An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Aug. 8, 2012

Afghanistan: Georgia Guard members logistically running the Kabul Base Cluster behind the scenes

By Master Sgt. Janet J. Hill U.S. Army

KABUL, Afghanistan - Georgia National Guard members of the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, "Task Force Hydra," are in the trenches of the logistics world and have been running the cluster here, making the war fighter a better, more organized fighter.

Focused in the areas of resource management, human resources, public works, emergency services, information management, plans, training and mobilization and logistics for each of its eight camps within the Kabul Base Cluster, the Guard members ensure the smooth running operations behind the scenes.

Camp Black Horse is one TF Hydra Camp Support Group run under the leadership of TF Commander, Army Col. Andy Hall, which consists of seven Soldiers who are trained in multiple positions to rotate the many duties involved in running a camp with a small group.

As a coalition support base, Camp Black Horse serves over 300 Canadian Forces along U.S. Airmen and Marines with various Coalition Forces such as Croatians, French, Jordanian and Portuguese and provides mentorship to the Afghan National Army, as well as the Canadian Quick Reactionary Force.

The purpose of the CSG on Camp Black Horse is to make sure that meals are available in the dining facility, which on any given day serves around twenty one hundred people. They also oversee camp security which is manned by contract security personnel.

"Basically what we do is make sure that the camp functions. We make sure that we provide what you need to do your job," said Army Lt. Col. Kevin T. Daniels, the officer in charge of Camp Blackhorse.

"You can get up in the morning and have hot water, and lights. You have a meal in the [dining facility] and you can go out the gate, and when you come back in there is a hot lunch waiting on you, and in the evening time, we have a [morale, welfare, and recreation] set up for you.

"We have new pool tables, ping pong tables, movies, [videos games], everything we thought you needed just to get away from the everyday Monday dealings with the [Afghan National Army]," he said.

The daily operations consist of billeting, movement in and out of the camp, construction and helping the different coalition forces with identification badge issuing, medical, personnel accountability, and fuel.

"My biggest goal was to make sure everyone here understood that we are customer service because that is what [Base Operating Support-Integrator)] does," Daniels said. "We are out talking to guys saying ‘hey what's going on, what's this'."

Outside of its daily camp obligations the camp leadership participates in the Commanders Emergency Response Program which they have used to build schools and an over-bridge in the surrounding community so that local students will be safe when they have to cross the highway.

They are also responsible for providing support the interpreter village which is located out in the ANA area and has 123 interpreters.

"The footprint we are leaving here is everything we have done here inside Camp Blackhorse, which is about 16 different projects, and what we have done to modernize interpreter village and bring it on line," Daniels said.

Army Sgt. Ronneil A. Brown, the camps transportation noncommissioned officer, volunteered to be on the fire brigade and is the Deputy Chief. Brown had experience outside the military as a fire fighter.

"I love it, it's exciting. We were able to build the fire brigade from the ground up," Brown said.

"The fire department is one of our biggest successes out of our volunteer piece. We have the largest fire dept in this region. It's a combination of U.S., coalition, and contractors," Daniels said. "Those guys really took ownership. It's amazing to see all those different people come together for one common cause."

When it comes to making sure the camp is run properly and that everyone is take care of, the CSG goes beyond what is expected of them, "Something's we do because it's the right thing to do," he said.

 

 

Related Articles
Lt. Col. Gayle Ryan, a general surgeon with the Delaware Army National Guard, is currently assigned to the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as the Medical Director for KFOR Regional Command-East. She leads the charge to ensure troops stay healthy, mission-ready, and medically prepared for anything—even while deployed.
Delaware National Guard Surgeon Leads Multinational Medical Operations in Kosovo
By Sgt. Laura Bradley, | Aug. 19, 2025
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Delaware Army National Guard’s general surgeon Lt. Col. Gayle Ryan is at the heart of Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East, or KFOR RC-E, medical operations, overseeing medical readiness initiatives...

A UH-60 Black Hawk picks up water from a pond near the Rancho Fire about 30 miles north of Reno on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. Nevada Army National Guard aviators activated 22 Soldiers on Aug. 3 operating one CH-47 Chinook and one UH-60 Black Hawk from the Army Aviation Support Facility at Stead to support the Nevada Division of Forestry in Elko County. Days after coming off orders for that fire, Army aviators were called for the Rancho Fire. Orders ended this weekend after the fire's forward progression was halted.
Nevada National Guard Aerial Firefighters Mark Busy August
By Capt. Emerson Marcus, | Aug. 19, 2025
RENO, Nev. – Nevada National Guard aerial firefighting efforts have intensified this month as temperatures rise.Nevada Army National Guard aviators activated 22 Soldiers on Aug. 3, operating one CH-47 Chinook and one UH-60...

Staff Sgt. Austin Duck, a team lead in the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight, leads his team during a training exercise at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind., July 26, 2025. Duck was recently awarded the 2024 EOD Master Blaster award in the non-commissioned officer Category. (U.S. Air national Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Angelee Barnett)
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialists from Kentucky Air Guard Recognized for Excellence
By Airman 1st Class Angelee Barnett, | Aug. 18, 2025
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Three Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or EOD, Flight have been recognized for excellence by the National Guard Bureau.Staff Sgt. Austin Duck was named EOD...