AMC DCG takes dive into Fort Cavazos initiatives

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - Lt. Gen. Christopher O. Mohan, deputy commanding general and acting commander of U.S. Army Materiel Command, visited Fort Cavazos Sept. 17, observing the programs and innovations the installation had to offer.

Cavazos Connector

Mohan began the morning with a briefing on current operations at 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command, along with a briefing on the Cavazos Connector.

Currently, the transportation service has averages of over 600 riders a day. In total, the Connector has transported over 125,000 riders and is currently on track to have over 240,000 in its first year of operating.

"The Cavazos Connector is one of many quality-of-life initiatives we've (AMC) implemented at Fort Cavazos and provides Soldiers with ease of access and timely transportation connections to and from work, or to the DFAC (Dining facility), the Exchange and other areas on post," Mohan said. "It helps alleviate any burden and stress Soldiers might feel with getting to, from and around the installation and allows them to focus more on readiness."

Pfc. Darreon Brooks, security manager, 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, said he uses the Connector once or twice a week and enjoys its efficiency.

"For the most part, it's pretty fast," he said. "If it's busy during the day, it's not taking an hour to get to where I need to be. It's about 15 minutes, and I'm where I need to be."

"I haven't personally called, but the app that I use for it, it's pretty simple," Brooks continued. "It's about the equivalent of just calling an Uber. You plug in where you want to go, where you want it to pick you up, (and) it'll tell you when it will be there, and it's pretty on time."

Phantom Centralized HUB

After the briefings, Mohan received a tour of the Phantom Centralized HUB located in the Ironhorse Dining Facility. It opened this past summer and is an alternative dining facility for on-the-go meals, featuring Phantom Fresh, Culinary Outpost Food Trucks, an installation meal preparation service, remote site feeding and the Culinary Arts Readiness Center.

Chontrelle Sturdivant, installation food program manager and culinary specialist working at the hub, explained to Mohan the different aspects of the dining facility, including the menu, how to order through the meal prep service, training and a demonstration of packaging a power plate.

"We are taking an in-depth look across the Army at how we currently feed our Soldiers and how we can modernize and revolutionize the Army Food Program to improve not just the quality, but also access to a variety of nutritious food options," Mohan said. "From grab-and-go kiosks to upgrading DFACs and offering localized cuisine, our goal is to meet Soldiers where they're at and provide them with convenient, healthy, accessible and affordable food options.

Spc. Kevin Rudd, culinary specialist, 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade, said he's been "faithfully" using the meal prep service and is probably its biggest fan.

"I get results from cutting down weight for weight loss," he said. "I really enjoy it because when I meal prep, sometimes, it's probably over … but the meal prep service helps me to set up and implement the starches and the vegetables and all the protein that I need."

Rudd explained there's variety with multiple protein, vegetables, starch and dessert options, along with the ability to mix and match the four. There is also a plethora of sauces to choose from.

"It's very tasty; it's very flavorful," he added.

R2E

Mohan also visited the rapid repair excess, or R2E, site, also known as the Call Forward Area, to see how the R2E program was being implemented. The program was created by AMC and U.S. Army Forces Command after Gen. Randy A. George, chief of staff of the Army, charged the two commands to help relieve Soldiers of the burden of managing excess equipment they were unable to turn in previously.

The program allows units to receive immediate property accountability relief by turning in equipment as-is, thus enabling them to focus more on new fielding. At the R2E sites, Soldiers inspect and check equipment being turned in. After, units will take the equipment to the modernization displacement and repair site to officially turn in
the equipment.

"After only one year of R2E, we've seen hundreds of thousands of pieces of equipment removed from the property books of our units across the Army," Mohan said. "This makes room for units to receive modernized equipment and means Soldiers can now spend more time training and focusing on improving readiness instead of doing maintenance and inventory of obsolete or excess equipment that they no longer need. We're also seeing good equipment, like tactical vehicles, being turned in and capable of being transferred to other active units or the National Guard or Reserve, which saves the Army time and money while enhancing overall readiness."

The Call Forward Area has processed roughly 380 proposed sourcing decisions and 2,611 pieces of equipment turned into MDRS and the Defense Logistics Agency since the implementation of R2E at Fort Cavazos.

Following the visit to the R2E site, Mohan ended his day visiting the Rail Operations Center, receiving an update on its current procedures.

Mohan recognized several Soldiers and civilians throughout the day for their contributions to The Great Place and its quality-of-life initiative, presenting them with coins and thanking them for the work they do for the Army. AMC plans to use the efforts the installation spearheaded to drive progress Army-wide.

"Phantom Fresh and the Cavazos Connector have been exciting pilots to address specific quality-of-life concerns at Fort Cavazos, and we will use feedback and lessons learned to better understand and serve Soldiers at other Army installations globally," Mohan said. "The Centralized Food Hub is one of many pilot initiatives we are testing across the Army to improve quality and access to food for our Soldiers, and I look forward to finding out what our service members think of it. We want Soldiers to provide their honest feedback to their units about how these opportunities can positively impact their lives, and what more we can do to help."

To schedule a ride on the Cavazos Connector, download The HOP app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, or call 254-933-3700. For more information, visit www.takethehop.com.

For more information on the Phantom Centralized HUB and its menus, visit home.army.mil/cavazos/my-fort/all-services/dining-facilities/phantom-centralized-hub.

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