7th CSC Soldiers participate in Operation Harvest

Story and photo by Spc. Glenn M. Anderson
7th Civil Support Command, Public Affairs


MANNHEIM, Germany — Army Reserve Soldiers with the 7th Civil Support Command, along with Soldiers from U.S.-based Army Reserve units, participated in U.S. Army Europe’s Operation Harvest, the Army chief of staff’s campaign on property accountability, here June 25 to 26.

Operation Harvest is a phased action plan to synchronize the actions necessary to achieve and maintain property accountability, Feb. 1 to June 30.

“This is a great way for the Army to save money,” said Kabaka Teague, 7th CSC logistics analyst. Teague had operational oversight for 7th CSC’s Operation Harvest logistical support.

“Returning our excess inventory back into the Army system gives the Army a chance to redistribute to other units who don’t have this inventory, therefore saving the Army money by not having to purchase new inventory,” Teague added.
 
The USAREUR property accountability campaign has five phases. During Phase IV, the 7th CSC Soldiers operated as part of Task Force Harvest whose mission is to verify theater directed lateral transfers, disposition and turn-in operations.

“We are doing better than anticipated,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Arnold Olson, maintenance noncommissioned officer in charge, 7th CSC. “Initially, I had reservations because of the magnitude of this operation, but due to the quality of the Soldiers that are working here we have been able to persevere and achieve the goal that was handed to us.

“The Soldiers working for me here are doing an amazing job and I am extremely proud of what they have accomplished,” Olson continued.

The purpose of the mission is to account for 100 percent of all Army equipment assigned to the 7th CSC along with all underlying units.

“Based on what I have seen here, we are returning thousands upon thousands of dollars back into the Army system,” said Army Pfc. Taj Woods, 406th Human Resources Company mechanic, 7th CSC. “It makes me proud to be a part of saving the Army so much money.

“It did not seem like we would make the timeline in the beginning, but now we should be ahead of what the Army expects,” Woods continued.

“When we first arrived, we did not know what our mission was or what to expect, but we learned that we had to install over 100 communication radios in the 7th CSC Humvees,” said Army Spc. Jamie Summe, automated logistics specialist, 978th Quartermaster Co. “This mission showed how versatile we can be as we learned how to do something a little different than my normal job as supply.

“It started out slow at first, but we now can do up to 11 to 13 vehicles a day,” Summe added.

Equipment that is serviceable, in excess or bulk, will be returned to the Army’s inventory. Defective equipment will be disposed of properly or be refurbished and returned into the Army’s inventory.

“As restructuring takes place in the 7th CSC, and the U.S. Army, I was not surprised to see this amount of equipment being returned to the Army’s inventory,” Olson said. “As our mission is redefined, so are our equipment requirements.”