CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait –
Most U.S Army units deployed overseas find ways to celebrate Veterans Day with ideas that revolve around a fun-run or a big ceremony. For the Soldiers and contractors working at the Theater Intelligence Platform - Central on Camp Arifjan, this Veterans Day was a little different.
TIP-C's Soldiers and contractors spent their Veterans Day improving their work environment by cleaning up excess materials and scrap metals, and celebrated the end of their day of hard work with a cookout to show their appreciation for the veterans within their organization.
“It was a good way to get everyone to come together, then clean up and eat good food,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Vashti Torres, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the U.S. Army Central G2 (Intelligence) forward office.
TIP-C's mission is to extend the intelligence enterprise in the Central Command area of responsibility, integrating Army intelligence and partner capabilities and capacity; and evolves theater intelligence through planning and conducting intelligence operations.
Due to TIP-C's broad mission and long history working in the CENTCOM AOR, the unit has gathered a large assortment of equipment and materials in their workplace. The unit used their free time on Veterans Day to determine which equipment should be kept, and which materials should be thrown away to create a better looking workplace.
“We've got units coming in and out, and we've got a lot of equipment that's come in and we wanted to start setting aside the stuff that either needs to be life-cycled or established on a property accountability book,” said Torres. “We wanted to clean up the area because we have multiple visitors, especially with the holiday season coming up.”
And when the work was done, the cookout started. U.S. Army Col. Jason Liddell, the deputy commander of USARCENT G2 Forward, said the cookout was almost like being home and this day was a way for Soldiers to reflect on personal responsibility, community and teamwork.