The Missouri National Guard’s 1438th Multi-Role Bridge Company today will be the first Army unit to receive the brand new Light Equipment Transporter vehicles from Oshkosh Corp. [OSK].
The M983A2 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) Light Equipment Transporter (LET) will be used to transport engineer construction equipment and materials vital to completing the unit’s mission to transport, assemble, disassemble, retrieve, and maintain bridging systems.
“Its enlarged wheel base allows it to be more mobile in rough terrain,” Lt. Col. Mark Randazzo, deputy director of logistics for the Missouri National Guard, said. “The addition of these two vehicles will also provide the unit with a pure fleet of HEMTT-type vehicles whereas before they had two different types.”
The new vehicles will be an asset for the unit’s training and future deployments. The HEMTT LET is based on the Oshkosh HEMTT A2 model and has improvements over the HEMTT M916 Tractor, particularly for off-road missions, thus soldiers can move more equipment to more places. The vehicles will be fielded to engineering units to increase their support capabilities to tactical forces.
Capt. Anthony James, the unit’s commander, said, “We do a lot of off-road movement and haul a lot of heavy equipment. These vehicles will allow us to complete our missions faster and safely.”
Every multi-role bridge company in the United States will be issued two of these trucks, but the 1438th is the first unit to be issued the new vehicles and will be the first to use them in next month’s field training.
“It’s a great opportunity for our Soldiers to be the first to train and use the vehicles,”James said. “It’s an honor that the Army and National Guard chose and trusts us.”
Expected at the Dec. 4 ceremony at the Guard’s Ike Skelton Training Site in Jefferson City, Mo., are representatives from the 1438th Multi-Role Bridge Company, Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, Missouri National Guard adjutant general, Mike Dubois, representing Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), retired Maj. Gen. John Havens, former Missouri National Guard adjutant general, and Eddie Garcia, director of government marketing for Oshkosh.