Botswana Defense Force learns about warehouse management

  • Published
  • By Erin Zagursky
  • 86th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Five members of the Botswana Defense Force, or BDF, visited Ramstein last week to learn about the Air Force's warehouse management procedures and operations.

The 435th Logistics Readiness Squadron hosted the visit, touring the group through the base's inbound cargo sections, receiving section, storage and issue element, hazardous materials section, aircraft parts store, storage and issue area, flight service center, and outbound cargo element.

During the team's visit to the hazardous materials section, Tech. Sgt. Kirk Vore, assistant noncommissioned officer in charge of HAZMAT, briefed the team on everything from procedures and initiatives to protection and safety.

"You are an investment to your military, just like we are an investment to our military," he said.

Although the visiting BDF members currently only work with aircraft parts and use a paper tracking system, they used the opportunity to see how they can improve their logistics capabilities in the years to come.

"What they are looking for is where they can go in the future," said Master Sgt. Robert Cook, NCOIC of HAZMAT. "We're looking to just help them out so they can do it right when they get to that point."

Maj. Pako Plattjie is a logistics squadron commander at one of the BDF installations.

"We are trying to model procedures with the best," he said. "We want to get computerized and we appreciate this opportunity."

Although the team talked business with the logistics team during most of the visit, the visit also served as an opportunity for people here to learn more about the BDF.

"They are a new military. They have only been around since 1977," Sergeant Cook said. "I've been surprised by how close their system is to ours."

The visit was part of the Joint Contact Team Program, a U.S. European Command-managed and -funded bilateral U.S. military outreach program. Under this program selected countries are visited, or are invited to visit the United States, to become more familiar with U.S. operations and procedures.