599th helps 25th ID soldiers return from OIF, OEF.

Nearly a year ago the 599th Transportation Group assisted with the largest unit move of the 25th Infantry Division since the Vietnam conflict. Today, the Group is faced with an equal challenge of returning the Hawaii-based unit's equipment back to Schofield Barracks.

After months of supporting the Global War on Terrorism in Southwest Asia, the Soldiers of the 25th ID are eager to be home--and, the 599th is ready and willing to help.

"It has been a tremendous challenge and a great honor to assist with the return of the 25th Infantry Division equipment back to home station in Hawaii," said Mr. Edwin Ancheta, 599th Traffic Management Specialist.

"The task of reconstituting and coordinating the movement of vehicles and unit equipment disbursed throughout Iraq and Afghanistan took the cooperation and teamwork of the 599th, 595th Transportation Group Forward in Kuwait, the 840th Transportation Battalion in Iraq, the 831st Transportation Detachment in Afghanistan, the 831st Transportation Battalion in Bahrain, the 25th ID Division Transportation Operations, Unit Mobility Officers, Mobility Warrant Officers ... the efforts of all these proud professionals made it happen," added Air Force Lt. Col. James Hall, 599th Operations Chief.

What started out as a single load of 2,000 pieces of warfighting vehicles and containers aboard the Military Sealift Command vessel USNS Pililaau is now returning by "piece-shipment" aboard one of more than 20 military and commercial shipments.

"We cannot win the Global War on Terrorism without the tremendous support being provided by our commercial sealift partners," said Hall. "As we continue to sustain our forward-deployed forces, commercial vessels are moving a larger amount of cargo into Southwest Asia. Gray bottoms (organic & contracted military sealift vessels) are high demand/low density assets and there simply aren't enough to go around to meet the demands of this fight. Without the contributions from our industry partners, we simply couldn't get the things that are needed to the troops when they need to be there. Although this does not afford the luxury of having all the unit equipment arrive on a single vessel, the same ...