835th processes incoming Soldiers at international training exercise

By: Silas Allen
Missouri National Guard Public Affairs

Capt. Douglas Frank, the commander of the headquarters company of the 835th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, briefs incoming Soldiers on regulations at Fort Lewis, Wash., during the 2009 Yama Sakura training exercise.
FORT LEWIS, Wash. - On Dec. 6, seven active Army Soldiers arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The minute they landed, they were in the capable hands of the headquarters company of the Missouri National Guard's 835th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.

When the Soldiers' flight landed at the airport, Spc. Shawn Coon, of Jefferson City, was waiting. He helped the Soldiers with their bags and drove them 45 minutes south to Fort Lewis, Wash. He'd already made the drive once already that day, but he didn't mind.

"It gets me off post," he said.

When the seven Soldiers arrived at Fort Lewis, Capt. Douglas Frank, the commander of the Jefferson City-based unit, briefed them on the layout of the fort, as well as post regulations how to contact on-post emergency services. Sgt. 1st Class Julie Keating handled a few items of the Soldiers' paperwork and then led them to the two World War II-style barracks where the Soldiers would be staying during the exercise.

The unit is currently at Fort Lewis supporting the 2009 Yama Sakura training exercise. The exercise is a joint, simulation-based operation conducted among members of all U.S. Army components and the Japanese Army in both the United States and Japan. Missouri Guardsmen are providing a number of support services during the exercise.

When the unit arrived on Nov. 29, they processed themselves. The next day, they began processing the hundreds of other Soldiers who were arriving to take part in the exercise.

"Monday was the heavy day," Frank said. "It was mainly a one-day process."

Frank said the pace at which the unit was working has slowed considerably because what had been a steady stream of incoming Soldiers has become a small trickle. Although it won't be as strenuous as the first two days, Frank said he expects there to be more activity near the end of the exercise, as participants are preparing to leave. The unit is unique, Frank said, in that it will spend more time at Fort Lewis than most of the other participants.

"We are here for the duration," Frank said. "We got here before the other units got here, and we won't leave until the other units are gone."

First Sgt. Donna Kinder said the entire process has been made easier because the unit uses a satellite uplink to maintain Internet access. The uplink allows members of the unit to check incoming Soldiers' flight times and coordinate their transportation from the airport. It also connects the unit with the Missouri National Guard network.

"It's just like sitting in the armory," Kinder said. "It's served us well."

Admittedly, Frank said, the unit's mission may not seem all that exciting. But the unit's Soldiers are providing vital services for the exercise, and the experience has also been useful for the unit itself. Frank said he has been especially pleased with the unit's ability to provide a wide array of different services during the exercise. In addition to administrative services, the unit also provides transportation and security. Many of the unit's staff officers are also assisting the exercise's information technology staff.

The unit also handles any other issues that arise. For example, when raccoons were raiding the exercise participants' living area, the unit arranged to have animal control come remove them. The fact that the unit has been forced to be so versatile is good, Frank said, because it provides training that could come in handy later, possibly during another annual training exercise or a deployment.

"The mission is good," Frank said. "It could be a taste of what is to come."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.