42 Engineer January–April 2014
W
hile providing sanctuary for military forces and
civilians, forward operating bases (FOBs) are one
of the most recognizable products from the wars
of Afghanistan and Iraq. For more than a decade, FOBs
hosted multiple rotations of military and civilian organiza-
tions, collecting legacy materiel along the way. In providing
a safe haven for reft and regroup, FOBs have little incentive
to reduce excess when the focus is on warfghting. Reduc-
ing excess is an afterthought; and FOBs tend to grow, not
shrink, over the years. Further accelerating the growth in
FOBs are special projects that come to the combat theater,
serve their purpose, and then never completely leave. Such
was the case with FOB Salerno
in the Khost Province of Afghani-
stan in April 2013. More than
10 years of war had left the FOB
bloated with stuff, often with no
current, accountable tenant.
As the executive officer of
the 4th Brigade Special Troops
Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat
Team (Currahee), 101st Airborne
Division, I experienced the unique
challenge of closing a modern mili-
tary base while forward-deployed
in hostile territory. Located
approximately 20 kilometers from
the Pakistan border, the battalion
oversaw an operational environ-
ment with the mission of defending
FOB Salerno, previously known
as Rocket City, while simultane-
ously preparing it for closure.
These missions alone were chal-
lenging enough, but the battalion
also executed the traditional mis-
sion set of a brigade special troops
Soldiers from the 864th Engineer Battalion provide demolition and deconstruction
services at FOB Salerno.
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