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Iraq update: Drawdown is on target
Col.-Shawn-Morrissey
Col. Shawn Morrissey - photo by Photo provided.
The 3rd Sustainment Brigade will be “second to last to turn off the lights” in Iraq as the 3rd Infantry Division draws down said brigade commander Col. Shawn Morrissey by phone Thursday. Morrissey said his unit is tasked with sustaining troops during a historic and large-scale retrograde operation.
The 3rd Sustainment Brigade has more than 3,700 troops, some of whom are deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan as well as to Iraq. This deployment is the brigade’s fourth deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, or Vanguard, is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in July.
Morrissey and his men deployed in April. They provide the 3rd ID logistical services such as postal service, finance, transportation and human resources in addition to
providing and maintaining supplies and equipment. The brigade’s area of operation stretches from Baghdad, in the center of Iraq, northward to the northwestern border with Turkey, the brigade commander said.
The colonel compared the enormous scope of the current retrograde to Operation Magic Carpet in World War II, when a vast amount of American military supplies and equipment were moved out of Europe.
“It’s normal — we’ve been here for seven years,” he said. “It’s just time now to finish the mission and move ‘tons’ of stuff. It’s what we do while we are sustaining.”
According to the Army News Service, the government earmarked $11 billion to fund the retrograde in Iraq. Equipment currently being moved out includes “tens of thousands of vehicles and containers” and millions of smaller supplies, the news service recently reported.
Morrissey said the 3rd Sustainment Brigade will “move equipment to where it needs to be,” and said his soldiers are more than capable of accomplishing their sustainment and retrograde missions.
The colonel said retrograded equipment and supplies will be moved in multiple directions.
Some supplies and equipment will be moved through Turkey and Kuwait for eventual shipment to Afghanistan, he said. Some equipment will be sent back to the United States to reset facilities for repair or replacement. Some gear can be fixed in Kuwait, he said.
“It’s a very complex system. It’s very efficient when you balance it against the volume … that’s built up after seven years,” Morrissey said.
The colonel said his soldiers are prepared for the unexpected in Iraq.
“It’s a very dynamic environment,” he said. “Thing can change quickly here.”
Still, the troops have presidential orders to be out by 2011, and that is what they intend to do, Morrissey said.
 “Our most precious resources are our soldiers,” he said. “We have all the proper training and all the proper equipment. They are prepared. Yes, things do happen but our soldiers are trained. They’re ready to protect themselves as we do travel.”
Morrissey said Iraq forces are taking the lead and there are fewer violent incidents now than there were years ago.
The commander said his troops’ morale seems to be holding up well, too.
“We have great junior leaders — the soldiers are all volunteers. They know what the Army is about,” he said. “Many of them have had multiple deployments. On the professional side, they are well-trained and disciplined soldiers who know their mission and they do their job every day.”
Morrissey said his soldiers work long days and “go to bed at night with pride.”
“The morale of soldiers is often (dependent) on job satisfaction,” he said.
Morrissey said on the personal side, soldiers’ utilize post facilities to relax and socialize when they’re not working. They spend time in Internet cafés, using Skype to catch up with loved ones at home or meeting with fellow soldiers.
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Exchange Service salutes Vietnam vets with custom truck design
Army and Air Force Exchange Service redesigned logo 2011

To thank Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is debuting a new truck design, part of the Department of Defense retailer’s efforts alongside the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to honor veterans during the 50th anniversary of the war.

“The Exchange is privileged to have the opportunity to recognize Vietnam veterans through our fleet,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era. “These trucks will serve as rolling billboards, expressing gratitude for all who served during this era.”

The truck design features the silhouette of a lone service member set against the background of a faded horizon with a call to “thank a Vietnam veteran for service to our nation.” The single military member represents the warfighters who served during this time.

Three trucks in the fleet feature the commemorative design and will deliver merchandise to Exchange stores from the organization’s distribution centers in the continental United States.

The West Coast Distribution Center at Sharpe Army Depot in California; Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va.; and the Waco Distribution Center in Texas will each have a truck in service on their standard delivery routes, serving the whole country.

Air Force veteran Pat Thompson served in Vietnam before coming to the Exchange as a truck driver and mechanic. In his 18 years with the Exchange, he has deployed four times to support the troops. The new design means a lot to him.

“They remember,” said Thompson, who is based at the Exchange’s Waco Distribution Center. “We want to be remembered.”

The trucks also highlight the veteran online shopping benefit, which launched in November. The lifelong online military exchange benefit authorizes all who served honorably to enjoy tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing at ShopMyExchange.com.

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The U.S. began commemoration of the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary in 2012 and will continue through Veterans Day 2025.

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the commemoration.

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