THE LOGISTICS SCOOP

Joe Telles - Logistics Section Chief

Happy 2012! Hopefully all of you received a logistic-related gift for the Holidays! The Logs gear inspectors are looking forward to seeing all of your new high tech lite gear during the 2012 gear inspections. An important objective for the Logs Section in 2012 is to continue the team gear inspection program. Currently 51% of CA-6 team members have completed the process, so we still have 49% of the team to get through the inspection process in 2012. For those of you that still need to complete the process, pack those new logistic gifts in your gear bags so you can pass your next inspection! For those of you who already have all of your items, remember to go through your gear bags and replace perishable items such as food, personal medications, batteries, soaps, etc.

Another important thing to do periodically with your gear is to take it out and repack it. The process of repacking your bag familiarizes you with your gear. Repacking is also good for certain items like sleeping bags. Sleeping bags shouldn’t be in their stuff bags continually: it compresses the loft, and causes the bag to lose some of its warmth capability along with becoming uncomfortable because of less cushioning. On non-deployment months take your sleeping bag out of its rolled shape or compression bag and fluff it up, and put it full-length somewhere before you re-pack it again for deployment months. Sleeping pads that are rolled also need to be extended periodically and then rerolled in the opposite direction. As you go through your gear think of how you will use it on deployment.

Over the past year, I have encouraged a systems-approach concerning our deployment gear. One equipment item that is not required on our gear list but most of us have anyway is a cellphone or smartphone. Your cellphone can be a useful item prior and during deployment. You should have important DMAT phone numbers pre-programmed or listed in your phone such as our team phone numbers, administrative officer, team fax number, and your section leader. With smartphones the options are even more numerous, including compass, mapping, gps, translation, weather forecasts, news updates, medical protocols, camera, calculator, and as a journal. A phone can obviously be a useful item on deployment but can also cause a few problems, including inappropriate use and the logistics of keeping it charged. Another thing to think about is the possibility of your phone being damaged on deployment, especially when deployed in an austere environment. Our Communication Officer has written about iPhones in the article below, Apps for Deployment.

Looking back at 2011, the Logistics Section ended with a very busy December, completing all of its goals for the year. December began with a successful team holiday party, put together by the Logs and Plans Sections. The next weekend after the party the Logs Section continued its busy December by hosting a forklift training session attended by 14 team members. The all-day session was taught by Dave Lipin and Hunter at our old training facility located in Santa Clara. The class required the students to move numerous pallets loaded with 55-gallon trash cans, filled with water, around a coned obstacle course. Throughout the day only a couple of drops water spilled and hit the floor, needless to say all 14 students passed the class!

The Logs Section’s first scheduled Logs training day for 2012 will be March 24 in San Francisco to setup the Western Shelter tents, including the electrical and water systems. Time and exact location still to be determined. Other Logs training days for 2012 will include fitness, convoy driving, and electrical systems. The remaining Logs Section meetings are scheduled Apr 18, Jul 18, and Oct 17. The meetings will start at 1830 hrs and will be at The Englander, 101 Parrott St. in San Leandro.