Five Maryland Army Guard water specialists integral to deployment success in Southwest Asia

By Sgt. Allen Griffith and 1st Lt. Dylan Bradford

SOUTHWEST ASIA – Five Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers were recently recognized for their contributions to water production and distribution missions during a recent deployment in the Middle East supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

The 729th Quartermaster Composite Supply Company Soldiers were attached to the 252nd Quartermaster Company of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in Kuwait under Operation Spartan Shield but operated independently at two austere forward operating bases.

The assignment placed the Maryland servicemembers in a joint task force composed of National Guard Soldiers from Ohio, New York, and Puerto Rico. Their mission focused on repairing critical water purification infrastructure and supplying potable water to coalition forces including 140 U.S. Soldiers and in-country partners.

“Upon arrival, we discovered many critical components of their water purification system were either missing or damaged,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Tanea Westmoreland, who led the small Maryland team. “We were informed the site had not been fully sustainable since 2014.”

The team faced several challenges, including sandstorms, extreme temperatures, drone attacks, political tensions with the local population, and difficult living conditions. Due to the remoteness of the location, supplies had to be routinely airdropped to sustain the mission.

The Maryland Soldiers were also required to regularly travel outside the wire in hostile territory to deliver critical water supplies by towing 8,000-gallon water containers known as “HIPPOs.” At one point during the deployment, violent protests forced the team to evacuate and temporarily pause operations.

Despite these obstacles, the Maryland team repaired the water purification equipment and water site and increased sustainable water storage capacity from 600 gallons to approximately 80,000 gallons within 10 days of their arrival.

Through combined efforts with their National Guard counterparts, the team produced more than 600,000 gallons of water and distributed over 300,000 gallons to local coalition forces during the entirety of the deployment.

As a group the five Maryland Soldiers were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Gold Spurs for serving with a Cavalry unit in combat, and numerous coins for their actions during this operation. The awardees include Westmoreland, Sgt. Janae Dorman, Spc. Ronald Maddox, Spc. Drakkar Creighton, and Spc. Jordan Miles. Dorman, Creighton, and Miles were each awarded Combat Action Badges.

“We are very grateful for the leadership and support contributed by the New York, Puerto Rico, and Ohio National Guard units, without them this operation would not have been possible,” said Westmoreland. “I am proud of what we accomplished as a Maryland team and thankful we returned home with everyone we left with.”