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Soldiers keep supply trucks on the road

Nov-22-2004 » Filed Under: TF Olympia

This article was featured in the last edition of The Olympia Observer, but we wanted to include the full text here in case you missed it.

Link to Article
By Staff Sgt. Fred Minnick

MOSUL, Iraq – On the Iraq-Turkey border, thousands of trucks come through the Habur gate border crossing as they travel between the two countries. So many trucks wait to enter Iraq or Turkey on a daily basis that the main route is often backed up as far as 50 miles with bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Some trucks carry supplies for Iraqi and Turkish businesses. Others haul construction materials, fuel and food for Multinational Forces in northern Iraq.

All the trucks must pass through Iraqi or Turkish customs before entering the country of their respective destination. In addition, every truck carrying Multinational Forces supplies is documented, manifested and checked out by Soldiers from the 99th Transportation Detachment, Movement Control Team, based out of Aviano Air Force Base in Aviano, Italy.

“We are responsible for making sure the supplies coming in from Turkey make their way into Iraq,” said Capt. Curtis Johnson, commander of the 99th Trans. Det., MCT. “We have an important job and our Soldiers do an excellent job ensuring everything goes smoothly.”

From June to October, 7,267 trucks crossed the Iraqi border carrying Multinational Forces supplies. The 99th Soldiers stage these trucks in an area known as the “Yard,” which is on the Iraqi side of the border and is the size of 10 football fields. Once there, the movement control team Soldiers ensure each truck is prepared to make the long, intense drive into Iraq. The fortified Yard is heavily guarded by Iraqi National Guard soldiers, and between 100 and 200 trucks are processed each day, said Spc. Darline Davis of Miami, Fla., a transportation management coordinator with the 99th.

With the help of Iraqi customs officials, the 99th Soldiers ensure the trucks have enough fuel and are properly loaded. They also try to address any security or transportation concerns from the truckers.
Johnson said his team of 12 has faced several challenges since their deployment began in August, including a 10-day trucker strike.

“All and all, the truckers are great people and enjoy their jobs,” Johnson said. “We have an agreement with the drivers that every convoy carrying supplies to Iraq will be escorted by military vehicles. This eases their security concerns quite a bit.”
Davis or another transportation management coordinator will link the truckers up with their escorts and give military personnel a copy of the manifest.

“It’s really not that hard of a job,” said Davis, who has processed as many as 300 trucks in one day. “You just have to get down to business.”

When Davis hands over the manifest to the escorts, her job is done. At this point, the truck drivers are in the hands of their escorts. As a member of the 445th Transportation Company, an Army Reserve unit from Iowa, Spc. Ryan Loomis of Wadena, Iowa, often escorts the trucks to the Multinational Forces bases and said the drivers will not move into Iraq without a Multinational Forces presence.

“It’s a personal reward to take these trucks with our supplies to the bases around the country,” he said. “I especially take pride in getting the drivers to their destination safely.”

Alladin Turok, an Iraqi truck driver, has made several trips from Turkey to Iraq and back. He said he always looks forward to seeing his “American friends, who have always been so kind to me. I am proud to be doing my job and do not understand why the terrorists are against us. We are just trying to help Iraq.”


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