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NCHB 1 Detachment Supports Army Air Cargo Mission in Iraq

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070101-01
Release Date: 1/1/2007 7:44:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Elizabeth Merriam and Lt. Karin R. Burzynski, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group Public Affairs

AL ASAD, Iraq (NNS) -- Nearing the end of its seven-month deployment which began in July 2006, a detachment of 26 Sailors from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 1 has significantly streamlined the processing time for Army air cargo at Camp Al Asad.

The detachment moves air cargo for the 630th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion for the Army as a cargo transfer platoon. NCHB 1's Cargo Transfer Platoon (CTP) 1 relieved the U.S. Army 551st Cargo Transfer Company.

Since then, CTP 1 has moved more than 11.5 million pounds of air cargo during the first five months of the deployment, which is three times the amount of air cargo as the previous unit moved during the same time period, said Senior Chief Builder Shawn Crosby, CTP 1 assistant officer in charge.

"The 11.5 million pounds of air cargo moved would require 187 C-17 cargo flights and would fill a football field to a height of 23 feet," Crosby said. "CTP 1 achieved significant milestones by reorganizing the air cargo yard, which created a much improved flow of cargo and reduced the inbound air cargo [transport] time from an average of 46 hours to three hours."

According to Crosby, CTP 1 improved the flow by reorganizing the yard and establishing set locations for inbound and outbound cargo; cross-training; and developing an alpha-numeric locator system.

"We even lobbied for light plants in the cargo yard to be able to work at night," Crosby said.

CTP 1 is dedicated to providing the best possible customer service in support of seven forward operating bases (FOBs) and over 40,000 Soldiers in Western Iraq, Crosby said.

In addition to moving all this air cargo, CTP 1 includes nine Sailors who are designated Seabees and they found a way to manage their time and skills to perform construction tasks outside their assigned mission.

Some of the Sailors, who hail from other rates such as boatswain's mate, also lend a hand in the construction, said Builder 2nd Class (SCW) Anthony Musselwhite.

"The BM2 who's working with me now is learning, and that's what deployments are all about -- learning. I don't mind teaching somebody my job, it makes work a less of a hassle," Musselwhite said. "When we came over here our intent was just to move air cargo, but we brought Seabees with us, so when we have free time we do construction."

Lt. Jon Scott said that he and his team are able to go above and beyond their primary mission.

"We came here to do cargo handling but our additional skill sets allow us to help other units around," said Scott, detachment officer in charge. "Without impeding our cargo mission, we're able to improve the quality of life or work for a lot of units."

NCHB 1 is currently undertaking a project to furnish two new offices. The building they are working in was built by the Air Force and the new offices will give the Army battalion more room for their personnel.

"The whole project was one big room. Now, we're putting in separate offices for everyone," said Construction Electrician 2nd Class (SCW) Nathaniel Steward. "We're putting up partition walls and building cabinets, desks anything that's furniture. We're building it out of wood by hand. I've been on this project for two days and we already have some walls up."

Army Maj. Beau Cook, 630th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion executive officer, speaks highly of CTP 1, for their skills in air cargo handling and their willingness to take on construction work.

"They have been really good to work with," he said. "Lt. Scott will let us know when they have things going on at the airfield. He'll tell us according to his schedule when he will be able to spare people to help with a project. They've helped us out on numerous projects; one, being the conference room that we just had built. Everything that needs to be done, they've done it and done an outstanding job."

NCHB 1 is the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group's (NAVELSG) active duty cargo handling battalion. NAVELSG delivers expeditionary logistics and equipment to theater commanders in support of the national military strategy. As an expeditionary command, NAVELSG is under the new Echelon III type command, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC). NECC was established in January 2006 as the Navy's expeditionary central management for the readiness, manning, training and equipping of expeditionary Sailors.