Deployed teams purchase supplies, services

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Joe Bela
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (AFPN) --  If you twist it, turn it, light it, drive it, read it, wear it, drink or eat it, chances are they got it for you. Two organizations in Kyrgyzstan have one mission -- to provide the goods and services people need to get the job done.

The men and women from two organizations -- the 376th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron and the 376th Expeditionary Comptroller Squadron -- enjoy a working relationship that gives them the latitude to accomplish their mission.

One makes sure the government gets the best buy for the money; the other makes sure the payments get made.

"We enjoy the contingency environment because we see the immediate impact of what we do, and it gives us a real sense of connection to the mission," said Capt. Rod Cameron, commander of the 376th ECONS.

"It's interesting to do business with companies that are new to capitalism," he said. "The markets in countries like the Kyrgyz Republic are early in their development. This presents a lot of challenges in terms of availability and price negotiation."

Operating from literally the opposite side of the world also comes with other unique challenges.

Because of the time difference and distance, "U.S. vendor sourcing is difficult," said Cameron. "What we can't obtain locally usually requires a longer (delivery) time, and it can be expensive to ship."

After the contractors negotiate a price, it is the comptrollers that make the payment. They dole out a fortune to make sure things stay running smoothly.

"It's one of the most important jobs on base because with no money there is no mission," said 1st Lt. Vernon Bryant, the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing comptroller. "We basically pay for everything that keeps this base operating."

"I'd say we deal with roughly $300,000 in goods and services on a weekly basis," said Master Sgt. James Roberts, base paying agent with the 376th ECPTS.

"We pay for the lease of the land we occupy here on Ganci, for the utilities like electricity and water, and for some of the food you'll find at the recreation centers and at the dining facility," he added.

Local purchases are handled by a joint team like Staff Sgts. Miguel Gonzalez, 376th ECPTS, and John Fife, 376th ECONS. Together with an interpreter, they comb nearby Bishkek, the country's capital, for the best buys.

"We'll talk about what we want, and we'll discuss the transaction and price," said Fife.

"Sometimes, the procurement process takes only a few days," said Gonzalez. "And, because we're such a small base, we all use the same facilities so we get to see the result of our work."

Staff Sgt. Sharon Frank, contracting representative for service-related purchases, agreed.

"The really great thing is that we're able to see what we've accomplished," she said. "You look around Ganci, and you can say, 'Wow, we (finance and contracting team) had a hand in making this happen.'"