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JBSA News
NEWS | Sept. 6, 2019

410th Contracting Support Brigade returns home from Afghanistan deployment

By Daniel P. Elkins Mission and Installation Contracting Command Public Affairs Office

Leaders from the 410th Contracting Support Brigade uncased their organization colors during a ceremony Sept. 5 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, signaling the end of their nine-month deployment to Afghanistan.

Col. Robert McDonald and Command Sgt. Maj. Sol Nevarezberrios uncased the brigade colors in a ceremony officiated by Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler, commanding general for the Mission and Installation Contracting Command.

The ceremony marked the third uncasing of colors for the unit since its activation in 2007. McDonald said the ceremony proudly attests to the dedication, courage and sacrifice of the brigade’s Soldiers.

“These colors and the Soldiers of the 410th Contracting Support Brigade embarked on a historic journey; a journey that added another chapter to the long and proud legacy of those who’ve gone before us, a journey in which we did our part to help ensure the freedom for the Afghan people and that the country of Afghanistan will never again be used as a training ground to plan and coordinate attacks against our homeland,” McDonald said.

Members of the brigade deployed in December 2018 to serve as the command and control element of Army Contracting Command-Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. This included oversight of a workforce of approximately 300 military, civilian employees and contracting officer representatives located at more than 20 locations.

While deployed, the brigade’s contracting efforts included the management of fuel delivery contracts for the entire Afghan National Defense and Security Forces that included several hundred sites and supported more than 19,000 air sorties through August 2019. It also hosted a two-day outreach event with fuel vendors to improve performance and quality as well as sustained combat vehicle operational readiness through management of the Army’s Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise contract.

The 410th CSB also assisted in Logistics Civil Augmentation Program optimization efforts and provided oversight and management of 27 delegated contracts from ACC centers valued at $19.4 billion.

“That is a large amount of money, but more importantly it is a staggering amount of capability added to the battlefield,” McDonald added.

Beeler commended the 410th CSB contributions to the warfighter and praised those remaining behind as part of the brigade’s rear detachment who continued to support the mission without fail. She said the collective team led by Lt. Col. Armando Corral, Master Sgt. Sherine Brooks and Manny Saenz continued to deliver effective results for Army South and the U.S. Southern Command.

“Due to your unequivocal professionalism, you were able to manage expectations, shape organizational energy, and seamlessly absorb the increased workload across the workforce,” Beeler said. “Your diligent efforts afforded our deployed staff to focus on providing premier contracting support in a very dynamic environment and validate the brigade’s mission essential task to conduct split operations, home and abroad.”

Beeler also expressed a great deal of gratitude to the family members who remained resilient and strong allowing their deployed Soldiers to focus on the mission.

“We know it wasn’t easy – wives, husbands, children, family, friends and loved ones spent major holidays apart from their loved ones; birthdays and anniversaries were celebrated thousands of miles apart,” she said. “So to the families of our deployed Soldiers, thank you very much for your sacrifice, your strength and the love you’ve shown supporting your deployed Soldier.”

The 410th CSB is responsible for planning and executing contingency contracting support for Army South in support of Army and joint operations throughout the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. It is a subordinate command to the Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.