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Convoy lanes wrap up Operation Sustainment Warrior 2014

  • Published
  • By Spc. Cal Turner
  • 214th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  As the first iteration of Operation Sustainment Warrior 2014, an event hosted by the 655th Regional Support Group at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., comes to an end, Soldier participants conclude their training with one last training event: convoy lanes.

Throughout the first iteration of OSW, four companies competed in several categories: Basic rifle marksmanship, Combat Lifesaver Course, land navigation, and the German Proficiency Badge.

Charlie and Delta companies finished first and second in the overall OSW 2014 events during the first iteration. Their efforts gained each company the opportunity to fly to the convoy lanes landing site via two Marine CH-53E "Super Stallions" from Marine Aircraft Group 49 here. The overall response from the Soldiers was positive.

"[The airlift] was definitely something I can kick off my bucket list. It was a pretty cool experience getting to ride on one of those," said Pfc. Thomas Scharff, a motor vehicle operator from 223rd Transportation Company, Edgemont, Pennsylvania, assigned to Charlie Company. "I wasn't really thinking that we were going to have that opportunity when we came here, but was pretty cool. It was a little crowded, but it wasn't as loud and definitely wasn't as shaky and rocky as I thought it would be. It flew pretty good, landed smoothly."

Upon landing, the participating units loaded into military vehicles and proceeded to convoy lanes for mock enemy engagement training.

"Lanes training was good. This was definitely an eye-opener. It helps because we don't really do that many convoys with the Humvees in my unit," said Scharff. "It's usually 915s and, when we do convoys, we do them on civilian roads. We don't do a lot of off-roading, so that was pretty cool going off road in a Humvee. It was slow at first; few days was a little slow with the processing, but it definitely picked up. It's a good experience."

More experienced leaders and noncommissioned officers also admitted this was not a typical experience for them.

"This is my first time here. I haven't done this stuff in a long time. This is newer updated training, whereas in the past you just did the same old, same old," said 15-year veteran Sgt. Rodney Hussey, a cargo specialist with the 302nd Inland Cargo Transfer Company, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. "Good Training. It gives a new Soldier something to expect. When you're in theater, it's a different ball game with more updated information, but I would recommend this to other units."

At the beginning of the event, each unit participating was separated and mixed with other units to form Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta. This allowed the Soldiers to come together and work as a team with new, unfamiliar people.

"This was a really good opportunity. I like how they split us all up," said Pfc. Robin Swink, a motor vehicle operator from 223rd Transportation Company, in Alpha Company. "It was similar to being deployed in that you aren't always together. So it was good in that it took us out of our comfort zones."

Like most of the Soldiers, Swink enjoyed her training at OSW 2014.

"The training was pretty good. It took us awhile to get some of the missions together, but once we did, it was really awesome," Swink said. "I liked it better than my actual AT. This time we really utilized every single moment we had."

The convoy lanes gave the Soldiers a unique opportunity that some of them do not get at their home units and during a typical AT.

"My favorite part was the convoy, I think it was the moment where our platoon really came together," said Swink. "I think it was the one mission where we absolutely did it one hundred percent with no issues whatsoever. There's so manner opportunities here; I absolutely recommend it."

Within the participating companies, Soldiers got to practice roles they normally do not have an opportunity to work in at their home units.

For Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Skinner, a platoon sergeant for the 223rd Transportation Company and 24-year Army veteran, he became the first sergeant for Delta Company at OSW 2014.

"The training was outstanding. I think the Soldiers got a lot out of it," Skinner said. "Typical training at the unit we really don't cover some of the basics that we did here, like MOUT training. That was top-notch. The German Proficiency Badge was outstanding. A lot of Soldiers don't ever get the chance for that."

Skinner thought the training had a significant amount of value for other units in the future.

"Everyone in reset years should go through OSW. The sim rounds were my favorite part; this was the first time I got to play with them. It hurt, but it was fun. It reinforced the training and it gave me little more time to hone up on being first sergeant."