Major Bill Galinger, Ordnance Corps, deployed from Fort Carson, Colorado, with 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group to support Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). As the Service Detachment commander, Galinger worked feverishly to plan and support strategic movement from notification in November 2003 until their launch in January 2004. 3rd Battalion had returned from OIF I the previous summer. In the period between that return and notification for the 2004 deployment, the battalion recovered equipment readiness then involved itself in returning all of its airborne-qualified soldiers to active jump status. The Service Detachment provides all manner of organic logistics support to the battalion, and as detachment commander, Galinger (then a captain) was the de facto strategic movements officer responsible for coordination and planning for the battalion's movement overseas. With the assistance of the Peterson Air Force Base Arrival and Departure Airfield Control Group, Service Detachment helped deploy the battalion at the turn of New Year's 2004. Air flow into theater proved problematic with some sorties diverted to Qatar - including Galinger's - delaying arrival into Iraq by days. These lost elements then flew directly into LSA Diamondback in Mosul, Iraq, which would be the base of operations for the Service Detachment for the six months of their rotation. Support operations consisted of pushing required resupply materials out via ground convoys to 3rd Battalion elements in the area of operations. Three convoy teams rotated the duty as necessary. The LSA received harassing rocket and mortar fire almost daily. Other support duties put Galinger and his detachment in contact with Albanian Army elements for local-area patrols. Dealings with Iraqi elements seemed to reflect their involvement for money or loyalty to mission accomplishment in concert with coalition forces. Accomplishing support missions also meant dealing with contractors like Halliburton and KBR as well as engineers from both the Army and Navy. Flexibility was a critical element in supporting operations in northern Iraq. More strategic lift - C5s and C17s - would have greatly assisted movement in Galinger's opinion. Redeployment presented no unusual challenges as elements of the 5th Special Forces replaced the 10th's contingent in June 2004.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited