The logistics of bringing home troops: Logistics agency prepares to move 'mountain' from Iraq

[The Straight Story]

Logistics agency prepares to move 'mountain' from Iraq

FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Nov. 30, 2009) -- Col. Mike Bird is about to move a mountain, but he won't be doing it alone.

Bird, commander of Defense Logistics Agency-Central Command, will have help from his DLA support team and participants from several of the agency's field activities. That, however, doesn't make the task of helping the military services draw down a mountain of equipment and supplies accumulated during six years of operations in Iraq any less daunting.

DLA provides the military services, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. These services include disposing of excess military property or allowing for its reuse, as well as disposing of hazardous waste and materials.

Bird has made planning for the drawdown a priority since he assumed command this summer.

"This is much more than moving a mountain," he said. "It surpasses any logistical challenge we have undertaken to date, all while we are still fighting two wars. It is critical that we ensure the warfighter is being sustained while we retrograde, refit and redistribute to the war effort."

The drawdown is the return of all U.S. forces back to their home stations and the closing out the military presence in Iraq, said Donald Bruce, DLA's Joint Logistics Operations Center lead planner for drawdown, retrograde and reset.

"Bringing back troops means bringing back all supplies," Bruce said.

http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/12/01/31152-logistics-agency-prepares-to-move-mountain-from-iraq/?ref=news-home-title3