Maintenance company set to deploy to Kuwait

by Air Force Staff Sgt. William Banton
JBER Public Affairs

2/13/2015 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The 98th Maintenance Company, scheduled to deploy to Kuwait for maintenance support operations soon, honored its Soldiers in a deployment ceremony at Buckner Physical Fitness Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Feb. 6.

"This unit has been called by our nation to deploy, and I report they are trained and ready to answer that call," said Army Lt. Col. Kirk Boston, commander of the 532nd Engineer Battalion (Provisional), the company's parent battalion. "The past 60 days have been a blizzard of activity. This unit, on very short notice, has prepared for the mission in Kuwait."

The 98th MC has been preparing since October to deploy for nine months to a year providing maintenance in the Central Command area of operations.

"This time, it was a little different but we train [to deploy] regardless of a deployment," said Army Capt. Andrew Rainey, 98th MC commander.  "Normally we would be on a cycle. In the past, with more frequent deployments, we would come in and have at least a year to prepare."

Ground support equipment platoon leader Army 1st Lt. Kristen Bell, 98th MC, said she agreed and added the short time to prepare hasn't prevented them from maintaining readiness.

"We're making sure they are ready in that aspect and prepared for what's lying ahead, that we know of," Bell said. "We've done a lot of training - counter-improvised explosive device and cultural awareness; all kinds of different training courses to make sure everyone is ready and that there are no doubts."

Bell also said the company has many younger Soldiers who are skilled at their jobs supporting U.S. Army Alaska, and leadership is setting them up to succeed in a contingency environment.

"It's kind of hectic with our family life and trying to get everyone trained up and our gear packed up," said Army Staff Sgt. Ahmad Jimmerson, electronic maintenance platoon sergeant.  "This is my eighth deployment, so I'm kind of used to it, but for my younger guys this is very stressful; they don't know what to expect on short notice."

Bell said the Soldiers' families are supported by the unit's family readiness group during deployments.

"They maintain a full contact roster of everybody's spouses and next of kin, so if there was an emergency, or one of the spouses needs help around the house, we have people who can reach out and lend a hand," Bell said.

"This is my first time stationed overseas and the support system here is awesome," Jimmerson said. "In terms of family readiness, this is probably one of the best places I've ever been."