Spc. Vincent Rivera (left), Sgt. Derrick Johnson and Staff Sgt. Eric Patterson (right), all of the 597th Quartermaster Company prepare shipping containers to redeploy to Puerto Rico after nearly a year of constantly changing missions. Taken On: 03/31/2006 Photographer: Sgt. Jason Mikworth Photo courtesy US Army.

Soldiers first, all other duties second:
Spc. Jose Perez, a laundry specialist with the 597th, said a group from the unit’s 2nd Platoon was re-tasked from normal SLCR team operations to operating gun truck security for the 57th Transportation Company before entering Iraq.

Perez described another incident when the Marines encountered an IED and called for assistance.

Keep that in mind as you read the rest.

Shower, Laundry Unit Cleans Up Soldiers, Marines Written by Sgt. Jason Mikeworth, 207th MPAD

CAMP AL TAQQADUM, Iraq - The 597th Quartermaster Company contributes to the health, safety and morale of Soldiers and Marines with their services across western Iraq.

An Army Reserve unit from Puerto Rico, the 597th helps to provide showers and laundry services for servicemembers at Camps Fallujah, Habbinyah, Al Taqqadum and Corregidor. They also provide clothing repair services to Soldiers and Marines to keep uniforms in serviceable condition.

The accomplishment of the shower, laundry and clothing repair (SLCR) mission is only part of what the unit has been assigned.

Spc. Jose Perez, a laundry specialist with the 597th, said a group from the unit’s 2nd Platoon was re-tasked from normal SLCR team operations to operating gun truck security for the 57th Transportation Company before entering Iraq.

“We were at Camp Al Asad for about six months providing gun truck security,” Perez said. “Some of our runs were about 12 hours long.”

Perez said he still remembers the first time he encountered an improvised explosive device.

“The first scary moment was when we were driving under a bridge that was under construction,” said Perez. “An IED hit the last truck and wounded the gunner.”

Perez described another incident when the Marines encountered an IED and called for assistance.

“We were running to make a small quick reaction force,” Perez said. “The ambulance was driving faster than the other trucks when an IED went off. The driver was wounded, and Sergeant Jameson was killed.”

The Combat Medic Training Center at Logistical Support Area Anaconda is named in honor of Sgt. 1st Class Tricia L. Jameson.

“It was a horrible day,” Perez said.

After driving more than 30,000 miles in six months, the Soldiers of the 597th traded in their gun trucks and resumed their roles on SLCR teams.

“Fallujah is the bigger mission,” said Perez. “They get about 1,200 bundles of laundry a day, and they complete it in less than 24 hours. Sometimes the people there are working up to 14 or 16 hours a day.”

He said he has mixed emotions about his experiences in Iraq.

“Our experience over here has been good and bad,” said Perez. “It’s a good experience that you don’t want to live again.”

Sgt. Ramon Roldan, a team leader with 2nd Platoon, said the Soldiers adapted quickly to their new mission.

“We were at Al Asad doing convoy escort missions from there to the Jordanian border and back,” Roldan said. “That was our first mission. After a few months, we started doing cordon and search missions too.”

Although performing gun truck missions isn’t what he expected to do in Iraq, Roldan said the 597th didn’t shy away from the assignment.

“I just thought, ‘Ok, that’s going to be our mission, so let’s do what we have to do,’” said Roldan. “We’re Soldiers before anything else.”

Roldan said the hardest part of the mission was looking out for IEDs and keeping the traffic under control, but teamwork made the mission easier.

“My Soldiers did a very good job. The gunners were always alert and the drivers paid attention to detail, especially when we were running the ‘rat patrol’ position as the scout vehicle,” said Roldan.

Roldan said transitioning from laundry services to operating gun trucks wasn’t difficult. He noted the unit’s normal wartime mission would keep them close to the front.

“The purpose of laundry units is to go to the front lines and give direct support to the infantry coming in and out of their missions,” Roldan said. “We are one of the first ones called when any conflict starts.”

Master Sgt. Omar Rivera, the platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, said the mission change wasn’t shocking.

“We were getting ready to drive in from Kuwait, but once we heard we were going to do the gun truck mission we had to focus a little more,” Rivera said. “We had to adjust ourselves to be outside of the wire most of the time.”

Rivera admits he was concerned at first, but said his Soldiers performed well.

“I was a little worried at first, to tell you the truth, but once we started focusing on the mission things began to flow easier,” Rivera said. “The 57th commander loved our guys. They never missed a mission. It was a tough run, a tough mission. I truly believe that they did outstanding.”

After the gun truck mission was completed, Rivera’s Soldiers returned to Al Taqqadum and were reassigned to SLCR teams supporting 5 different camps.

“During that time, we had Habbinyah, Fallujah, Corregidor, Dogwood, and Iskandariyah,” said Rivera. “During that mission, they performed above standards. Our doctrine says we have to return clothes within 48 to 72 hours. We have been able to do that in 24.”

Rivera said he is proud of the SLCR mission.

“It’s providing morale for the Soldiers,” Rivera said. “You need to have clean clothes and showers to operate better.”

Roldan offered advice for any Soldiers preparing to deploy who think their mission is already set in place.

“They have to be here to understand the mission, and see for themselves that they won’t always do their MOS,” Roldan said.

“They need to be ready for anything, no matter what their MOS is.” [emphasis mine - the armorer.]

Indeed.