Paratroopers of 725th BSB sustain Spartan Brigade in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matthew E. Winstead
  • U.S. Army Alaska Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  The paratroopers of the 725th Brigade Support Battalion in Afghanistan are keeping the Soldiers of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division supplied while facing critical deadlines, harsh terrain and hostile territory, said 725th BSB Commander, Lt. Col. Brad Hinson.

Hinson highlighted the unit's mission and praised his Soldiers' accomplishments in a telephone interview from Afghanistan Feb. 1.

The 725th BSB is serving along with the rest of the 4-25th ABCT on what is planned to be a 10-month deployment.

"We distribute all classes of supplies and resources to every location within the area of operation of our brigade," Hinson said. "We cover an area just over 19,000 square miles with various terrain that is often inhospitable and required various delivery methods. This is in addition to the other contributions we provide, like regular maintenance capabilities for brigade vehicles and equipment as well as advanced medical services such as a field trauma team, X-ray capabilities and a TBI (traumatic brain injury) clinic."

Among the accomplishments of the 725th BSB, he noted, is the dependable resupply of fuel to forward operation bases in the brigade's area of operation.

An average FOB can consume as much as 55 gallons of fuel daily. That requires regular travel across rugged terrain that can take as long as 10 to 14 hours via armed resupply patrols on local unimproved roads.

The 725th BSB also sustains several of the brigade's more remote FOBs by air.
"We currently operate up to five contracted rotary-wing aircraft for personnel and supply distribution in addition to our access to military aircraft within our area of operation," Hinson said. "They routinely fly around 50,000 pounds of equipment and around 150 personnel daily."

In addition to the services and reliable supply lines that the battalion sustains, the Soldiers of the 725th also provide some services to the locals as needed.
"We have been known to provide medical support to the local civilians when we can," said 725th BSB Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Morrison. "It is rare for us to turn away a civilian that approaches us for medical assistance, especially children or injuries that threaten life, limb or eyesight. Any community contributions that we provide in that area can only have positive lasting effects down the road for us.

"New Soldiers in the 725th BSB are quickly taught what is expected of them as well as the commander's motto for the unit.

"No mission fails due to logistics," Hinson said. "We will not let that happen during our time here and we stress that to all our Soldiers from the moment they arrive to the unit."
The unit, which deployed in November, prepared for its deployment with several training missions in areas like the Donnelly Training Area, which closely simulated the rugged and mountainous terrain of Afghanistan in the winter. The unit also took part in the brigade training mission at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., the Army's primary pre-deployment training facility.

"The training at JRTC was really the culminating event for the year prior to our deployment," Morrison said. "It allowed us to closely work with the entire brigade in realistic missions that mirrored what we were expecting to accomplish later during the deployment.

"But there are just some things that can't be replicated," Morrison continued. "That's why it is so important for us to stay ready for all possibilities on the ground."

The unpredictable weather, rugged mountains and enemy presence ensure the members of the 725th BSB remain on high alert, keep situational awareness and the ability to adapt to any situation. They have the capability and training to air-drop their needed supplies via military aircraft at a moment's notice and the tactical training to defend their convoys as they ensure timely distribution.

As many as five other battalions, including infantry, artillery and other service and support units, depend on logistics support from the 725th BSB.

"We like to show off our front-line guys, but the fact of the matter is we couldn't move an inch without (the 725th BSB) pushing out their supplies to us," Capt. Chase Spears, 4-25th public affairs officer said.

'Graduate-level logistics'
The paratroopers assigned to the 725th BSB constantly operate graduate-level logistics and mission planning, according to Morrison.

Their daily operations require five days of planning that includes contingency operations and backup plans to ensure the successful delivery of supplies and services.

Constant route recon and enemy movement history are considered for every operation from the lowest level up to the final approval at brigade headquarters.

No unnecessary risks or delays are ever accepted when developing the plan to conduct their operations, according to Morrison.

"Our Soldiers have been working hard to ensure our missions succeed, we are extremely proud of both the monumental effort they have put forth and the results they produce," Morrison said. "We are looking forward to getting them some much needed R-and-R so they can get a break and spend some with their families back home. They deserve it."

Hinson stressed that, despite the common assumption that logistics personnel assigned to a unit like the 725th BSB are safe and constantly behind the wire, his Soldiers are routinely out in the fight and are often shoulder to shoulder with the infantry Soldiers on the ground, especially on resupply convoys and medical distribution missions.

"I am extremely proud of everything the Soldiers of my unit do," Hinson said. "They do what they do better than anybody else. We train them right from the day they step foot in Alaska because we want them to stay safe and we want to see them back home to their families when our time is done here."