Deployment Distribution Support Team - Iraq, 10 March 2007 - 10 March 2008

It's impossible for me to put in words what a spectacular job my team did over the course of our deployment. The work they accomplished went quietly unnoticed on the headlines back home. Yet, every time an Army Brigade Combat Team returned home they had my team to thank. We were the ones who ensured all of their vehicles and shipping containers would return to their respective home stations. Our work allowed them to stay focused on their missions as they transitioned with the incoming brigades. This allowed a seamless hand-over of battle space from one brigade to another. Essentially, we "had their back" while they continued to focus on the fight. During our year in Iraq, my team directly facilitated the redeployment of 18 separate brigades. Working from over 30 different Forward Operating Bases, we worked through every extreme to ensure their successful return home. All of the following units made it home with our help:

Multi-National Division North - 25th Infantry Division "Tropic Lightning"

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division "Broncos"
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division "Panthers"
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division "Longknives"
25th Combat Aviation Bragade
5th Engineer Group

Multi-National Division Central - 3rd Infantry Division "Rock of the Marne"

1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Raiders"
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartans"
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Sledgehammer"
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division "Commandos"
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade "Falcons"
4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division "Sparta Lives"

Multi-National Division Baghdad - 1st Cavalry Division "First Team"

1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division "Ironhorse"
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division "Blackjack"
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division "Greywolf"
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division "Dagger"
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division "Dragons"
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division "Strikeforce"
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division "Arrowhead"
4th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division "Dragoon Raiders"
1st Air Cavalry Brigade "Warrior"
20th Engineer Group

The numbers involved in all of this are staggering. My team trained 892 Unit Movement Officers from the various brigades, with a further 445 soldiers being trained in TCAIMS II (Transportation Managers' Automated Information for Movements System). Working through desert heat, sand storms, rain, winter cold, or indirect fire we were able to certify 3,394 shipping containers for CSC (Container Safety Convention). When all was said and done, my team had processed 15,638 containers of various configuration, 649 hazardous materials containers, and 8,566 vehicles for redeployment. This involved countless hours of traveling, sweating, shivering, hunkering, and whatever else needed to be endured for mission success. Through it all, I never heard a complaint from anyone on my team. They worked tirelessly, stayed focused, and always looked out for one another. I called them "The Dream Team" for a reason. They truly were the best of the best. I could gush forever but will spare anyone reading that pain. Instead, I'll just send my sincere thanks to everyone that served with me. I'd serve with any one of you again - any time, any place. You are always and forever welcome in my home.

The Dream Team (everyone who served for all, or part, of the timeframe 10 March '07 - 10 March '08):

LTC Christopher S. "Fort Sam" Houston, Team Chief

U.S. Army personnel:

MAJ Thomas "The Lawyer" Enright - 01 Sep - 30 Oct '07
1LT Virginia "School Teacher" Bax, Assistant OIC
CW2 Robert "Level 6 Data" Gulley, 20 Mar - 20 Aug '07
SSG Robert "Bilko" Turner, Team NCOIC
SSG Michael "CSC" Nares, 10 Mar - 15 Jul '07
SSG Gary "Ice Cream Man" Hunter, 20 Mar - 20 Aug '07
SSG Avelardo "Hurry-up" Casias, Team 2 NCOIC
SSG Jerald "No Stress" Young, Team 2 TCAIMS II NCOIC
SSG Juanda "We don't sleep till it beeps" Bryant
SGT Carlos "The Heat" Rosas, Team 1 TCAIMS II NCOIC
SGT William "Gigilo" Knight
SPC Allan "That Guy" Martinez

U.S. Coast Guard Redeployment Assistance Inspection Detachment (RAID) personnel:

RAID Team 6 (15 Jun - 25 Dec '07):

CPO Thomas "The Hitman" Guyer, RAID Team 6 NCOIC
MST1 Anthony "Bull" Clark, RAID 6 Lead HAZMAT Inspector (Named USCG Active Duty Enlisted Person of the Year 2007 for his service with the DDST-I)
BM1 James "Hud" Huddleston
PO2 Kester "Silent" Glasgow
PO2 Craig "Mama's Boy" Sears
PO2 Yvonne "Aloha" Makalena
PO2 Robert "Taco" Mireles (Named USCG Reserve Enlisted Person of the Year 2007 for his service with the DDST-I)

RAID Team 7 (15 Dec '07 - 10 Mar '08):

CPO Glen "Earnhardt" Powell, RAID Team 7 NCOIC
PO2 Jon "The Banker" Mullins

Special mention needs to be made for both SSG Robert Turner and PO2 Robert Mireles - both of them volunteered to extend with the DDST-I and continue to serve in Iraq. They both extended for one year.

What a year(+) it was. For every story I told there were 100 more every day that I didn't share. Yet, we all experienced them as a team. We'll always be family for our shared experience. Many years from now, even as we grow closer to the end of our time on earth, I'm certain we will all suddenly show the fire of youth in our eyes when we recall the time we were part of the Deployment Distribution Support Team - Iraq. God, what an adventure it was!