Atlas raises the world
2Lt. Agustín López
Marín
First published May 14, 2003
On May 8, personnel from the transport platoon belonging
to the German Service Support Company (SSC), located in Rajlovac
with members of the similar Italian unit from Tito Barracks,
performed the transportation of several Federation Army Armoured
Personal Carriers (APC). These vehicles were stored in Sarajevo.
They will be used as targets on the live firing range at Glamoc.
Sarajevo - The close co-operation of the German and Italian
Logistic Companies within the German Italian Battle Group
(GEIT BG) allowed to carry out this transportation of vehicles.
Capt. Thomas Decke is the deputy commander of the SSC. "As
a result of previous meetings and conversations during the
year 2002, the Federation Ministry of Defence decided to donate
20 surplus Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV). The arrangements
included agreement by SFOR to organise the transportation
of the vehicles from the various locations to the range of
Glamoc. To date, SFOR through the assistance of the different
Multinational Brigades have moved 17 of the 20 vehicles. The
last three will be moved today and will be used as targets
in Glamoc," stated Decke.
Dangerous actions
Staff Sgt. Martin Schmieg led the convoy. "We transport
three TAM 150 APCs from the 'Safet Zajko' barracks in Sarajevo.
We will use two German 'Elephant' trucks and one Italian ATC
81 truck. We carry to extremes the security measures with
the goal of avoiding accidents. With this type of mission
we improve our skills, every activity means different classes
of vehicles and difficulties. Today, one of the vehicles has
an excessive height, and we need to separate the tower form
the hull before placing the APC on the truck, " explained
Schmieg.
Sgts. Giacomo Piras and Raffaelle de Mattia are the drivers
of the Italian truck. "First, we reconnoitred the vehicles
to know their state and select the best way to carry them.
Then, we tightened the rigging for the trip by road,"
said Piras.
The recovery Liebherr-Field Crane Middle is led by Sgt. 1st
Class Oliver Schmalhoff. "This vehicle can raise vehicles
up to 20 tons. Today, due to the bad state of the APCs we
have some additional handicaps to deal with. The engine of
one of the APCs is broken, two of them have flat tyres and
without an align direction in the front wheels, and one is
without tracks. For this reason it is necessary, at the same
time that the winch of the truck drags the APC, with the crane
we lift the front part of the vehicle. Besides, if the process
is complicated; we directly, elevate all APC and place the
truck below it," added Schmalhoff.
"The mission of the SSC is to ensure the follow-on support
for German forces in BiH with all kinds of supplies as well
as in some special fields of logistic mission support, my
unit disposes of re-supply, transportation and maintenance
assets. Within the GEIT BG the Cupertino with our Italian
comrades proved to be very fruitful. There are still obstacles
to overcome, but in general, there is more than enough enthusiasm
to solve any problem," concluded Decke.
Related links:
Nations of SFOR: Italy,
Germany
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