Concerns about the troops’ quality of life on extended deployments in
Iraq have prompted the Army to step up deliveries of climate-controlled shelters,
water and clothing. But officials concede that the logistics challenges are
huge, given the harsh weather conditions and the security problems.
When soldiers deployed in the past, they deployed with their own equipment.
“They deployed with their own tents; they deployed with the sustainment
that they required on the battlefield,” said Army Col. James Chambers,
the support commander for the 3rd Corps, at Fort Hood, Texas.
“Today, at least early deployers ... come with very little of their own
equipment. If they come in some place and wait for the equipment to arrive,
or they are waiting for somebody to decide what they are going to do, the first
thing that will crop up is ... quality of life.”
One way to improve soldiers’ quality of life in such early deployments
is through Force Provider. Chambers described Force Provider as “sort
of a small city” of state-of-the-art tents, equipped with air conditioning,
showers and comfortable beds. The Army recently decided to buy 12 more of these
tent cities, said Chambers.
In Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Force Provider equipment
was mass deployed. He said it actually was the largest deployment of Force Provider
in Army history.
Due to the nature of the ongoing conflict in Iraq, force security is the number
one priority. “Quality of life for soldiers in Iraq is not the number
one issue,” he said.
According to Chambers, a major difference among the services’ quality
of life is still obvious. “We get letters from congressmen and wives who
want to know why these other servicemen are living in air- conditioned [shelters],
while others are living in a very well heated plastic tent,” he said.
Dependence on bottled water in Iraq turned out to be a major sustainment and
quality of life issue, Chambers said. Bottled water made up 30 percent of the
distribution requirement even though bulk water was available, he said. “The
soldiers are issued two bottles of water and then tons, I mean, more purified
water than it is called for,” he said. “But we have the same problem
that we have had for 50 years. Soldiers do not like to drink purified water.”
Sixty percent of the tactical platforms were dedicated to delivering water,
according to Chambers.
Read Full Article Here: http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2003/September/Pages/Logisticians_Strive3780.aspx
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