Sustaining Victory
The 43rd Sustainment Brigade deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 10-11 from March 8, 2010 to March 6, 2011. The 43rd Sustainment Brigade was the first sustainment brigade to deploy to Southern Afghanistan as part of the President's uplift of forces decision. The brigade consisted of six battalions throughout its deployment; 43rd Special Troops Battalion (Ft Carson, Colorado), 158th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Arizona National Guard) - later replaced by the 1225th Combat Sustainment Battalion (Michigan National Guard), 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Ft Carson, Colorado) - later replaced by the 129th CSSB (Ft Campbell, Kentucky), and 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Virginia National Guard). The brigade's mission involved the provision of sustainment support to all U.S. Forces in Regional Commands South, Southwest, and West under Title X Authority and to coalition forces within the scope of national agreements. Throughout this deployment, the 43rd Sustainment Brigade supported 175 named operations, 73,000 service members and civilians, and 458 different Forward Operating Bases (FOB). It oversaw the acquisition and distribution of more than 906 million pounds of supplies, 195 million gallons of fuel, 386 million pounds of food and water, 325 million pounds of general cargo, including 14 million pounds of inbound and outbound mail. The 43rd Sustainment Brigade also supported the aerial delivery of more than 25 million pounds of container delivery system bundles. Finally, the brigade partnered with Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) across the three southern regions of Afghanistan forging relationships and providing critical logistics training to enable ANSF to self-sustain.
By: Larry Selman
