Written by Sgt. Neysa Canfield
101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs
Fort Campbell, KY – The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Sustainment Brigade “Lifeliners,” 101st Abn. Div., welcomed 887th Engineer Support Company to the brigade with an activation ceremony on October 20th, 2017 at Fort Campbell.
The ceremony, which is an Army tradition, symbolizes the beginning or continuation of a unit’s history by unfurling the unit’s guidon.
The company, which has history on Fort Campbell, was deactivated in January of 2015 when it was part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Abn. Div.
Soldiers of 887th ESC, although assigned to 19th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, Fort Bragg, NC, are now attached to the 716th Military Police Battalion, assigned to the 16th MP Bde., Fort Bragg, NC, but attached to 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde.
During the ceremony, Capt. Reyn H. Mossman and 1st Sgt. Rodney B. Ammons, command team for 887th ESC, unfurled the company’s colors.
For Ammons, a native of Fayetteville, NC, assuming the position of first sergeant and being part of the activation ceremony for 887th ESC was a goal he was finally able to achieve.
“I spent ten years [on Fort Campbell] throughout different units,” said Ammons. “All these years I have tried to get assigned to 887th [ESC] and now I am honored to be able to have this position as the company’s first sergeant.”
Ammons said he is excited to demonstrate the company’s capabilities to the brigade, division, and installation.
“We have two horizontal platoons, which are responsible for earth-moving assets, such as digging fighting positions and building airstrips,” said Ammons. “We also have a vertical platoon, which has electricians, carpenters and plumbers, and lastly we have a survey and design section that can help draw and survey what we are trying to build.”
“By having an engineer company that can provide unique capabilities … that their horizontal and vertical elements have, increases the division’s capability to sustain itself,” explained McAdoo.
Although the company does not wear the 101st Abn. Div. patch, Ammons said his goal is to integrate the air assault culture in his unit.
“[Fort Campbell] is the home of air assault, so there is no reason why my Soldiers shouldn’t be qualified,” explained Ammons. “We currently have 22 Soldiers who graduated the course and my goal is for the company to be at 89% air assault qualified.”
For McAdoo, hearing the company’s excitement about being part of the division’s culture was great news.
“By sending Soldiers to air assault school and making it a goal, it really shows that they are team players and are fully accepting of being part of this historic division,” explained McAdoo.
