Welcome home: Soldiers of Headquarters, 17th CSSB, return following successful Afghanistan deployment

  • Published
  • By Sgt. 1st Class Pete Mayes and Spc. Sarah Keegan
  • 101st Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan --  One battalion commander marked the beginning of year-his unit's long deployment to Afghanistan while another finally prepared to bring her team home.

Army Lt. Col. Jose Solis marked the beginning of his command Thursday as the 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conducted their Relief in Place Transfer of Authority ceremony in Afghanistan at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center clamshell.

Uncasing the Battalion colors, Solis and his battalion command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Dolishia King, completed the RIPTOA with the 17th combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.

The battalion, based out of Fort Bliss, Texas, will be assigned to the 101st Sustainment Brigade out of Fort Campbell, Ky., during their deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Solis, an officer in the Quartermaster Branch, took command of the 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in January of 2010. He said his initial plan is to follow the 17th CSSB's footsteps.

"We want to look at the areas that we can improve while looking out for the soldiers and the mission," he said.

Solis described the transition between the two battalions as "very smooth and professional," saying that establishing an early relationship with 17th CSSB commander, Army Lt. Col. Leslie Caballero was crucial.

"The relationship we started many months ago paid off," Solis said. "We had a team here that was already part of the mission, and they provided us with many notes which we used to develop our plan."

As for Caballero, her team's journey has come to an end.

The 17th CSSB came to Afghanistan this past June during the surge, arriving at the peak of the fighting season. During their time, they've moved plenty of cargo across Regional Commands East, North, and Capitol, as well as helped push out tons of mail to Soldiers across Afghanistan.

Because of the surge, mail became one of those positive things which had to happen.
"It was part of maintaining Soldier morale," Caballaero said. "So we played a big part in that throughout the holiday season, making a big difference to those soldiers out on the outer Forward Operating Bases."

Caballero described the 17th CSSB as a multi-component "pickup team," one who was comprised of Active Duty, National Guard, and Reservists, who were put together and grown as they conducted the mission.

"It is a very complex organization on top of a complex environment," she said. "Overall, a very rewarding but tough tour," she said.

At the end of the day, Caballero said, with all of those accomplishments, the mission is still about the soldier.

"Every Soldier that comes here wants to do their best," she said. "And with that, I am confident that (Solis') team will do that because it is the individual Soldier at the end of the day that makes the difference."

Solis said he wants the 142nd CSSB to set the standard for all combat sustainment support battalions during their deployment in Afghanistan.

"We need to find a way to establish a positive relationship with the Afghan people," he said. "That's going to be key for us. Internally, I just want to ensure that my Soldiers are trained, that they're safe, that they're taking care of each other, take advantage of the educational opportunities here, and keep in contact with their families," he said.

The battalion headquarters redeployed, Monday, and were welcomed by family at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's Buckner Physical Fitness Center.