Contributed
Bottom row left to right: Staff Sgt Davenport, Spc Sexson, Sgt Cravens, CW3 Gregory, Spc Whitlow. Second row left to right: Spc Cutshall, Spc Mefford. Third row left to right: Sgt Hartman, Sgt Lee. Top row: Spc Honeycutt.GREETINGS FROM IRAQ
Deployment of 730th quartermaster company brings war close to home
April 23, 2008
Whatever your opinion of the Iraq War, one thing cannot be denied, numerous American families have been adversely affected because their loved ones have left the comforts of home for the deserts of the Middle East.
The deployment of the 730th quartermaster company to Iraq last summer has brought the war close to home for the families of the 730th. The company arrived in Kuwait on August 18, 2007 and has been in Iraq since August 28.
The Beacon has been in touch with Daniel Honeycutt, an Erwin native and a member of the first platoon maintenance section of the 730th quartermaster company. Honeycutt said via e-mail that his platoon is currently stationed in Iraq’s Al Asad province.
The first platoon is a part of four platoons that make up the 730th quartermaster company from Gray with a detachment in Erwin.
“Our platoon has soldiers that have been deployed in Iraq before, including the initial push to Baghdad in 2003. The platoon consists of soldiers from several different combat eras, Vietnam, Somalia, Desert Storm” Honeycutt said. “Most of this section also helped in relief after Hurricane Katrina.”
Being in the maintenance section, the mission of Honeycutt’s platoon has been focused at the Al Asad air base. “If something breaks at one of the other camps and they don’t have the capabilities to fix it, they send it to us,” Honeycutt said. The majority of the first platoon is part of the maintenance section, but there are also members of the platoon who work in supply.
Honeycutt said that on March 30, 2008 a sandstorm hit the air base. “Although not as big as some sandstorms, this one brought complete darkness a couple hours early and was followed by a thunderstorm,” Honeycutt described.
Even more surprising than the sandstorm was the “light dusting” of snow that fell recently. “I never found out how long it’s been since it snowed here, but the old timers don’t remember ever seeing snow.”
While life in Iraq is definitely not as comfortable as life back home, Honeycutt said that his platoon has been very lucky. “We have internet here, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and easy access to gyms.”
Despite these comforts, Honeycutt and all the members of his platoon are ready to return home. No specific date has been set for their return, but Honeycutt believes it will be sometime during the summer, possibly June.
“We are part of an all volunteer military and we go where we are needed, when needed and serve proudly,” Honeycutt commented. “I think that most of us would agree that the time we spend away from our families is the hardest part of the whole thing. We love them and miss them, it won’t be long now.”
Whenever they return, it’s safe to say that they will be welcomed home with open arms.
