The Community Word

'Redeployment is the best word one can hear in Iraq'

UPDATE: A brief note from Tom's mother:
"I'm sorry for the delay in answering but I have been unusally busy at my job. My son, Tom, is who wrote the articles on Scania and was stationed there from March, 2003 until April, 2004. Conditions have improved greatly since it was first occupied. There is a regular tent city, with mess hall, dining, living, showers, rec hall tents in the mix. When they first arrived, he lived on the roof of the building, ate mre's, had salt water gravity fed showers until November 1 when their tent city opened. They have computer access and he regularly communicated by e-mail.

The camp is about 65 miles south of Baghdad along Hwy 1. It is near an agricultural area and no large towns are near so that is why it is difficult to find. There are mp, medical and convoy escort units there.

I hope this helps and if you have more questions, I'll try to answer them. "

SFC Thomas D. Ciota, 504th, MP BN, CSC Scania, Iraq

Tom Ciota, who has been serving in Iraq for nearly a year, pens this letter to the readers of the Community Word as he prepares to go home! I am thrilled for him and his family and wish him luck in his future. He promises to write one last letter to us from home! Pictured above is Tom (back row on far left) receiving the Bronze Star!

Redeployment is the best word one can hear in Iraq. My unit’s one-year time in the Kuwait/Iraq is just about done. Getting ready for the trip home involves much more than just packing up and heading home. The unit that will be replacing us needs to be trained on our mission. In our case, that means escorting convoys, conducting Combat MSR Patrols, and security of CSC Scania. The MPs from the 95th MP BN started the training process by observing what we do, going out on missions, and looking at the layout of the camp. Once that was done, it was our turn to watch and mentor them in our operations. The whole process takes about ten days. There's more to read. Click here. Once our replacement unit feels comfortable with the mission, we have a TOA (Transfer of Authority) where the new unit takes over full responsibility of our battle space.

Now the real fun begins. To get ready for re-deployment, our unit has to turn in equipment. Armored Hummvees have to be transferred to the new unit, along with any other equipment we have that they will need to use. The equipment has to be cleaned and any repairs that are needed have to be accomplished. Other equipment has to be inventoried, cleaned, and turned in. Our Chemical warfare protective gear is one example. The unopened suits and decontamination equipment is turned in so that is can be issued to incoming soldiers. The opened protective clothing is taken back to the unit for training use. Equipment is cleaned and packed into connexs (shipping containers) for shipment down to Kuwait.

Once they have arrived at one of the sprawling base camps in Kuwait the connexs are opened and the equipment taken back out. Here it is inventoried and cleaned. Military Customs comes and does their inspections. The Customs folks are looking for illegal weapons, ammunition, and contraband. There is a long list of items that cannot be imported into the US. Also, everything must be cleaned before it is shipped back to the states. There could be insects in the soil that could cause harm to crops and livestock back home. Once Customs has blessed off on the equipment, it is packed up under their watchful eye. After that is accomplished and the connexs are sealed, they are taken to the port for shipment.

Vehicles go through the same inspection process. Units cleaning vehicles are using washracks around the clock. On the average it will take about six hours to get a Hummvee clean enough to pass the Customs inspection. Soldiers take high-pressure water hoses, brushes, and vacuums to the trucks to get them clean. After Customs gives their seal of approval the vehicles are placed into a sterile holding area before they are loaded onto ships for the trip back to Ft. Lewis. During this time, the soldiers have to attend briefings on family reunions, safety, and security issues.

Once the connexs and vehicles have passed Customs, the briefings are done, equipment is transferred, can the unit schedule the flight for home. This is the hardest part: waiting for our plane to come in so we can finally go home. The time ticks away slowly with everyone eagerly waiting to board the plane. This time is spent relaxing, trying to wind down from a long mission. Then the long awaited day comes – the day that we board the airplane for out trip back to our families and loved ones.

Much hard work goes into re-deploying. It is a hard and difficult time. However, once it is over, it’s a very rewarding time.