KUWAIT –
The Task Force Spartan commanding general paid a visit to U.S. troops stationed at the Kuwait Naval Base situated along the Persian Gulf, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019.
Maj. Gen. Gordon L. Ellis toured the Camp Patriot facilities with 588th Brigade Engineer Battalion leadership and tried on dive equipment with soldiers from the 511th Engineer Dive Detachment.
"I appreciate what you do and what you bring to the fight," said Ellis. "We're in a dynamic environment that can change everyday; we have to be prepared."
Soldiers with the 38th Infantry Division, who are in charge of Task Force Spartan, provide leadership, command, control and in-depth staff analysis for Operation Spartan Shield. This sets the conditions sufficient to strengthen defense relationships and build partner capacity throughout the Middle East.
The dive detachment is a team of soldiers who conduct combat, general and geospatial engineer dive operations throughout U.S. Army Central and support theater-level sustainment and mobility requirements in ports, harbors, inland waterways and littoral zones.
"We support the maneuver commander with all things dive engineering," said Capt. Chase Olson, the 511th commander. "Our biggest importance to Task Force Spartan is support restoring expeditionary logistical support routes."
The dive team is critical so Task Force Spartan units and partnered countries can have freedom of navigation throughout the Arabian Gulf.