Live Helo Exercise

Summer 2012Summer 2012

What’s inside

What’s inside

1st Mission Support Command - U.S. Army Reserve Puerto Rico

1st MSC Gazette

Recruiting, Promoting and Growing Citizen Soldiers Vol. No. 3 Issue 4

Summer 2013

Live Helo Exercise

www. facebook.com/1stmsc Scan the QR Code for the online version

8 Soldiers of the 390th Seaport Operations Company, US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, conduct sling load operations, as part of the unit’s annual training exercise at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

ZERO TOLERANCE WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE11 Sexual harassment and sexual assault are inconsistent with Army Values

TROOPS TO SERVE IN GUANTANAMO 4 613th Military Police Company will conduct

correctional operations

1st MSC Gazette

Promoting, Recruiting and

GrowingBrig. Gen. Fernando Fernández

Commander

Col. Miguel A. IsaacDeputy Commander

Col. Eric BermúdezChief Of Staff

Maj. Carlos M. CuebasPublic Affairs Officer

Sgt. 1st Class Limary SanchezPublic Affairs NCOIC

Sgt. José F. BabiloniaPublic Affairs NCO

The 1st MSC Gazette is an autho-rized publication printed IAW AR-360-1 in the interest of Soldiers, civilians and Families of the 1st MSC.

Opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessa-rily reflect the views of the U.S. go-vernment, Department of the Army or its agencies.

All photos are property of the U.S. Army, unless otherwise credited.

1st MSC Gazette is published by the 1st MSC Headquarters

located at 353 Wilson Road, Fort Buchanan, PR 00934-4608

E-mail submissions to the 1st MSC public affairs officer at

[email protected]

1st MSC Phone Numbers

Commander -787-707-4928Deputy Commander

787-707-4944Safety Specialist

787-707-4182Personnel 787-707-4164

Plans 787-707-4171Public Affairs 787-707-4988

2 Summer 2013 1st MSC Gazette

San Juan, PR- Members of the 1st Mission Support Com-mand, US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, led by Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernández and Command Sgt. Maj. Rene Ri-vera, showed their support to the patients of cancer in the island, by participating in the Urban Challenge event,May 26, a 5 kilometer obstacle race, organized by the Puerto Rican League Against Can-cer, a non-profit organization which goal is to raise funds to help the Puerto Rico’s Cancer Hospital..

The race not only served to demonstrate the troops’ solidarity with the less fortu-nate in the local community, but also to highlight the level of physical readiness of the troops assigned to the largest US Army Reserve command in the Caribbean.

Sgt Giselle González, a Chemical, Biological, Radio-logical, and Nuclear (CBRN) Specialist, member of the US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico team for the race, won the distinguished title of overall

Female Winner, among ap-proximately a thousand par-ticipants.

“You have to train, not be-cause we’re women means we cannot be at the level of men” said a proud Gonzalez shortly after finishing the run.

Gonzalez who is currently assigned to the 448 Engineer Battalion, US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, had previous experience participating in track and field sports since the early age of 10.

Left - Sgt. Giselle Gonzalez, a Chemical, Biologi-cal, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Specialist, who is a member of the US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, won the title of over-all Female Winner in the. 5K race.(Courtesy photo by Reto Urbano)

BETTER CITIZENS FOR PUERTO RICO

1st MSC Gazette Summer 2013 3

The Urban Challenge event was quite different from any other 5 kilometers run, as the participants had to negotiate eight steep obstacles in their way to the finish line.

“I was not expecting to win. Getting close the finish line I saw a female com-petitor, and at that moment was the one winning the race. I got motivated, moved and won,” added Gonzalez.

The participation of the US Army Re-serve troops in this race clearly shows that the Army Reserve-Puerto Rico not only develops mission ready Soldiers to deploy worldwide, but also creates better citizens for Puerto Rico.

Master Sgt. Edwin J. Velázquez, 1st Mission Support Command’s Force Development Noncommisioned Officer in Charge, negotiates one of the eight obstacles during his participation in the Urban Challenge 5 kilometer race, May 26. Two unidentified race staff members observe. (US Army photo by Staff Sgt. Luis Reyes/Released)

The race not only served to demosntrate the troops' solidarity with the less fortunate,... but also to highlight the troops' readiness.

BETTER CITIZENS FOR PUERTO RICO

1st MSC GazetteSummer 20134

TO GUANTANAMO

613TH mp coFort Buchanan, PR- Approximately 125 Soldiers assigned to the 613th Military Police Company, US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, departed the Caribbean is-land, June 2, on their way to a mobiliza-tion station in Texas, with Guantanamo Naval Base as final destiny.

“The troops are ready and motivated,” said Capt. Edwin Romero, commander of the unit, based in Juana Diaz.

The 613th Military Police Company will conduct correctional operations at the detention center in Guantanamo, where hundreds of Taliban members are cur-rently being held.

The Puerto Rican troops are characterized by having personnel with civilian law enforcement experience, due to their civilian occupations as police or correctional officers.

According to Romero, this fact repre-sents a huge advantage for the Army Reserve unit.

For other Soldiers, this departure represents their first mobilization.

“As expected, I am a little bit nervous because this is the first time I mobilize. However, I also feel very prepared to accomplish our mission successfully,” said Private 1st Class Christian Jusino, a Sabana Grande, PR native who has one year and four months of service in the Army Reserve.

SEE CUBA NEXT PAGE


CUBA from previous page

Soldiers from the 613th Military Police Company line up at the Luis Muñoz Marin airport’s runway, before boarding the flight that would take them to a mobilization station, as part of their deployment to Guantanamo, June 2. (US Army Photo by MAJ Carlos M. Cuebas/Released)

“We would not be able to do this deployment with-out the support of our

Families”Cpl. Juan C. Bourdon

TROOPS TO GUANTANAMO

“I feel proud of my son’s mobiliza-tion; however, his departure also hurts me. I feel very proud and happy when I see him wearing his uniform,” said with a broken voice Yolanda Albino-Cordero, Jusino’s mother, minutes before her son boarded a bus that would take him to the airport.

Darlene Caraballo-Martinez, a native of Yauco, PR, was another military family member who ac-companied the troops until the very last minute. Her husband is Corporal Juan Carlos Bourdon.

“I feel a little bit sad because I will not be able to be with my husband

for a year, and because we will soon have a baby and he will not be here with us. But all that does not matter. What matters is our well being, our progress and our future,” said a resilient Caraballo-Martinez.

“We would not be able to do this deployment without the support of our Families. With their support and the training we have received, I am convinced we will do an excel-lent job, “said Bourdon.

Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernandez, Commanding General of the 1st Mission Support Command, Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, personally

met the troops at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport.

The 613th Military Police Company is the second US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico unit that is deployed in 2013. Currently, the Army Reserve-Puerto Rico has approximately 300 Soldiers mobilized in Afghanistan.


Puerto Nuevo, PR- Soldiers and civilians assigned to the 1st Mission Support Command, US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico held an Emergency Management Working Group meeting to further develop the command’s Hurricane Season plan and the Continuity of Operations Program, Policy and Planning (COOP), 30-31 July.

During the Emergency Manage-ment Working Group meeting, each staff section and the two Army Reserve Regional Support Groups developed and updated their annexes to the operational order, to ensure an effective command’s response in case of a local emergency.

“The National Defense Authori-zation Act of 2012 (NDAA) pro-vides new mobilization author-ity for Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) in response to domestic complex catastro-phes. Based on this authori-zation, the Army Reserve can now provide disaster relief and emergency management to the community of Puerto Rico,” said Marcelo Rolon, COOP manager in the command.

Section 515 of the NDAA 2012 adds a new paragraph under Title 10, U.S.C. 12304 to grant access to the Title 10 Reserve, including the Army Reserve, for disaster response missions.

According to Rolon, unit com-manders are authorized to assist local government officials under the Immediate Response Authority (IRA), in coordina-

tion with the higher command, to save lives, prevent suffering, or mitigate great property damage.

Nevertheless, the change in the law does not make the Army Re-serve a first responder. National Guard forces responding under state active duty or Title 32 are the only military forces consid-ered "first responders”. However, when a Governor requests Fed-eral assistance, Army Reserve forces may be part of the Federal response.

The DSCA mission increases the relevance of the Army Reserve in Puerto Rico, as the island is located in a major corridor for Tropical cyclones in the Caribbe-an. The Army Reserve is the larg-est federal US Army Command in the Caribbean.

With ten centers around Puerto Rico, to include the Virgin Is-lands, the US Army Reserve has thousands of Citizen Soldiers with highly technical, specialized and professional skills in logis-tics, transportation, training, en-gineering, information technol-ogy, communication networking and law enforcement, among others, which can be critical dur-ing a local emergency.

Ready for Local Emergencies

The Army Reserve can now provide disaster relief to the community of Puerto Rico.


301st MP CO. BACK HOME

Fort Buchanan, PR- Approximately, 100 Soldiers assigned to the 301st Military Police Company, US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, arrived to the island July 20, after spending nine months deployed in Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, one of the largest U.S. military bases in that country.

The local troops conducted correctional operations at a deten-tion center in Afghanistan, where hundreds of Taliban members are currently being held.

“Our troops provided security and protection to the detainees in a hu-mane way, always respecting their human rights,” said Sgt. 1st Class. Carlos Alvarado, senior noncom-missioned officer in the returning group.

An energized group of Family mem-bers gathered at the Fort Buchanan community center’s parking lot to receive the Soldiers.

The Soldiers now begin their reintegration phase, which includes a deliberate plan for ensuring the well-being of service members and their Families as they reunite after a deployment.

The Army Reserve-Puerto Rico has mobilized approximately 5000 troops since 2001, in support of the war against terrorism.

There are currently approximately 300 local troops mobilized in Afghanistan and other countries around the world.

The safe return of these PR troops represents a clear example of the efficient pre-mobilization pro-gram of the Army Reserve and the strength of the Soldiers and their Families.

1st MSC GazetteSummer 2013 1st MSC Gazette Summer 20138 9

US Army Reserve-PR troops get first live helo exercise

Story by Sgt. Marco Gutierrez, 350th Public Affairs DetachmentJOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – The feeling of being pushed by 120-mph winds is something very few people have ever experienced. Even fewer have felt it while an aircraft is hovering just a few feet above their heads. During an annual Extended Combat Training exercise for the 390th Seaport Operation Company, this is exactly what eight U.S. Army Reserve soldiers had a chance to experience.

With a CH-47 Chinook heli-copter hovering just a few feet overhead and a rotor wash speed of close to 120 mph, these soldiers linked equip-ment to the CH-47 Chinook as part of their training in sling-loaded cargo.

These unique soldiers are all specially certified in sling load operations and are the only ones so qualified in a unit of more than 150 soldiers. Spc. Josue Vazquez, a cargo spe-cialist with the 390thSPOC from Ceiba, Puerto Rico, said he and his fellow Soldiers had to attend the sling load opera-tor inspector course at Fort Lee, Va., in order to be quali-fied for this mission.

“This training is awesome, because it’s an unbelievable experience,” said Sgt. Rafael Rivera, a cargo specialist with the 390th SPOC. “It’s unique, because no one else in our unit gets a chance to do this.”

This job takes more than just attaching a piece of equipment to a chain and then linking it up to an aircraft. There is a lot of preparation that must be taken in order to ensure the safety of the cargo as well the crew and aircraft. Soldiers must tape or tie down any piece of the equip-ment that could break off and do the math to make sure the rope and chains will hold the load.

Vazquez said the most challeng-ing part of this training is the math required, knowing what kinds of sling set to use, and determining the size and weight of a lot of different equipment.

After the soldiers finish prepar-ing the equipment they will load – a shipping container and a Humvee – the team gets ready for the arrival of the Chinook. The soldiers are especially excited to begin, because this is the first live exercise they have done since attending the

school.

“This was exciting for me since this the first time I’ve done train-ing like this outside of the Fort Lee,” said Cpl. Joseph Vargas, a cargo specialist with the 390th SPOC.

Spc. Luis Colomadera, a cargo specialist with the 390th SPOC, said it’s a bit scary since they didn’t have much practice doing it since being at school, but as the helicopter got closer, the team got excited. He added that as soon as they saw the helicop-ter link up and take off safely, they felt relieved and excited that they did everything right.

As the soldiers cycle between loading the Humvee and the shipping container, the soldiers on the hookup team quickly move to set up and link each load of cargo. Rivera explains that usually there is one soldier to link the reach pedant, an-other to secure that soldier for safety, and the signalman who tells the aircraft how to maneu-ver on top of the cargo.

The training was fast-paced and challenging for the soldiers, as each one had to switch through the different positions. Colo-madera said that they do all the different jobs in the training, from hooking up the cargo with the reach pendant, to holding the hook-up man and being the signalman.

The most impressive part of the training is the feeling off the wind the helicopter gives off as it hovers overhead, otherwise known as rotor wash. Rotor wash can be more than 100 mph, Vazquez said.

“It’s very surreal, very acceler-ating, it makes your adrenaline start pumping,” he said.

Rivera said it feels like hur-ricane winds, and the 120- to 140-mph winds could knock you over if don’t brace yourself. Vazquez added that having the helicopter hovering overhead can be intimidating. He said they need to have confidence in all the other soldiers around them to guarantee their safety, but it’s exciting nonetheless.

As the training wrapped up, the soldiers enjoyed a familiariza-tion ride on the Chinook; the team was all smiles. Vargas said that since they have been work-ing together, they have become a better team. He said they un-derstand each other and know exactly what each of them has to do to complete the mission.

U.S. Army Cpl. Luis Colomadera, a cargo specialist with the 390th Seaport Opera-tions Company (SPOC), signals that he and Spc. Benny Quinones, are ready to start the sling loading of a Humvee during joint-service SPOC 13-2 training exercise at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug 4, 2013. SPOC training integrates all aspects of Army transportation into seaport operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Marco Gutier-rez/Released)

A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 390th Seaport Operations Company (SPOC) signals the pilots of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to help guide the aircraft safely over cargo during a sling load opera-tion part of joint-service SPOC 13-2 training exercise at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 4, 2013. SPOC training integrates all aspects of Army transportation into seaport operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Marco Gutierrez/Released)


Military Order of the Purple Heart ConventionFort Buchanan, Puerto Rico- Mem-bers of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Puerto Rico chapter, gathered at the Buchanan’s com-munity club to celebrate their An-nual Convention, 1 June.

Among the distinguished visitors at the convention were Frederick A. Taylor Jr., Director of the Purple Heart Foundation, Agustin Monta-ñez, Puerto Rico’s Veterans Advo-cate and Brig. Gen. Fernando Fer-nandez, Commanding General of the 1st Mission Support Command, US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico.

Fernandez was also the keynote speaker during the event.

“The Military Order of the Purple Heart clearly supports the Chief of Staff of the Army’s strategic vision of preventing, shaping and winning. With your service, you prevent vet-erans, wounded warriors and their Families from not getting the atten-tion they deserve. You also shape the environment through your ser-vices and education initiatives with wounded warriors. Definitively your organization helps us win, by assisting veterans and their Fami-lies,” said Fernandez during his speech.

During the ceremony, two Purple Hearts Awards were presented to two Korean War veterans, 60 years after the cease fire was declared.

The first Purple Heart was presented posthumously to Sgt. Nieves Carrillo, a Fajardo native, who died in Korea Oct. 17, 1950. His son Roberto Carrillo received the award on behalf of his

father.

“I am speechless. I cannot describe with words how I feel today. We have been waiting for this moment many, many years,” said Roberto Carrillo, who was 7 years old when his father was killed in action.

Santos Huertas, a Ciales, PR native, received the second Purple Heart award during the convention.

“I feel very happy today,” said

Huertas, who served as a Staff Sgt. in Korea with Delta Company, 1st Bat-talion, 65th Infantry Regiment.

“Today we give thanks because at last he will be recognized,” said Aida Otero, Huertas’ wife for over 61 years. The Order has over 45,000 mem-bers, organized into six geographical regions, 49 State Departments, and 478 chapters.

Santos Huertas, a Ciales , PR native, was officially awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action in Korea, 60 years after the cease of fire was declared. (U.S. Army photo by MAJ Carlos M. Cuebas/Re-leased)


U.S. Army Sgt. Javier Quiñones victim advocate with the Headquarters and Head-quarters Company, 1st Mission Support Command, U.S. Army Reserve-Puerto Rico , briefs a group of troops during the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Preven-tion Program training at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, July 13, 2013. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Carlos Cuebas/Released)

ZERO TOLERANCE WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCEFort Buchanan, PR- The senior US Army officer in the Caribbean, at the federal level, Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernández, highlighted the efforts from his command to prevent sexual violence in the ranks of the mili-tary organization, as several units through the command are immersed in sexual harassment and sexual as-sault prevention training, July 13.

“Sexual harassment and sexual as-sault are inconsistent with Army Values and we will not tolerate it. At the national and local level, we are aggressively and proactively facing this situation, focusing in education and training to all our troops,” said Fernandez.

According to Fernandez, the internal US Army process dictates that once a sexual violence situa-tion is reported, the efforts of the command will focus on helping the victims and on initiating the proper investigation to hold people ac-countable.

“Through the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program and the Inter-vene, Act, and Motivate (I.A.M.) campaign, the US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico shows its serious com-mitment to prevent and eradicate the sexual offenses from our ranks,” added the Army Reserve officer, who commands thousands of troops throughout Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

However, the Army Reserve goes beyond educating the troops.

“In the US Army, we constantly evaluate the effectiveness of our measures through anonymous sur-

veys. In addition, we promote the open dialog and communication among Soldiers at all levels, to facilitate the prevention sexual assault, and sexual harassment,” added Fernandez.

Findings from the Department of De-fense FY12 Annual Report on Sexual Assault, the Department of Defense Workplace & Gender Relations Sur-veys, and the Center for Disease Con-trol and Prevention's national sexual violence survey, illustrate the gravity of the problem in the military, as well as in civilian society.

“Even when we have not received any reports of sexual violence cases that have happened in our command, I encourage all our troops to report any incident of sexual violence and to work hard to reduce the stigma of reporting,

if a case takes place in our command,” added Fernández.

The Army aggressively indoctrinates new recruits and first-term Soldiers by providing critical training within the first 14 days of Combat Training and supporting Soldiers who self-disclose a pre-service history. It also provides SHARP training in all institutional leadership courses for officers and noncommisioned officers, including Pre-Command Courses.

“My message is very clear to all the members of the command. We are committed with the safety and well- being of all the members of this orga-nization. Every reported case of sexual violence will be properly investigated in a professional way. Sexual violence has no room in this command,” stated firmly Fernández.

1st MSC Gazette Summer 201312

DLA and US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico’s Strategic Partnership

San Juan, PR- Navy Rear Adm. Pa-tricia Wolfe, Director of the Joint Re-serve Force at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), met at Fort Buchanan with Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernández, commander of the US Army Reserve 1st Mission Support Command, to formalize a strategic partnership by signing a Memorandum of Agree-ment between DLA and the largest US Army Reserve command of the Caribbean, Aug 3.

The agreement provides for the co-ordination and alignment of the 1st MSC resources in support to the full

spectrum of DLA’s military opera-tions worldwide, within the Unified Combatant Commands.

“Last year, as we were looking for volunteers, we touched base with the US Army Reserve in Puerto Rico and we have now developed a strategic partnership with them to support our DLA mission in Afghan-istan,” said Wolfe.

DLA sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America’s military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and

energy, to uniforms, medical sup-plies, and construction and barrier equipment.

“Everywhere there is a military presence, DLA provides support,’ said Wolfe.

In addition to the overall mission, the DLA disposition services team’s mission manages and tracks the reuse, transfer, donation, sale or disposal of excess property.

With this mission in mind, DLA is in charge of bringing back and demili-tarizing equipment as operations decrease in Afghanistan.

According to Wolfe, over the last decade the US military has moved thousands of pieces of equip-ment, containers and materials into Afghanistan and now most of it will not go back to the Continental United States.

“There is a lot of equipment that is now considered excess and it is important that we demilitarize it, so

Left: Navy Rear Adm. Patricia Wolfe, director of the Joint Re-serve Force at the Defense Logistics Agency and Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernandez, commander of the US Army Reserve 1st Mission Support Command, formalize a strategic partnership by signing a Memoran-dum of Agreement between their organizations, Aug 3.


it does not fall into the hands of the enemy,” added Wolfe.

The Navy officer also explained how DLA is making the job of our troops safer during the drawdown opera-tions.

“We have expanded our presence in Afghanistan from some core hubs for disposition sites to a number of locations in the surrounding coun-try side, where our Soldiers and Marines are located. This change keeps Soldiers off the road and keeps them safe,” said Wolfe.

The Rear Admiral explained that the expansion of the DLA locations across the Afghan country has created the need for more trained military personnel who can work with the units as they turn in their equipment.

This is where the Soldiers of the US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico are mak-ing the difference.

“The 1st MSC Soldiers’ volunteer-ism, willingness and enthusiasm to support the DLA mission is critical for us to be able to maintain the forward operations. I am so im-pressed with the Soldiers and the Sailors of Puerto Rico. The patrio-tism in this area of the country is great,” added Wolfe.

Currently there are approximately 50 Soldiers from the US Army Re-serve-Puerto Rico deployed in sup-port of the DLA mission in Afghani-stan. US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico officials estimate that the support to DLA from local troops will continue in the near future.

Above: Soldiers from the US Army Reserve-PR participate in the Expeditionary Disposal Team Training at Battle Creek, MI, as part of their support to DLA. Below: Navy Rear Adm. Patricia Wolfe, director of the Joint Reserve Force at the Defense Logistics Agency, answers questions during a short interview about her visit to Puerto Rico, Aug 3.

1st MSC Gazette Summer 201314

perfect location to teach diversity

Fort Buchanan, PR- Soldiers and civilians from different units in the Continental United States (CONUS) and Puerto Rico, gathered to attend an Equal Op-portunity Leaders Course at the 1st Mission Support Command (1st MSC), US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico headquarters, Fort Buchanan, PR, June 23-29.

The training was coordinated by the members of the 1st MSC Equal Opportunity (EO) team, Lt. Col. Javier Hernandez, Mr. Nestor Ramos and Sgt. 1st Class Maricela Barberi.

“The essence of the Equal Op-portunity (EO) program is to ensure every service member is treated with dignity and respect. During this course, we provide the tools that our troops and civilians can use to manage con-flicts at the lowest level of their units,” said Hernandez, who is the EO Program manager at the largest US Army Reserve Com-mand of the Caribbean.

“We are making history with this training, because it is the first time we open it to Soldiers and civilians from across the Army Reserve,” added Hernandez.

Angela D. Patterson was one of the visiting instructors, who came to Puerto Rico from the

Military Intelligence Readiness Command at Fort Belvoir, VA.

“This is an awesome integra-tion and collaboration effort with CONUS students, who come here to this environment and culture to be certified as EO leaders. It is also a challenge for some of the visit-ing instructors because some of the visual aids or clips that we bring from the States may not work here because the culture is different,” said Patterson referring to the His-panic culture of Puerto Ricans.

Capt. Angela Monday, a Mili-tary Intelligence Officer from the MIRC’s United States Central Command Detachment in San Antonio Texas, believes this is the perfect environment to conduct EO training.

“I am excited that we have the op-portunity to attend this course in Puerto Rico, because now I am in a class of extremely diverse people. It is a great learning environment because we have to practice the diversity here in the classroom,” said Monday.

Out of the 45 students attending the course, approximately 30 percent traveled from CONUS.

The course also had the collabora-tion from instructors traveling from the United States Army Reserve

Command, North Carolina, the 200th Military Police Command in Fort Meade ,Maryland and the 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, llinois, among others.

Some of the topics covered in the course included the roles of an equal opportunity leader, the so-cialization process, the values, at-titudes and behaviors, among many others subjects.

The training effectively implement-ed the small group technique, along with practical exercises to maxi-mize the learning experience.

The EO in the Armed Forces is very important as it relates directly to readiness.

According with Army Regula-tion 600-20, the EO Program formulates, directs, and sustains a comprehensive effort to maximize human potential and to ensure fair treatment for all persons based solely on merit, fitness, and capa-bility in support of readiness.


Fort Buchanan, PR- Maj. Gen. Glenn J. Lesniak, US Army Reserve Deputy Commanding General for Support, visited the Army Reserve troops in the island during his visit to Fort Buchanan, June 14-16.

During his time in the US territory, Lesniak participated in several signif-icant events, such as the 1st Mission Support Command Yearly Training Brief, the Army’s Birthday Run, the 2013 Army’s Birthday Ball, as well as having a meeting with the Army Reserve-Puerto Rico Ambassadors.

“It’s been a pleasure to be here in Puerto Rico. It is great to come back to this beautiful island and get a chance to meet more Puerto Rican Soldiers. I see that patch (Sentry Tower) at every exercise that I go to in the United States,” said Lesniak during an interview, referring to the singular 1st Mission Support Com-mand uniform patch, which depicts a Spaniard sentry tower.

The military leader also had the op-portunity to reflect about the future

of the Army Reserve-PR, which is the largest federal US Army command in the Caribbean.

“The future of the Army Reserve is bright. Our Soldiers and Families have done a tremendous job supporting our active component over these last 12 years of war. Moving forward, we are working to continue solidifying relation-ships with the combatant commands, so we have an opportunity to stay in-volved with Theater Security Coopera-tion (TSC) missions,” said Lesniak.

In accordance with the Secretary of Defense Guidance, TSC refers to those activities conducted with allies and friends, to build relationships that pro-mote specific U.S. interests, build allied and friendly capabilities for self-defense and coalition operations and provide U.S. forces with peacetime and contin-gency access.

According to Lesniak, the United States Army Reserve Command is actively pursuing the proper regional alignment of brigades with the combatant com-mands.

“One of the initiatives that we are taking is to stand up Army Reserve Engage-ment Cells on each of the combatant commands, consisting of anywhere from nine to fifteen Active Guard Reserve Soldiers. These troops will be actively involved in the future planning for exercises and for any TSC missions,” added Lesniak.

The USAR Deputy Commanding Gen-eral also stated that the Army Reserve is well suited to participate in TSC missions because it is an operational organization, with a solid Armed Forces Generation and progressive readiness model that allows having 28,000 troops available every year.

Lesniak also expressed his personal gratitude to the Families of the Army Reserve-Puerto Rico.

“My personal thanks from, both my wife Jane and me , to the Families at home for their support. We appreciate all that the Army Reserve Families have done on behalf of our mission here, dur-ing the last 12 years. The Families must know that they are valued and that we can’t be successful doing our job, with-out their total support,” said Lesniak.

The US Army Reserve officer also reflected over the readiness level of the Army Reserve-Puerto Rico troops.

“You do a very good job managing resources very well and you definitively provide a huge significant contribution to the success of the Army Reserve,” added Lesniak.

The Army Reserve-Puerto Rico current-ly has over 300 troops mobilized in sup-port of overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan and other countries.

Maj. Gen. Glenn J. Lesniak, US Army Reserve Deputy Commanding General for Support, in uniform, met with Ambassadors Luis Berrios-Amadeo, left, and Horacio Cabrera. (US Army photo by Spec. Jonathan Sierra/Released)

MG Lesniak Visits Puerto Rico

1st MSC GazetteSummer 201316US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico,an operational force in action

ON THE COVER: (From left) U.S. Army Cpl. Luis Colomadera, Spc. Benny Quinones, Sgt. Arnaldo Rosado and Cpl. Bryan Nieves, all cargo specialists with the 390th Seaport Operations Company (SPOC), secure each other while they move to a safe location after connecting a Humvee to a sling load on a CH-47 Chinook heli-copter during joint-service SPOC 13-2 training exercise at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 4, 2013. SPOC training integrates all aspects of Army transporta-tion into seaport operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Marco Gutierrez/Released)

Our troops in action

Documents

Live Helo Exercise