Personnel units help validate 3d ID redeployment
Army News Service
Release Date: 8/22/2003
By Staff Sgt. Nate Orme
CAMP NEW YORK (Army News Service, Aug. 22, 2003)-"It was really quick compared to the (Soldier Readiness Process) in the states," Pfc. Anthony Tudela said. "It's a step closer to going home."
Tudela, a health care specialist with the 2nd Battalion of the7th Infantry Regiment, a subunit of the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga., was referring to a new process for redeploying soldiers out of theater, known as the Deployment Cycle Support Contingency Plan.
Previously, units would return home before attempting to reconstitute, said Maj. Clois Hill, director of replacement operations for the 3rd Personnel Command. "Basically, this was done at home station. This has never been done in theater before," Hill said.
Maj. Charlie Foreman, also of 3rd Personnel Command, is the officer-in-charge of the validation operation here. He explained how the plan worked - "We validate units like the 3rd ID. Redeploying soldiers come in and receive a series of briefings - first a general information briefing on the process, then a briefing each for medical, legal, chaplaincy and finance."
Next, soldiers go to "manifest," where they swipe their ID cards (through a computer reader) to ensure they are in the theater database, said Forman. Soldiers without ID cards or dog tags can have them made at another station. "Soldiers have to have both items in order to get on the plane home," said Foreman.
Next comes a stop at the 444th Personnel Services Battalion where soldier's get validated and complete the administrative paperwork they will need when they get home.
The validation team works directly with redeploying unit's administration office, Foreman explained. "They make sure all the information each soldier needs is correct before the unit leaves the validation site," Foreman said.
Redeployment is normally about a 4-day process. Upon arrival into camp, units first must secure billeting and register with the dining facility. The validation operation is the next step in the process, Foreman said. After validation, units begin the laborious process of cleaning personal equipment, drawing and turning in of supplies such as ammunition, cleaning vehicles at the wash rack, and tending to internal unit business matters.
The validation group of 12 soldiers from the battalion is split into two teams. Each does the same task on different shifts, said Foreman. "We validate an average of 500-800 soldiers a day," he said.
Since May, 11,000 soldiers, most from the 3rd ID as well as a couple of National Guard units, have processed through the validation center at Camp New York, said Spc. Kuchineal Campbell, a personnel services specialist with the 546th Personnel Services Battalion, Bravo Detachment, Ft. Hood, Texas. The 546th is an active-duty unit that works closely with the 3rd PERSCOM. Kuchineal works at the Quality Assurance table, where he makes sure each soldier's paperwork is completed before he signs off on it.
The 444th will finish processing the 3rd ID Wednesday, said Sgt. Lamar Howard, the assistant team leader for the validation process. The 444th PSB also has validation operations at camps Udari, Virginia and Arifjan, validating many other units for redeployment in addition to the 3rd ID.
"After the 3rd ID is out, everyone will be redeployed directly from Iraq by 5th Corps. We've already successfully redeployed the 2nd and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams of the 3rd ID. We're now redeploying their 1st BCT," said Howard, a homicide detective with the Baltimore, Md., police department who was transferred to the 444th by the Army Reserve for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It was pretty smooth," said Staff Sgt. Lascelles Cuff, a chemical operations specialist with the 3rd ID, of the process. "We filled out our medical forms in Iraq, so all they had to do was initial each section on the checklist and get a final signature at the validation station."
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