Spring cleanup leaves post better than it was before

Phil Sussman/Northwest Guardian

Soldiers armed with brooms, shovels and trash bags descended upon Fort Lewis last week as part of a postwide assault on garbage.

The 2009 Fort Lewis spring cleanup involved representatives from all major subordinate commands around post and aimed at providing Soldiers with a clean environment in which to train safely for future deployments.

Each unit, assigned at the brigade level, was responsible for cleaning at least one training area for the week. After collecting all garbage and recyclables at the sites, Range Control and Public Works finished the job by clearing each location.

While several teams of Soldiers manned recycling points to separate garbage and organize recyclable materials into dumpsters, others found themselves sweeping along Pendleton Ave. or picking up garbage around the Enlisted Spouses’ Club.

This comprehensive team approach to the cleanup allowed Soldiers to work quickly and efficiently, purging six months of garbage from across post in only a handful of days.

“Our main focus is the training areas,” said Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Barnes. “Greg Mason (of the Fort Lewis Environmental Division) ... goes out every day ... and identifies hot spots in the training areas. (Then) Soldiers and NCOs can go straight to a specific area (and clean) instead of (spending time) combing the whole area.”

Calling the dirtiest sections of the training areas “hot spots” is an understatement.

“Over the course of the last couple years, we have found (methamphetamine) labs out in the training areas,” said Barnes, underscoring the danger of leaving the areas undisturbed. “We have also found everything from household goods, couches, chairs, recliners, washers, dryers and freezers.”

Soldiers collected nearly 202 tons of garbage during the cleanup effort last year.

With upcoming deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, the last thing that Soldiers should worry about in the field is encountering garbage on a training area.

“You can imagine conducting a night movement to contact out in TA-23, for example, and you’re having to negotiate items like a washing machine,” said Barnes. “Having a safe, clean environment for our Soldiers to train ... impacts mission readiness.”

After spending the initial days of the cleanup on various training areas around post, Soldiers focused on beautifying the non-training areas around main post and North Fort toward the end of the week.

“When we have distinguished visitors ... we can be proud to show off our installation,” said Barnes. “Not only our Soldiers, but our civilian and family members (can be) proud, as well.”

In addition to the obvious aesthetic benefits of the postwide cleanup, the monetary and environmental advantages from the recycling effort will benefit Fort Lewis for years to come.

Sergeant Andrew Streby of 4th Squadron, 6th Air Cavalry Regiment, was on hand to help sort through refuse at a central recycling point on the first day of the cleanup. Despite the rigors of handling items such as tangled concertina wire and grimy couches, Streby understood the importance on the cleanup.

“We’ve seen a lot of nasty stuff coming in from the training areas,” said Streby, “but it’s got to be done.”