From: bergman@afnews.pa.af.mil (CMSgt Mike Bergman)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: Army News 12/30/92
Date: 31 Dec 1992 07:39:13 -0600
Organization: Hq Air Force News Agency/SCC
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

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Mogadishu troops relax in recreation center, by Air Force Tech. Sgt. 
Scarlette P. Parker

      MOGADISHU, Somalia (ARNEWS) -- United Nations troops stationed 
at Mogadishu airport now have a place to relax, enjoy a few comforts 
from home and catch up on the news. A recreation center recently 
opened next to the chapel.
      "I think it will be a real morale booster for the troops," said 
Chap. (1st Lt.) Stephen M. Boilang. Especially as the holidays 
approached and passed, lonesome troops needed some recreation, he 
said.
      Various items are being donated by airlines, which arrive at 
Mogadishu daily. Crews of the DC-10s, 747s and C-5s donate extra soft 
drinks, juice, hot meals, newspapers and magazines, Boilang said.
      "As the word spreads among the air crews, we're hoping the 
donations will increase," the chaplain said.
      Sparse furnishings thus far include several chairs, some cots 
and a table. The airport is one of the few areas in Somalia with 
electricity. But the recreation center isn't hooked up yet.
      "Today we managed to find a refrigerator," Boilang said. "Once 
the wiring is complete, we can plug it in and have cold drinks."
      Most people in the United States take a nice cold soda for 
granted. Here, it's a luxury.
      Eventually, the chaplain hopes to have a TV with VCR and movies, 
and a variety of games and books to complete the inventory.
      "We've asked for a number of games and things through the supply 
channels," he said. "But we don't know when the items will arrive."
      Until then, servicemembers can get a soda, peanuts or other 
goodies not found in their Meals-Ready-to-Eat, by visiting the 
recreation center.
      (Parker is assigned to the Operation Restore Hope Joint 
Information Bureau in Mogadishu, Somalia.)


Providing basics proves difficult

      MOGADISHU, Somalia (ARNEWS) -- Think about the basics -- food, 
water and shelter. Then think about the task of deploying several 
thousand U.S. servicemembers to a country where all three are 
difficult to find.
      Operation Restore Hope has offered that sort of logistical 
challenge to its joint task force.
      "'If you didn't bring it, you ain't got it,'" said Army Col. Sam 
Hatton, the JTF's director of logistics, quoting an adage.
      Getting the bare necessities to troops has been difficult for a 
variety of reasons.
      "Somalia has very little" of anything, Hatton said. "There's no 
railroad system, the road network is difficult, there's no fresh 
water, and there's no sewage system.
      "There's no electricity, and there are very few (electric) wires 
left," he continued. "The country has pretty well been dismantled of 
any kind of infrastructure. When you bring in a force of this size, 
you have to start from ground zero."
      One way to begin, he said, is by supplying Meals-Ready-to-Eat to 
personnel. The food is easily transported and doesn't require the 
factors that go into setting up field kitchens, such as sanitation. 
The kitchens, however, are expected to be built by the end of January.
      Distributing water has also been a problem.
      "We've flown in bottled water for drinking," Hatton said. "We're 
also producing water in bulk with water purification units. But, 
again, you have to have something to transport it in. You have to have 
trucks to move the water buffaloes. You have to be able to build your 
own infrastructure to support yourself."
      Latrines, thus far, have also been basic. But conditions are 
improving with the addition of wooden and portable facilities, Hatton 
said.
      The logistical challenges of supporting a multinational force 
involve more than just moving supplies to the troops. They involve 
communication.
      "One problem is that, with a joint task force, there are 
different units. Not everybody does things the same way," said Marine 
Cpl. Thomas Hunt, a logistics and embarkation specialist with the JTF. 
"I work in administration and, with a lot of computer programs, some 
people don't know how to use them."
      But that hasn't caused much of a problem, according to Marine 
Sgt. Billy Smith, an assistant to the JTF's contracting officer.
      "I haven't seen any conflicts between the services," Smith said. 
"Morale has been pretty good. People who have never been to the field 
before are adapting well."
      The addition of "luxury" items should help bolster morale, 
Hatton said. Exchange facilities and fresh food are some of the pluses 
expected between late January and late February.
      Despite a few rough spots, Hatton said, things are running 
smoothly.
      "We've had challenges," he said. "But, considering the 
limitations, we've done well. It's going much faster than expected, 
but we've been able to support all operations, which is what we're 
designed to do.
      "Somalia, as a theater to bring logistics in and to conduct 
operations in, proves that if we can do it here, we can do it any 
place."
      (Rich is assigned to the Operation Restore Hope Joint 
Information Bureau in Mogadishu, Somalia.)


MTMC ships equipment to Somalia

      WASHINGTON (ARNEWS) -- Once again, the Military Traffic 
Management Command is loading ships with hundreds of pieces of 
equipment and unit supplies. Personnel from MTMC Military Ocean 
Terminal Bayonnne, N.J., began loading unit equipment from the 10th 
Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Dec. 15, for deployment to 
Somalia.
      General-purpose vehicles, trucks and tankers arrived at MOTBY by 
rail, while helicopters flew to the port area for loading aboard two 
Fast Sealift Ships, the U.S. Navy Ships Pollux and Altair. MTMC 
officials said the trip to Somalia should take 15 or 16 days.
      As in Operation Desert Storm, the task is a Total Army effort. 
Troops from the Connecticut Army National Guard shrinkwrapped 31 
Blackhawks, Cobras and OH-58 helicopters, to protect the aircrafts' 
avionics and sensitive electronics from the sea air during the trip. 
Logistics support came from soldiers with the U.S. Army Garrison 
Bayonne, as well as a Port Support Activity, consisting of soldiers 
from Fort Dix, N.J.
      "It hasn't been easy," said Col. Treatifelom S. Teele, MOTBY 
commander. "At the height of one of the worst winter storms this 
season, our personnel continued to unload trains of equipment arriving 
at the port, in winds gusting up to 45 m.p.h.
      "Servicemembers and civilians at MOTBY, the National Guard, and 
the other PSA soldiers have really pulled together to make sure that 
the 10th Mountain Division's equipment gets loaded and on its way as 
quickly as possible," Teele said. "Also, while we were starting the 
loadout in Bayonne, MOTBY was simultaneously establishing an MTMC 
presence in Newport News, Va., for operations to begin there."
      Bayonne and Newport News aren't the only ports contributing to 
Operation Restore Hope. Equipment of combat support units designated 
by the U.S. Central Command is also being transported and loaded by 
MTMC aboard ships at ports in Savannah, Ga.; Beaumont, Texas; and 
Livorno, Italy.


ACOE competitors advance in the tradition of excellence

      WASHINGTON (ARNEWS) -- Teamwork, pride in achievement, and 
community spirit add up to the success of this year's finalists in the 
Army-wide competition known as Army Communities of Excellence.
      "It was particularly encouraging to see that 21 of the 53 
nominees were first-time DA competitors," said Col. Tom White, chief 
of the ACOE program for the Army chief of staff.
      Evaluated at the level of major Army command, the finalists had 
found the competition quite keen, White said. He identified the 
installations by area and category.
      Continental United States --
-- large: Fort Sill, Okla.; Fort Lewis, Wash.; and Fort Benning, Ga.
-- medium: Fort Lee, Va.; and Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
-- small: Red River Army Depot, Texas; and White Sands Missile Range, 
N.M.
-- most improved: Fort Meade, Md.; and Fort Knox, Ky.
      Outside the Continental United States --
-- large: Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and Panama Army Communities of 
Excellence, Panama.
-- medium: Karlsruhe (291st BSB), Germany; and Vilseck (281st BSB), 
Germany.
-- small: Camp Zuma (17th ASG), Japan; and Grafenwoehr (409th BSB), 
Germany.
-- most improved: SHAPE-NATO, Belgium; Camp Pelham, Korea; and Panama 
Atlantic Community, Panama.
      Special category: St. Louis Engineer District, Mo.; U.S. Army 
Reserve Personnel Center, St. Louis, Mo.,; Sacramento Engineer 
District, Calif.; Galveston Engineer District, Texas; and Savannah 
Engineer District, Ga.
      As in the past several years, finalists receive monetary awards 
for their excellence in providing services, programs and facilities 
for their soldiers, civilians and families. The awards are meant to be 
invested back into the communities receiving them, White explained.
      He said that the ACOE program's principle is simple: "If you 
take care of people by giving them better living and working 
conditions, they will have more pride and purpose in what they do.
      "That, in turn, will mean better performance and productivity, 
improved recruiting and retention of quality soldiers an civilians. 
The end result for the Army is the increased readiness of soldiers," 
White said.
      "The best part of the program is that we all win," he continued. 
"ACOE must be a continuing, year-round process if it is to provide the 
service and facility excellence our Army people deserve. The 
competition is simply a stimulus to help encourage that process."
      This year's awards are slated for presentation at the Pentagon, 
May 20.


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