CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION K1, Iraq – Staff Sgt. Thomas Harrelson, a communications specialist from Brigham, Utah, assigned to Company B, 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., helps Iraqi Army soldiers dissemble a radio operations system during a communications class, March 10, 2011, at Contingency Operating Location K1 in Iraq. Harrelson said the class, part of a nine-week communications training course led by U.S. Soldiers, developed the Iraqi signal soldiers’ technical proficiency and understanding using the telecommunications systems, signal communications and electronic equipment. U.S. Soldiers are training Iraqi signal soldiers to lead the next iteration of classes.

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

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)

Sgt. 1st Class Jack Hahne is embraced by Staff Sgt. Amanda Galdo at Rapid City Regional Airport on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 after spending 9 months deployed to Afghanistan. Symonds is a part of the 1978th Contingency Contracting Team, which is responsible for assisting with the development and administration of contracting support plans, policy and appendices in support of operational, contingency and deliberate plans. He retunred with Maj. Matthew Symonds, which concludes the 1978th's deployment. Galdo, also a member of the 1978th returned from Afghanistan last month.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – U.S. Army Cpl. Brandon Lamb, an infantryman assigned to Company C, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, coaches Iraqi Army Soldiers while Pvt. Amar Abdul Hussein, Commando Company, 15th Brigade, 12th Iraqi Army Division, demonstrates the techniques during marksmanship training at the 15th Bde. headquarters in Kirkuk province, Iraq, April 4, 2011.

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

Simulated MEDEVAC.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION COBRA, Iraq – A radio telephone operator from Troop A, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, simulates calling for an air MEDEVAC as part of the squadron’s “Best Squad” competition, Feb. 18, 2011, at Contingency Operating Location Cobra in the Diyala province of Iraq.

(U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Kyle Miller, 2nd Bn., 14th Cav. Regt., 2nd AAB PAO, 25th Inf. Div., USD-N)

Operations planning.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Capt. Kim Walter, operations officer, 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., works on her daily reports at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, March 7, 2011. Walter has served in Iraq during three separate deployments during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and currently in support of Operation New Dawn.

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

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq – Sergeant 1st Class Mario Giron, contracting noncommissioned officer in charge for Troop B, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, leaves the troop command post to inspect buildings at Joint Security Station Whiskey 4 before transferring the base to the 3rd Iraqi Army Division, July 30, 2011. Giron, a native of Del Rio, Texas, and Troop B’s mortar section sergeant, managed contractors who supported troops at the base, to include security, laundry and barbers.

(U.S. Army photo by Capt. Philip Crabtree, 4th AAB PAO, 1st Cav. 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 Senior Airman Douglas Prewitt, 621st Contingency Response Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., marshals in a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to Geronimo landing zone during a field exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Fort Polk, La., Jan. 16, 2014. Service members at JRTC 14-03 are educated in combat patient care and aeromedical evacuation in a simulated combat environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Smith/Released)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Specialist Rodolfo Moreno, a finance specialist with the 4th Financial Management Company, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, repaints the name of his brother-in-law, Sgt. Israel Devora-Garcia, on the Warrior Memorial Wall at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2011. Moreno volunteered to refurbish the memorial site, which bears names of U.S. Soldiers lost during Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. “I am grateful for the opportunity to give a little back,” Moreno said.

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

Service members and civilians enjoy show.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Rock band Hoobastank entertains service members and civilians deployed to U.S. Division – North during a concert at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, June 25, 2011. After the show, the band members held a meet and greet, signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans.

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

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)

Sgt. Claribel Lopez Feliciano, yard boss for the U.S. Army’s 688th Rapid Port Opening Element, signs a manifest for cargo from Staff Sgt. Kevin Freese, an aerial porter for the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, before the cargo is shipped to a staging area called the forward node during Capstone '14, a homeland earthquake-response exercise at Fort Campbell, Ky., on June 18, 2014. The 123rd CRG is joining with the 688th RPOE 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)

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

Staff Sgt. Joseph Rivera, 571st Contingency Response Group based out of Travis Air Force Base, Ca. fist bumps a Rwandan soldier as they trade vehicles in the Central African Republic Jan. 19, 2014. U.S. forces will transport a total number of 850 Rwandan soldiers and more than 1000 tons of equipment into the Central African Republic to aid French and African Union operations against militants during this three week-long operation. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane)

Albanian soldiers defend themselves with their shields against a rioter while conducting riot control operations during a Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission rehearsal exercise (MRE) at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, Feb. 20, 2016. The KFOR MRE 21 is based on the current operational environment and is designed to prepare the unit for peace support, stability, and contingency operations in Kosovo in support of civil authorities to maintain a safe and secure environment. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Hulett/Released)

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)

As part of the ongoing Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) program, Sgt. 1st Class Grady Hyatt, USARAF ACOTA military mentor, train members of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces on a variety of infantry skills such as improvised explosive device awareness, rifle marksmanship, movement techniques.

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

Paint as Material Contingency

Exhibition in the Artlab by the Third Year Advanced Painting class (VAS 3310).

October 31 - November 14, 2014

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 6, 2014,

Participating student artists from VAS 3310

Sophie Bisnaire

Danielle Brideau

Michelle Bunton

Tabitha Chan

Christie Constantine

Cayley Cowan

Emilie Currie

Yara El Safi

Corry Faulkner

Angela Ferreira

Jacob Freeman

Brenda Fuhrman

Ella Gonzales

Karissa Hill

Alexandra Kalifer

Sophia Lloyd-Jones

Rowan McCormick

Jasmine Park

Faith Patrick

Andrea Polzer

Robin Scott

Abby Vincent

Daniel Welsh

Carina Wharton

By installing your artwork in the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, you agree to have it photographed and release all rights in and consent to the use of this photo for all legal purposes. Would you like to see your work properly captioned? vrlibrary@uwo.ca

© 2014; Department of Visual Arts; Western University

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

Tech. Sgt. Jerrod Blanford, an aerial porter from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, spots a forklift as it unloads cargo from a Kentucky Air 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)

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)

Members of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group arrive at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Ill., on Aug. 6, 2013, after deploying from Louisville, Ky., aboard a Mississippi Air National Guard C-17 from the 172nd Airlift Wing. The Airmen are joining with Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army’s active-duty 689th Rapid Port Opening Element from Fort Eustis, Va., to stand up and operate a Joint Task Force-Port Opening through Aug. 9 as part of a U.S. Transportation Command-directed earthquake-response scenario. A JTF-PO, which combines an Air Force Aerial Port of Debarkation with an Army trucking and distribution unit, ensures the smooth flow of relief supplies into affected areas by airlift, and coordinates their final distribution over land. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer/Released)

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

Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 689th Rapid Port Opening Element in Fort Eustis, Va., load simulated disaster-relief supplies onto a Load Handling System truck on the flight line of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Ill., on Aug. 7, 2013 as part of Exercise Gateway Relief, a U.S. Transportation Command-directed earthquake-relief scenario. The cargo will be hauled to a forward node, where it will be staged for further movement over land by trucks. The 689th is teaming up with the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group through Aug. 9 for the exercise. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer/Released)

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)

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)

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. 6, 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)

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)

An 821st Contingency Response Airman takes a break while waiting for a C-130J Super Hercules to arrive and take him to Ramstein Air Base, German after completing the Contingency Response Team mission at the Bydgoszcz Airport, Poland, during phase one of Exercise Swift Response 16, June 10, 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)

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)

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)

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia (June 26, 2019) The Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Pioneer (MCM 9) pulls into Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Pioneer, part of Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response platform for contingency operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Alexander Fairbanks) 190626-N-AD347-1044

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‘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)

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky (right), commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, speaks with U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bruce Bancroft (left) and U.S. Air Force Col. David Mounkes of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group Oct. 18, 2014, during a tour of the Joint Operations Center for Joint Task Force-Port Opening Senegal at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal. The JTF-PO 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. Volesky will serve as the new commander of the U.S. military’s Operation United Assistance Joint Forces Command, headquartered in Liberia, where the Department of Defense is sending 3,000 troops to support the mission. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

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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

(Award accepted by SGM Bentura Fernandez) MSGT Williams, 409th contracting support brigade, ECC, provided exceptional service as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Regional Contracting Center-Tallil. She flawlessly managed multiple contracting processes and programs that resulted in the execution of nearly 1,000 contracting actions valued at more than $1 million.

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)

Craig Morgan performs for the troops.

CONTIGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Country music star Craig Morgan visited Contingency Operating Site Warrior and performed some of his hit songs for the Soldiers of the 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., Jan. 30, 2011. His final song, “Almost Home,” struck a particular chord with his audience, who sang along with the entire last verse.

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

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)