Name: Huseyin Kara
Job title: Property Book Officer and Central Issue Facility Manager
Assigned: Logistics Readiness Center Italy, 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Location: Lerino Compound, Vicenza, Italy
Experience: I’ve been working at LRC Italy for more than six years, but this is my second time here. I did this same job at LRC Italy for more than seven years previously, departing in 2011. Between these two assignments I was at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, for over four years working for the Central Management Office as a regional representative supporting seven CIFs.
Other service: I served for 19 years in the Army as an active duty Soldier and supply specialist before deciding to take an early retirement option that the Army was offering at the time. I retired as a promotable Sergeant First Class.
Hometown: Vicenza, Italy
Family: I have a daughter, Emma, who just turned 20 years old.
Q: Can you explain what your duties are at LRC Italy?
A: I manage a team who is responsible for providing organizational clothing and individual equipment support to thousands of U.S. military forces South of the Alps. Our CIF is very unique. We’re probably the only CIF in the Army that in addition to supporting a few thousand Soldiers locally, here in Vicenza, we also support over 500 service members with remote operations. They are assigned to places like Turkey, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria and other counties – and much like Amazon does – we ship their equipment to them. These are U.S. embassy attachés and Soldiers assigned to Allied Forces South Battalion, U.S. Army NATO Brigade, for example. And our customers aren’t just Army, either. We support other services, as well. For example, we have inter-service agreements to support the Navy in Naples and Sigonella, Italy.
Q: Why is your mission at LRC Italy so important?
A: Besides everything I just mentioned, our main customer is the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which is actually located in three different places. And because of this, once again, our CIF operations are very unique. We will often go to them to issue equipment instead of them coming to us. And the 173rd Airborne Brigade, at any time, can be called upon to deploy in 48 hours or less. It’s our duty and responsibility to provide them with the equipment they need when they need it – sometimes with no notice. When you compare a 173rd Airborne Soldier and a Soldier assigned to garrison, both whom receive our CIF equipment, the equipment washout rate for the 173rd Airborne Soldier is about 1000 percent higher due to extreme wear and tear and higher than normal rates of equipment damage. When you’re supporting 3,000 combat Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade it’s the equivalent to supporting 10,000 non-combat Soldiers.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?
A: I’ve had opportunities to get promoted, but I love my job and what I do every day. I wouldn’t change it for a higher grade or higher pay or anything. When I worked at Aberdeen Proving Ground I was behind a computer all day and didn’t see any Soldiers. But here I interact with Soldiers every single day, every single hour. We provide them with good service and quality equipment, and I get a high level of satisfaction from that. I enjoy interacting with Soldiers face-to-face every day, and supporting them.
LRC Italy and 405th AFSB: LRC Italy is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management, and property book operations. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Italy directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Italy.
LRC Italy reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.