RICHMOND, Va. –
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Gate City-based 1030th Transportation Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group recently conducted various missions across the country in support of the Army Materiel Command during their annual training.
Members of the Emporia-based 1710th Transportation Company convoyed all the way to Nevada and back during their two-week annual training May 5 - 19, 2023. The company traveled with more than 20 line haul tractors fitted with flatbed trailers, stopping to pick up supplies from the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky. From there, the unit traveled across the country over several days to deliver supplies at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada, before making the return trip back to Virginia.
At the same time, VNG Soldiers assigned to the Gate City-based 1032nd Transportation Company traveled to Blue Grass Army Depot to conduct on-base transportation and storage improvement missions in support of AMC.
Conducting these types of military occupational specialty-specific missions is beneficial to the units and their Soldiers, according to Lt. Col. Chris Chon, commander of the 1030th.
“These real-world missions facilitate the battalion and companies to achieve the stated objectives under the brigade commander's “People” strategy,” Chon said. “The missions essentially allow our formations to build cohesive teams by maximizing the talents of our people, our greatest strength.”
The two companies racked up serious miles and moved a large amount of ammunition in support of AMC during their respective missions. The 1710th traveled nearly 6,000 miles round trip carrying ammunition to Hawthorne Army Depot. The 1032nd stayed closer to home, but spent nearly two weeks conducting storage reform operations at Blue Grass Army Depot, transporting artillery rounds and other supplies, eventually transporting nearly 1,500 tons during the mission.
“The mission exercised the core competencies of the 88M MOS, to include transporting hazmat, maintaining equipment to the level of passing a DD 626 inspection and using doctrinal communication suites to talk to the company command post outside of a restricted area,” said Capt. Brian Eromenok, commander of the 1032nd. “1032nd Transportation Company left Blue Grass Army Depot with an enduring relationship, to include setting the bar pretty high for the next 1088 unit to surpass.”
Being able to conduct real-world line haul and transportation missions provides a higher benefit to the transportation units than everyday training conducted on drill weekends, according to Chon.
“These practical and real-world missions allow the units to exercise their core competencies that result in elevated readiness while facilitating leader development within our formations,” he said. “With the right people, in the right place, at the right time, we will successfully deploy in support of nation's war while always ready to support the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Read more about the 1030th Transportation Battalion at https://ngpa.us/25898.