Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing (CRW) based at Travis Air Force Base, CA, deploy to Central African Republic (CAR) for humanitarian support, on December 13, 2013. AFRICOM is beginning to transport African troops from Burundi to CAR using US Air Force C-17 aircraft operating out of Entebbe as part of a larger effort of African nations supporting the African crisis in CAR. C-17s will to fly about a dozen missions from Entebbe over a week time frame, transporting a Burundian light infantry battalion of about 850 men and equipment from Bujumbura to Bangui in CAR. The C-17’s are staged at Entebbe airport as a convenient mid-way point with the proper facilities to service the aircraft and support aircrews. (Released - U.S. Air Force Photograph/Heide Couch)

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, Iraq – David Longa, Safety officer of 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, inspects the electrical grounding for a generator Mar. 2, 2011, at Contingency Operating Base Warhorse, in the Diyala province of Iraq. Longa, a veteran with 21 years of service in the U.S. Army, and eight-years of experience as a safety officer, makes routine safety inspections around COB Warhorse to minimize the potential for accidents.

(U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Robert England, 2nd AAB PAO, 25th Inf. Div., USD-N)

Spc. Yasuvick Santos, network system administrator for the U.S. Army Africa Contingency Command Post, helps form a network connection point for a recent deployment exercise. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. 1st Class Will Patterson)

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica

Iraqi Police in the lead.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE, Iraq – Kirkuk Provincial Director of Police Maj. Gen. Jamal accompanies Iraqi Police Emergency Services Unit during a cordon and knock operation through a neighborhood in Kirkuk City, Jan. 25, 2011. U.S. Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, assisted Kirkuk ESU during the operation. The ESU cordoned areas of the city, going from house to house to speak with the occupants, distribute humanitarian assistance packages and search for warranted individuals. The operation, conducted with assistance of “Thunderhorse” Soldiers of 2nd Bn., 12th Cav. Regt. resulted in the detention of several suspects.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO)

U.S. Army Africa Sgt. 1st Class Grady Hyatt, Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) program military mentor, offers advice to a Sierra Leone Armed Forces Soldier on reconnaissance patrolling. Photo by U.S. Army Africa.

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Orme, a special vehicle mechanic for the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, reads the electrical schematics for a 25,000-pound Halvorsen Loader while performing maintenance on the cargo-handling vehicle outside the Joint Operations Center at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 27, 2014. More than 70 Kentucky Air Guardsmen are operating an Aerial Port of Debarkation in Senegal to funnel humanitarian supplies and military support into West Africa as part of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to contain the Ebola virus outbreak. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Serenaded by a sergeant major.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Command Sgt. Maj. Daren Warren, 4th Infantry Division Logistics sergeant major, woos Maxine Jones with sweet sounds of R&B soul during an En Vogue concert at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Jan. 20, 2011. Jones and band mate, Terry Ellis, provided U.S. Division-North Soldiers an opportunity to participate in a special performance during their R&B concert for the men and women deployed to northern Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO)

Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group remove the transport wheels from a mobile airfield operations center at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 17, 2014, in support of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The Airmen are operating an Intermediate Staging Base in Dakar to funnel humanitarian aid and military support equipment into affected areas, working in concert with Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 689th Rapid Port Opening Element to staff a Joint Task Force-Port Opening. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Congratulations!

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq – Lieutenant Colonel Robert Magee, commander of the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, shakes hands and presents Spc. Sharee Taylor, a food specialist assigned to Forward Support Company G, 5th Bn., 82nd FA, with a Order of the Spur certificate during an induction ceremony at Contingency Operating Site Marez’s Main Gym, August 4, 2011. Magee, a native of Corsicana, Texas, welcomed Taylor, a native of Jersey City, N.J., and other Fort Hood Soldiers into the cavalry organization, which promotes esprit de corps, after completing a three-day “Spur Ride”.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Terence Ewings, 4th AAB PAO, 1st Cav. Div., USD-N)

ORLANDO, Fla. - In today’s complex and high tempo operational environment, America’s Army Reserve to rapidly deploy highly trained units to any corner of the world with the personnel and equipment they have on hand. With multiple contingencies and numerous potential threats capable of employing cutting-edge tactics with modern military equipment, the Army Reserve looks to its premiere sustainers such the 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) to lead, train and equip its 10,000-Soldier command.

In taking the first, major step toward achieving this vital mission, the 143d ESC conducted a Mission Training Brief Feb. 2-3, 2018, at the command’s headquarters in Orlando, Fla.

“An MTB promotes cohesion through collaboration,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Walter L. Flinn, commander, 332nd Transportation Terminal Battalion. “It offers a forum for commanders to share their successes and shortcomings while seeking and offering guidance among their fellow leaders.”

Led by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Deborah L. Kotulich, commanding general, 143d ESC, the MTB featured dozens of senior leaders from the company to the ESC level whose wealth of knowledge and experience offered solutions to a myriad of logistical challenges.

“The expectation of having several months to bring your Soldiers up to speed at a pre-mobilization station is coming to an end,” Kotulich announced to dozens of battalion and brigade commanders and command sergeants majors huddled in the conference room. “We must assume that we will mobilize at a moment’s notice, and it’s our responsibility that we physically and mentally prepare every Soldier for the rigors of combat through realistic training.”

Kotulich expects every downtrace unit to spend less time in classrooms and more time in the field. This focus on individual and collective readiness stems from the U.S. Army Reserve Command’s Ready Force X initiative.

“Ready Force X is the Army Reserve’s answer to the [U.S.] Army’s demand for properly equipped and highly trained Soldiers who can rapidly deploy into combat,” said U.S. Army Col. Wanda Williams, commander, 641st Regional Sustainment Group. “Almost half of the 143d ESC’s downtrace units must meet the strict criteria established by Ready Force X’s “Fight Fast” mentality. This MTB offers precious time for commanders to obtain timely information needed to properly execute the numerous requirements to maintain a constantly high state of readiness.”

While Kotulich entrusts her fellow officers to formulate plans and carry out the Army Reserve’s “Fight Fast” initiative, she relies on her command sergeants major to refine the tasks required to carry out their commanding general’s intent.

“There are 43 individual training requirements that every unit must complete before reporting to a pre-mobilization site,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos O. Lopes, command sergeant major, 143d ESC. “As NCOs, we are responsible for providing effective training that ensures every Soldier has mastered these fundamental skills that directly determine one’s survivability on the battlefield.”

“NCOs can only do this if they understand their commanders’ intent,” added Command Sgt. Maj. Kenyatta S. Stamps, command sergeant major, 787th Combat Support and Sustainment Battalion. “The MTB allows us to hear those intentions firsthand and develop effective techniques and tactics to achieve them.”

These techniques and tactics encompass a variety of tasks that enhance speed, agility and sustained readiness at the individual, team and unit level. From warrior drills to medical readiness, commanders must meticulously manage finite time and resources to crystallize the Army Reserve’s strategic vision and implement the 143d ESC’s operational mission.

“Ready Force X is about leadership, energy and execution,” said Flinn. “Commanders must own the responsibility for readiness. Establishing an open dialog among senior leaders remains paramount to understanding not only what we do but how we do it.”

With more than half of the 143d ESC falls under the Ready Force X umbrella, every unit and Soldier must face the challenges if they are to reap the awards of transforming America’s Army Reserve into the most lethal and capable federal reserve force in U.S. history.

“America demands highly trained and proficient Soldiers, and the Army Reserve is blessed to have motivated men and women ready to endure the hardships inherent in armed conflict,” said Williams. “That’s why I tell my Soldiers, ‘Don’t worry about the names. Just be ready. Be ready now!”

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, 143d ESC

Terrain Model

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Second Lt. Amer of the Emergency Security Unit of the Kirkuk Iraqi Police uses a terrain model to explain his platoon’s mission during an emergency readiness rehearsal at a technical college in the Adallah district of Kirkuk Dec. 29. The ESU is responsible for the cordon around the building, the breach of the building, the capture of criminals and the release of hostages. The Iraqi Police, Iraqi Army, Major Crimes Unit, and the Criminal Investigation Unit also participated in the exercise to prepare for an emergency situation in Kirkuk.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kandi Huggins, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD-N)

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Michael Skeens, a command post controller for Joint Task Force-Port Opening Senegal, uses a satellite phone to coordinate air movement Oct. 14, 2014, at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal. Skeens and more than 70 other Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group stood up a cargo hub in Senegal Oct. 5 that is funneling humanitarian supplies and military support into West Africa as part of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak there. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Airmen from the 821st Contingency Response Group load a pallet onto a C-130J Super Hercules during Exercise Swift Response 16 at the Bydgoszcz Airport, Poland, June 8, 2016. Exercise SR16 is one of the premier military crisis response training events for multinational airborne forces in the world, the exercise has more than 5,000 participants from 10 NATO nations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Joseph Swafford/Released)

U.S. Army Africa 1st Lt. Salvatore Buzzurro, Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance program military mentor, works with members of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces in anticipation of upcoming peacekeeping operations in Darfur, Sudan. Photo by U.S. Army Africa.

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

Paratroopers with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, leap from the tailgate of a C-130 Hercules Alaska Air National Guard aircraft Dec. 12, 2013 at the Malemute Drop Zone at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The paratroopers exited the aircraft with a full arctic combat load, demonstrating their unique ability to rapidly deploy troops into arctic environments in response to a variety of contingencies. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jason Epperson/Released)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq - Brig. Gen. Abdul Kareem, deputy commander of Al-Kut Air Force Base, was joined by a party of commanders inside the Iraqi compound’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation room to enjoy servings of fresh fruit and more discussion of Iraqi joint security efforts July 14, 2011. This meeting included some of the most influential leaders in Al-Kut and Wasit province. The intent of the meeting was to show the Iraqi ground force and intelligence commanders the capabilities of the Iraqi Air Force, so that they may use it as an asset in the future. (U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Stuart White, 6th Bn., 9th Cav. Regt., 3rd AAB, 1st Cav. Div.)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq – Retired professional basketball player Karl Malone shakes hands with Cpl. Kelvin Scott, a native of Macon, Ga., and armor crew member assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist, 1st Cavalry Division, at Contingency Operating Site Marez, Iraq, Aug. 1, 2011. Malone and American illusionist David Blaine accompanied Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, on his visit to deployed Fort Hood troopers in northern Iraq. In addition to talking to the deployed troopers, Malone also autographed flyers and took pictures during meet and greet event.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Terence Ewings, 4th AAB PAO, 1st Cav. Div., USD-N)

ORLANDO, Fla. - In today’s complex and high tempo operational environment, America’s Army Reserve to rapidly deploy highly trained units to any corner of the world with the personnel and equipment they have on hand. With multiple contingencies and numerous potential threats capable of employing cutting-edge tactics with modern military equipment, the Army Reserve looks to its premiere sustainers such the 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) to lead, train and equip its 10,000-Soldier command.

In taking the first, major step toward achieving this vital mission, the 143d ESC conducted a Mission Training Brief Feb. 2-3, 2018, at the command’s headquarters in Orlando, Fla.

“An MTB promotes cohesion through collaboration,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Walter L. Flinn, commander, 332nd Transportation Terminal Battalion. “It offers a forum for commanders to share their successes and shortcomings while seeking and offering guidance among their fellow leaders.”

Led by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Deborah L. Kotulich, commanding general, 143d ESC, the MTB featured dozens of senior leaders from the company to the ESC level whose wealth of knowledge and experience offered solutions to a myriad of logistical challenges.

“The expectation of having several months to bring your Soldiers up to speed at a pre-mobilization station is coming to an end,” Kotulich announced to dozens of battalion and brigade commanders and command sergeants majors huddled in the conference room. “We must assume that we will mobilize at a moment’s notice, and it’s our responsibility that we physically and mentally prepare every Soldier for the rigors of combat through realistic training.”

Kotulich expects every downtrace unit to spend less time in classrooms and more time in the field. This focus on individual and collective readiness stems from the U.S. Army Reserve Command’s Ready Force X initiative.

“Ready Force X is the Army Reserve’s answer to the [U.S.] Army’s demand for properly equipped and highly trained Soldiers who can rapidly deploy into combat,” said U.S. Army Col. Wanda Williams, commander, 641st Regional Sustainment Group. “Almost half of the 143d ESC’s downtrace units must meet the strict criteria established by Ready Force X’s “Fight Fast” mentality. This MTB offers precious time for commanders to obtain timely information needed to properly execute the numerous requirements to maintain a constantly high state of readiness.”

While Kotulich entrusts her fellow officers to formulate plans and carry out the Army Reserve’s “Fight Fast” initiative, she relies on her command sergeants major to refine the tasks required to carry out their commanding general’s intent.

“There are 43 individual training requirements that every unit must complete before reporting to a pre-mobilization site,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos O. Lopes, command sergeant major, 143d ESC. “As NCOs, we are responsible for providing effective training that ensures every Soldier has mastered these fundamental skills that directly determine one’s survivability on the battlefield.”

“NCOs can only do this if they understand their commanders’ intent,” added Command Sgt. Maj. Kenyatta S. Stamps, command sergeant major, 787th Combat Support and Sustainment Battalion. “The MTB allows us to hear those intentions firsthand and develop effective techniques and tactics to achieve them.”

These techniques and tactics encompass a variety of tasks that enhance speed, agility and sustained readiness at the individual, team and unit level. From warrior drills to medical readiness, commanders must meticulously manage finite time and resources to crystallize the Army Reserve’s strategic vision and implement the 143d ESC’s operational mission.

“Ready Force X is about leadership, energy and execution,” said Flinn. “Commanders must own the responsibility for readiness. Establishing an open dialog among senior leaders remains paramount to understanding not only what we do but how we do it.”

With more than half of the 143d ESC falls under the Ready Force X umbrella, every unit and Soldier must face the challenges if they are to reap the awards of transforming America’s Army Reserve into the most lethal and capable federal reserve force in U.S. history.

“America demands highly trained and proficient Soldiers, and the Army Reserve is blessed to have motivated men and women ready to endure the hardships inherent in armed conflict,” said Williams. “That’s why I tell my Soldiers, ‘Don’t worry about the names. Just be ready. Be ready now!”

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, 143d ESC

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

Contingency buses seen staged just north of Rose Quarter Transit Center (on Wheeler, Soutbound next to the Moda Center). They were to assist with the steel bridge closure MAX Shuttles, but they ended up not being needed on the day when this photo was taken.

This was also the last day that 2555 was ever used in a public setting. It is also one of the very few times that a 2500 was seen in public with replaced windows (some of the windows on this bus were swapped out with ones on LFRs)

FORT POLK, La. -- A case of blank 5.56mm ammunition sits waiting for use in the tactical operations Center of the 570th Contingency Response Group from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., on Geronimo Landing Zone Oct. 18, 2012 during Joint Readiness Training Center - Decisive Action. The exercise includes emphasis on joint forcible entry, phased deployment with an airborne parachute operation, a combined noncombatant evacuation, combine arms maneuver, wide area security, unconventional warfare and unified land operations in a joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres)

switched off modification controlled by Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Special Traffic Operations, Transportation and Traffic Management Plan Contingency Engineers during an operation of Los Angeles Chinatown Lunar New Year Golden Dragon Parade Special Event located at Chinatown Los Angeles, California 90012 next to Columbus Pharmacy right hand side and Bank of America left hand side.

Note: The new current G.D.P. route travelled Southbound Broadway and made a left turn at Eastbound West Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and ENDS at a right turn into Southbound Spring Street Olvera Street for parade floats disbanding zone since February 2007 to February 2012 but now this Golden Dragon Parade route on Southbound Broadway turns right to Westbound Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and ENDS at North Hill Street overpass bridge and North Grand Avenue for parade floats disbanding zone since February 2013 to present. The former G.D.P. route was on Northbound Broadway (ended here until 2000) from Cesar E. Chavez Avenue to Bernard Street and Southbound Hill Street at Ord Street took place here until 2006.

The former G.D.P. route was on Northbound Broadway (ended here until 2000) from Cesar E. Chavez Avenue to Bernard Street and Southbound Hill Street at Ord Street took place here until 2006.

This is the END of the Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 10k Run combining 5k, 10k and Kiddie K run routes right here.

金龍大遊行巡遊會洛杉磯中國城華埠北百老滙街同埋大學街設有仁愛西藥房

LAPD Officers William N. Wong 22205 and Arthur K. Soo Hoo 21730 Memorial Plaque Site Signage is here

#northbroadway #northbroadwayandcollegestreet #collegestreet #columbuspharmacy #bankofamerica #chinatownlosangeles #chinatownla #lachinatown #losangeleschinatown #lagoldendragonparade #goldendragonparade #losangelescityhall #lacityhall @lachinatown @chinatown_la

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Muslim Soldiers and civilians read from the Quran during the Eid al-Fitr morning prayers at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Aug. 30, 2011. The celebration marks the end of 30 days of fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Crystal Hudson, 29th MPAD, USD-N PAO)

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Matthew Hourigan of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group installs leveling jacks on a mobile airfield operations center at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 17, 2014, in support of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The Airmen are operating an Intermediate Staging Base in Dakar to funnel humanitarian aid and military support equipment into affected areas, working in concert with Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 689th Rapid Port Opening Element to staff a Joint Task Force-Port Opening. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Paratroopers of the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, take cover behind a building during a wire-obstacle breach explosion on Fort Bragg, Sept. 9, 2013. The White Falcons, currently part of the Global Response Force, conducted a two-week intensive training cycle designed to reinforce combat skills for the nation’s airborne assault-capable, contingency unit.

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Hull)

‘Thanks for serving.’

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Soldiers of Task Force ODIN congratulate Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gary Tamietti, center, following Tamietti’s last flight at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, July 31, 2011. After serving in Vietnam and retiring as a commercial airline pilot, Tamietti pinned his wings on once again in 2003 and served two deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Shawn Miller, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO)

Aerial porters from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group push a pallet of cargo from the hold of a C-130 aircraft at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Nov. 3, 2014. The Kentucky Airmen are operating an Aerial Port of Debarkation to funnel humanitarian aid to Liberia in support of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to contain the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Fitzpatrick (left), a surgeon assigned to a Forward Resuscitive Surgical System unit, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Tony Hayden, an aerial porter from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, secure cases of red blood cells and frozen plasma to a C-130 cargo pallet at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 10, 2014, in support of Operation United Assistance. The medical supplies and Fitzpatrick’s unit were bound for Liberia to support Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response AFRICOM. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

130909-A-DP764-007

Paratroopers of the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, conduct a dismounted patrol on Fort Bragg, N.C., Sept. 12. The White Falcons, currently part of the Global Response Force, conducted a two-week intensive training cycle designed to reinforce combat skills for the nation’s airborne assault-capable, contingency unit.

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Hull, 2/82 PAO NCOIC)

44th Baltimore LGBTQ Pride Parade March down North Charles Street in Baltimore MD on Saturday afternoon, 15 June 2019 by Elvert Barnes Photography

BGE EXELON Contingency

www.facebook.com/myBGE/posts/2720519397959143

Elvert Barnes 44th Baltimore LGTBQ Pride 2019 docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/BmoreGayPride2019.html

Staff Sgt. Joseph Bigelow, a crew chief for the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, marshals a Kentucky Air National Guard C-130 Hercules during Capstone '14, a homeland earthquake-response exercise at Fort Campbell, Ky., on June 17, 2014. The 123rd CRG is joining with the U.S. Army’s 688th Rapid Port Opening Element to operate a Joint Task Force-Port Opening here from June 16 to 19, 2014. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Phil Speck)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – The Kirkuk Emergency Services Unit Raid Platoon, assisted by Company B, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, scans a Kirkuk resident into the Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment after finding suspicious items in the resident’s home, May 4, 2011. The HIIDE is a biometric identification system that allows the user to accurately verify a person’s identity after being enrolled in a database.

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Robert DeDeaux, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD-N)

Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, augmented by troops from the active-duty Air Force and Air National Guard units in multiple states, dowload relief supplies from aircraft around the clock at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the wake of Hurricane Maria Oct. 5, 2017. The unit’s Airmen established an aerial port of debarkation upon arrival here Sept. 23, and have processed more than 7.2 million pounds of cargo and humanitarian aid for distribution in the first three weeks of the operation. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Dale Greer)

Soldiers, personal protective gear is set up for inspection behind their mine resistant ambush protected vehicles prior to their exit from Iraq, on Contingency Operating Base Adder, Dec. 2. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Zane, 362nd MPAD)

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Deputy Commanding General-Support Brig. Gen. James Pasquarette, U.S. Division-North and 4th Infantry Division, commends Sgt. Renea Rivers, support operations help desk noncommissioned officer, Company C, 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, the first recipient of the U.S. Division-North Sustainment Hero award, during an awards presentation at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Iraq, March 12, 2011. Rivers earned the special recognition for successfully managing the turn-in of more than $1 million in excess equipment in two days.

(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Alyxandra McChesney, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD-N)

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jarrod Blanford, an aerial porter from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group (left), reviews a cargo manifest with U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Evan Kuehl, a loadmaster from the 86th Airlift Wing, prior to the departure of a C-130 Hercules from Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 22, 2014. The flight is bound for Liberia, carrying whole blood and U.S. Army Soldiers supporting Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

ORLANDO, Fla. - In today’s complex and high tempo operational environment, America’s Army Reserve to rapidly deploy highly trained units to any corner of the world with the personnel and equipment they have on hand. With multiple contingencies and numerous potential threats capable of employing cutting-edge tactics with modern military equipment, the Army Reserve looks to its premiere sustainers such the 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) to lead, train and equip its 10,000-Soldier command.

In taking the first, major step toward achieving this vital mission, the 143d ESC conducted a Mission Training Brief Feb. 2-3, 2018, at the command’s headquarters in Orlando, Fla.

“An MTB promotes cohesion through collaboration,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Walter L. Flinn, commander, 332nd Transportation Terminal Battalion. “It offers a forum for commanders to share their successes and shortcomings while seeking and offering guidance among their fellow leaders.”

Led by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Deborah L. Kotulich, commanding general, 143d ESC, the MTB featured dozens of senior leaders from the company to the ESC level whose wealth of knowledge and experience offered solutions to a myriad of logistical challenges.

“The expectation of having several months to bring your Soldiers up to speed at a pre-mobilization station is coming to an end,” Kotulich announced to dozens of battalion and brigade commanders and command sergeants majors huddled in the conference room. “We must assume that we will mobilize at a moment’s notice, and it’s our responsibility that we physically and mentally prepare every Soldier for the rigors of combat through realistic training.”

Kotulich expects every downtrace unit to spend less time in classrooms and more time in the field. This focus on individual and collective readiness stems from the U.S. Army Reserve Command’s Ready Force X initiative.

“Ready Force X is the Army Reserve’s answer to the [U.S.] Army’s demand for properly equipped and highly trained Soldiers who can rapidly deploy into combat,” said U.S. Army Col. Wanda Williams, commander, 641st Regional Sustainment Group. “Almost half of the 143d ESC’s downtrace units must meet the strict criteria established by Ready Force X’s “Fight Fast” mentality. This MTB offers precious time for commanders to obtain timely information needed to properly execute the numerous requirements to maintain a constantly high state of readiness.”

While Kotulich entrusts her fellow officers to formulate plans and carry out the Army Reserve’s “Fight Fast” initiative, she relies on her command sergeants major to refine the tasks required to carry out their commanding general’s intent.

“There are 43 individual training requirements that every unit must complete before reporting to a pre-mobilization site,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos O. Lopes, command sergeant major, 143d ESC. “As NCOs, we are responsible for providing effective training that ensures every Soldier has mastered these fundamental skills that directly determine one’s survivability on the battlefield.”

“NCOs can only do this if they understand their commanders’ intent,” added Command Sgt. Maj. Kenyatta S. Stamps, command sergeant major, 787th Combat Support and Sustainment Battalion. “The MTB allows us to hear those intentions firsthand and develop effective techniques and tactics to achieve them.”

These techniques and tactics encompass a variety of tasks that enhance speed, agility and sustained readiness at the individual, team and unit level. From warrior drills to medical readiness, commanders must meticulously manage finite time and resources to crystallize the Army Reserve’s strategic vision and implement the 143d ESC’s operational mission.

“Ready Force X is about leadership, energy and execution,” said Flinn. “Commanders must own the responsibility for readiness. Establishing an open dialog among senior leaders remains paramount to understanding not only what we do but how we do it.”

With more than half of the 143d ESC falls under the Ready Force X umbrella, every unit and Soldier must face the challenges if they are to reap the awards of transforming America’s Army Reserve into the most lethal and capable federal reserve force in U.S. history.

“America demands highly trained and proficient Soldiers, and the Army Reserve is blessed to have motivated men and women ready to endure the hardships inherent in armed conflict,” said Williams. “That’s why I tell my Soldiers, ‘Don’t worry about the names. Just be ready. Be ready now!”

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, 143d ESC

Full house.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Terry Ellis and Maxine Jones, founding members of En Vogue, sing fan favorites and R&B classics for troops and civilians during a concert at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Jan. 20, 2011. Jones and Ellis belted out a medley of R&B classics bringing excitement and cheer to the U.S. Division-North troops stationed at COB Speicher in support of Operation New Dawn. “This trip has been nothing less than phenomenal,” Ellis told the crowd as the show came to a close. “We have gained so much more respect for and understanding of the sacrifices all of you make, and we want you to tell your Families that we appreciate the sacrifices they have made. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO)

Family members, friends, fellow Soldiers and Virginia Guard senior leaders bid a formal farewell to the Soldiers of the Virginia Beach-based 1945th Contingency Contracting Team, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group Feb. 8, 2014, at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach. Virginia Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters of the 8th District, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis A. Green, the Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, Col. Michelle Rose, commander of the 329th RSG, Lt. Col. Michael Waterman, commander of the 529th CSSB, Lt. Col. Brent Carey, team leader of the 1944th CCT, and Capt. Bert Hankins, commander of the 1945th CCT, were among the speakers at the ceremony. The four-Soldier team will now head to Camp Shelby, Miss., for premobilization training before they head to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Orme, a special vehicle mechanic for the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, reads the electrical schematics for a 25,000-pound Halvorsen Loader while performing maintenance on the cargo-handling vehicle outside the Joint Operations Center at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 27, 2014. More than 70 Kentucky Air Guardsmen are operating an Aerial Port of Debarkation in Senegal to funnel humanitarian supplies and military support into West Africa as part of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to contain the Ebola virus outbreak. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Members from the 5th Quartermaster Theater Aerial Delivery Company, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing's Contingency Response Group and 21st Theater Sustainment Command march toward the grave of Pvt. Richard Vargas during a wreath laying ceremony at Lorraine American National Cemetery and Memorial, St. Avold, France, June 2, 2014. Vargas saved the life of Leslie Cruise, a World War II veteran. Cruise went to France several times prior to this visit looking for his friend’s grave in order to say thank you. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Hailey Haux)

Spc. Nathan Miller with Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 146th Field Artillery, 81st Brigade Combat Team, Washington Army National Guard, listens as Col. Ronald Kapral, the commander of the 81st BCT, and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Sweeney, the command sergeant major of the 81st BCT, speak to their Soldiers during a visit Feb. 7 at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq. About 2,400 Washington National Guardsmen and 900 California National Guardsmen deployed with the 81st BCT based out of Seattle in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October. They are scheduled to return home this summer.

Olivia Arrington brings laughs.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Olivia Arrington, a comedian on the Lone Wolf Entertainment Comedy Tour 2011, brings laughs to a small crowd of service members at the U.S. Division-North Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Center at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Feb. 11, 2011. Arrington joined two other comics as they helped to bring a bit of relaxation and laughter to the troops serving in support of Operation New Dawn.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Shawn Miller, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO)