Associated Press - US troops killed in Afghanistan and Africa

Army Staff Sgt. Anton R. Phillips

Anton Phillips, a father of three, "took care of his soldiers like family," a fellow officer said.
"He rallied them to do their jobs to the best of their ability and he led by example," said Capt. Alexis Jackson, who served with Phillips.

As an executive officer for the 5th Maintenance Company out of Kaiserslautern, Germany, Phillips earned respect from both his leaders and peers, according to The Provider, a blog about the 82nd Sustainment Brigade, which is supporting the war in Afghanistan.

Phillips, 31, of Inglewood, Calif., died Dec. 31 at Forward Operating Base Methar Lam. According to the Department of Defense, Phillips was assigned to the base in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department has announced that it is investigating Phillips' death.

"Sgt. Phillips was beyond reliable," 1st Lt. Craig A. Long, 5th MC platoon leader, said at a service for Phillips. "He was more than just a team leader, he was a friend and his door was always open to anyone, day or night."

Phillips is survived by daughters Lexus, 13; Antoneth, 8; and Alina, 5. The Provider reports that more than 200 soldiers attended a memorial service for Phillips at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

By Associated Press

Originally published here: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/02/08/general-us-afghan-us-toll-capsules-january_7338000.html

Help is on the Way - 43rd Sustainment Brigade will deploy to Afghanistan next week

Just as linebackers aren’t typically featured on the Wheaties box, soldiers in Fort Carson’s 43rd Sustainment Brigade must be content to serve as the unsung heroes of the war effort.

Their mission: To provide food, supplies, maintenance and transportation to the troops on the front lines.
“We’re not the guys kicking in the doors and using night-vision goggles and bayonets,” said Lt. Col. Craig Simonsgaard, commander of the brigade’s 43rd Special Troops Battalion.

“This isn’t typically the sexiest job in the Army,” he said. “But if you don’t have fuel, you don’t have ammunition, you don’t have maintenance, you’re not going to get a whole lot done.”

About 300 soldiers from the brigade will deploy to Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan next week, for the brigade’s second tour in that country. Three other companies will join those soldiers in the next few months, bringing their number in Afghanistan to about 500.

As part of President Obama’s 30,000-soldier surge, the logistics brigade will oversee 23 subordinate units from 21 countries making up the complicated system that keeps troops equipped for battle.

The 82nd Sustainment Brigade from Fort Bragg, N.C., is presently directing logistics and supplies in northern Afghanistan.

The Fort Carson soldiers’ arrival will mark the first time that two full logistics brigades will be in Afghanistan at the same time – another sign of the renewed focus on the country’s first front in the war on terrorism.

By LANCE BENZEL

Originally published here: http://www.gazette.com/articles/lines-94990-aren-supply.html

Field Service Company brings showers, clean laundry to troops in Haiti.

By Spc. A.M. LaVey

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The 259th Field Service Company, part of the 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 82nd Sustainment Brigade, based out of Fort Bragg, N.C., arrived here Feb. 10 to provide the Joint Task Force - Haiti and the 82nd Airborne Division with shower facilities and laundry services.

Two 20-person shower, laundry, and clothing repair teams, bringing with them three trailer-based Laundry Advanced Systems, have set-up shop at Logistical Support Area Sustainer and work to provide Soldiers with two very important, often overlooked services that almost seem almost luxurious in a field environment.
“Soldiers want clean clothes, they have got to get their stuff clean,” said Capt. Burton Carlson, commander of the 259th. “We get it clean and return it to them in a timely manner.”

The laundry systems, known as LADS, can process 400 pounds of laundry in an hour and with Carlson’s two systems at full capacity, can process about 20,000 pounds of laundry per day.

Starting a LADS site in the austere environment of Haiti has been very trying for Carlson and his team.
“Here in Haiti, it has been a challenge because there were no existing facilities, but we were able to get things started and now we keep them going,” said Carlson.

“Before I took command of the 259th, I did not realize the amount of resources it takes to conduct field showers and laundry,” said Carlson. “If I don’t have water, or fuel or some type of sump that can extract grey water, I can’t do my mission. You have to always be thinking: what can I do to make this mission happen?”

“There are so many different pieces in the puzzle to make a field service company work, and we are working with the locals to make this mission a success,” he said.

This deployment to Haiti has been a great teaching tool, because the 259th has a lot of newer Soldiers who have yet to deploy.

“This is an opportunity to train my Soldiers and deploy my equipment,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kumlai Manigault, a platoon sergeant with the 259th. “I get to know the capabilities and limitations of our Soldiers and equipment.”

“When you have a mission, especially in an austere environment such as this, you really get to know your people, their strengths and weaknesses,” said Carlson. “You don’t get to see it until your unit faces adversity and challenges.”

Many Soldiers may not know about field service specialists or what they do here.

Soldier’s laundry is collected from around Haiti and brought to LSA Sustainment. The laundry is received, inventoried and separated into mesh bags, 20 pieces of laundry per bag. The mesh bags are then coded with the Soldier’s information and then sent to be processed in the LADS. Each LADS has two drums that can fit 35 bundles per drum. It takes once hour to process a load: washing, two rinse cycles, and then it is dried - all in the same drum. From the LADS it goes to another tent, where it is re-inventoried, organized back into the Soldier’s laundry bag, and then it is ready to be picked up.

“I like what I do, it’s fun and different,” said Pvt. Elizabeth Ramirez, a shower/laundry and clothing repair specialist with the 259th.

“We do laundry and keep people clean,” she said. “When you get exhausted with this heat and humidity, a fresh shower and clean laundry always makes you feel great.”

“This is a good experience and we’re learning to interact with the people here outside our normal work environment,” Ramirez said. “Being out in the field will help prepare us for our next mission, even though this mission may only be for a short amount of time.”

“We have a really good system going on, and I know this mission will go well,” said Ramirez.
Even with this type of mission and the new personnel, the 259th FSC is making it happen, helping those who are helping the people of Haiti.

“We bring patience, creativity and hard work - and that is what it takes to make this mission work,” said Carlson.

“This mission is doing well only because I have some tenacious Soldiers and noncommissioned officers who are the ones making it happen,” said Carlson.