldiers help inspect convoy escort teams in Iraq

Soldiers with the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), conducted a staff assistance visit to inspect convoy escort teams to promote readiness Oct. 21 at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq. Staff assistance visits provide the integrity of a squadron commander’s mission and intent, according to Capt. Michael Ruffin, commander and S3 operations officer with the HHT, 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt., and a New Orleans native.

    “In order to ensure that the convoy escort teams are thoroughly prepared to conduct a convoy mission, a staff assistance visit is administered with the help of the staff of HHT, 2nd Squadron, 108th Cav. Regt.,” Ruffin said. “This visit can be utilized as the eyes and ears for the top leadership of the squadron and reinforce the guidance that has been given to the troop or company. It is also to provide the tactical/technical procedures to help the squadron convoy escort team as a whole.”

  The success of the mission can be contributed to all aspects of the squadron. The CETs take the bulk of the operation, but it will start from the top, which covers command and control.

  “The staff member that holds the knowledge and expertise comes through prior to the convoy escort teams leaving the wire to inspect and spot check the trucks and soldiers to ensure that they have all that is needed,” said Maj. Keith E. Robinson, the S3 operations officer-in-charge with the HHT, 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt., and a Prairieville, La., native. “This inspection will give the squadron commander assurance that his soldiers have the tools necessary to prepare for almost anything that comes their way. It provides a common operations picture among all convoys.”

   Areas of inspections cover the basic necessities such as proper paperwork to operate the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, programming the frequencies for the radios, and be able to do a proper function check on all weapon systems.

 “Since the beginning of the staff assistance visit, the rolling CETs have become more productive toward communications and more familiar with the systems in play,” said Sgt. Paul Bryant, communications noncommissioned officer with the HHT, 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt., and a Shreveport, La., native. “I believe that the SAVs [staff assistance visits] are ideal for ensuring the operators fully understand the steps in ensuring their communication systems are operating to their full potential, and that a soldier not only shoots and moves but also has to communicate."

“I do not mind conducting SAVs,” said Sgt. 1st Class Roderick Spurlock, squadron supply noncommissioned officer in charge with the HHT, 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt., and a Shreveport, La., native. “It makes me feel like I’m doing my part by ensuring the safety of the soldiers and the mission.”

The HHT, 2nd Sqdn., 108th Cav. Regt. staff has embraced this duty without hesitation because they feel that they contribute to the fight and the mission.

“We instituted this upon our arrival to Iraq,” said Lt. Col. William Rachal, commander with the 2nd Sqdn, 108th Cav. Regt., and a Breaux Bridge, La., native, while explaining his reason for implementing this program in his squadron. “It gives the staff a perspective of what our CETs go through on a daily basis making the staff more proficient in their development of plans and orders. Secondly, it helps ensure synchronization ensuring the commander’s intent is understood by subordinate commanders, leaders at all levels within the troop and companies and the staff. This additional duty is normally outside the scope of their everyday job description, but taking care of soldiers and ensuring that they are prepared will support the ultimate mission for this deployment, which is supporting our country and returning home to our love ones.”