Welcome Home Ceremony Remarks

7/27/2019 Welcome Home Ceremony Remarks

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EVENT: 3rdESC Welcome Home CeremonySPEAKER: COL(P) AKIN3rdESC CommanderDATE/LOCATION: 1530, 9 MAR, Sadowski Fieldhouse

Wellthank you Colonel ______________for those fine

remarks about our unit and Soldiers.

Before I startId like to recognize our honored guests

who took time out of their busy schedules to attend todays

ceremony.

LTG Keen

CSM Espinal

Brigade and Battalion commanders of the JLC

Id also like to take a minute to thank some Soldiers and

NCOs who made this special event happen. For every

event or mission here - there are NCOs and Soldiers that

operate behind the scenes that make things happen. For

todayit meant setting up flags, organizing ushers,


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conducting rehearsals, and making sure Soldiers were in

the right place at the right time. Sergeants Major McGhee,

1SG Napier, Captain Hayes - thanks for making the little

things big things. Finally color guard led by Staff

Sergeant Porchyou look sharp and represent both the

3rdand the 377thTSC superbly.

Its hard to believe over 7, 48, days, 244 hours have

passed since our first team of two arrived here in Haiti.

Starting with those first two up through the arrival of our

main body on Feb. 3rd- our minds and bodies were

consumed with absorbing and assuming the mission.

Those initial days were ones where we measured success

in firsts. Our first watercraft delivery over the shore, our

first CUB, our first gallon of water from a ROWPU, our first


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clean bag of laundry from a LADS,and unfortunately

our first set of American remains repatriated.

This last week, however, has been one of lastsour

last trip to visit Soldiers, our last mission in the left seat,

our last CUB, and our last glances at how Haiti has

improved the devastating earthquake of January 12.

It is important to reflect today on that in-between the

firsts and lasts. Today we reflect on not only the progress

weve seen here in Haiti since we arrived - but what our

units contribution has been to that effort.

Our leaders have asked much of this commandand

weve delivered. Starting from day one this command

took charge. As one logistician used to say - The

sustainment command is where the art and science of

logistics comes together. I agree and the senior leaders

and experts within our command proved they were up to


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the graduate-level logistics challenges this mission

required.

We had our challengesif this was grad school we had

to do it old school. Despite weather, life support,

connectivity, aftershocks, infrastructure, we fought to

provide world-class sustainment and distribution to the

JTF when they needed it the most. Nowdont get me

wrongsometimes it was by sheer lucksometimes by

sheer determination.sometimes by force of will.but

always in the spirit of professionalism.

Our efforts enabled the Haitian government, USAID,

and NGOs to begin the process of rebuilding this country.

Additionally, our support to forces of the JTF ensued the

servicemembers on the ground had everything they

needed to accomplish their missions.


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And when I say old schoolI mean old school. If you

think about itwe did a lot of things that the Army has

gotten away from. Weve had to do things that senior

NCOs and officers learned to do long agobut our

younger generation has never seen. Think about this

when was the last time we:

-Had to find a well and purify water out of it with a

ROWPU?

-Had to sort mail in MRE boxes on field tables?

-Had to conduct mortuary affairs in a field environment?

-Had to request, receive, and distribute supplies without e-

mail or internet?

-Had to rely on young sergeants and officers to do direct

coordination with NGOs to organize daily distribution of

HA supplies?

-Set up a GP mediumlots of them?


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-Relied on a water buffalo for hygiene and laundry?

-Had to count on Army watercraft to get essential

sustainment over the shore?

-Had to use an LCU to fill water buffaloes?

-Or my favoritelearn how to do your laundry in a bucket!

But all kidding aside - not only did these things happen

but a new generation of Soldiers has had their eyes

opened. Young Soldiers and officers alike have learned

how to be flexible and adapt in austere conditions.

Theyve had to think and make decisions on their feet.

This was definitely a new kind of missiona tough

missionand one where we could see we were having an

impact on the lives of Haitians in need. To look at the

numbersits staggering. Under the leadership of this

headquarters and with the help and guidance of our JTF

and International partnersthe JLC:


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Completed 2,704 humanitarian aid / distribution

missions, handled 4,460 humanitarian aid containers,

distributed 2.9 million humanitarian aid rations and 17

million pounds of bulk food, in total, feeding 530,166

Haitian families

Completed 163 transportation missions, drove 44,689

miles, transported 29,351 short tons of supplies and

handled 4,347 shipping containers and 2,227 pallets

Administered 5,551 rabies vaccinations, performed

1,008 preventive medicine assessments and treated

78 patients

Executed Jointness by providing logistical support to

Joint Forces. For example: support to the Coast

Guard for the very first time, including obtaining a

DODAAC

Processed 116 contracts, obligating over $5 million


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Took on a new mission with the DRCC (Deployment /

Redeployment Coordination Center) processed 129

pieces of equipment for shipment, built 950 ULNs

(unit line numbers, or requests for movement) and

processed 9,123 military passengers

Sustained U.S. forces: issued 2.6 million MREs

(Meals Ready to Eat), 3.8 million bottles of water and

purified 867,873 gallons of bulk water, also issued

457,118 gallons of fuel

Took care of the morale and welfare of Soldier on the

ground: received 3,157 bags of mail and processed

12,397 individual pieces of mail, also processed

15,017 bundles of laundry

Mortuary Affairs: recovered 40 sets of American

remains and repatriated 34, to date This is the first

time that DMORT has conducted operations on


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foreign soil and the first time that a DMORT team has

been embedded within a mortuary affairs unit. This

capability provided the ability for 100% identification

of American Citizen remains on site and provided

rapid repatriation to the U.S. This partnership has not

only provided a capability here in Haiti, but also a best

practice that could evolve into an enduring

partnership between DMORT and the U.S. Army.

The Soldiers and Families of the 3rd

ESC need to take

pride in these efforts. The smiles, pride and energy seen

on the faces of everyday Haitians are now becoming the

norm hereas opposed to the exception.

But hope and progress have a price. In reflecting on our

successeslet us not forget to remember the disaster

and loss that brought us here. We cannot forget the


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hundreds of thousands of Haitians that lost their lives. We

cannot forget the over 60 American citizens who lost their

lives here. We cannot forget our one Air Force brother

whose ramp ceremony we will always remember. We

cannot forget HEpaid the ultimate sacrifice. Keep all of

these fallen and their Families in our thoughts and

prayers. Let us remember that their loss and sacrifice

lives-on as part of the history and legacy of the 3rdESC.

We will not forget them.

So today we say goodbye to Haiti and to the over 2000

Soldiers, Sailors, and civilians of the JLC. I would like to

thank each of you for your service. Over the past 48 days

there were many good days and a number of bad days.

Some days I was amazed at our successand others

admittedly it seemed nothing could go right. But

throughoutthe one constant was our team of Sustainers.


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Daily, often under the cover of darkness, the JLC

servicemembers traveled the roads of Haiti, worked in the

dusty HSA and container yards, answered the call at the

port, transloaded cargo on the LCU and filled the empty

water buffalo. They did it without glamour. They did this

without expectation of reward or entitlement. They did this

for their fellow Soldier. They did it for their fellow sailor.

They did it because in the words of General FraserThe

JLC is expected to make the magic happen.

The accomplishments of this command were built on the

backs and strong hands of its Soldiers. For thatyou

the SOLDIERS of the 3rdESC have my thanks. I consider

it a privilege to serve with you and I am honored to be

counted among your ranks. You are the finest, most

adaptable force the world has ever known.


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So, without keeping you all too much longerId like to

welcome Major General Louis Visot and your Can-Do

team.

Handing over the mission today Im reminded of the of

what this headquarters looked like when I arrived. It

wasnt muchbut weve definitely improved the foxhole

for you.

The transition this week has been smooth and I know

you will have your own challenges in the upcoming

months. Weve been busy but I dont think it will

compare to what will undoubtedly be one of the most

challenging missions your 377thTSC has ever undertaken.

Weve tried to set the conditions for future success here in

Haiti - now, we pass that mission to you. Good luck to you

and your Soldiers. They wont fail you.


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Thanks again to our distinguished visitors for

attending today. Its been an honor being part of the Joint

team here in Haiti.

CSM Tennantwe have one last missionlets get

this team home safely!

Sustaining the Line!

Welcome Home Ceremony Remarks

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