| Unit Name: | 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) |
| Country: | United States |
| Allegiance: | United States Army Reserve |
| Branch: | United States Army |
| Role: | Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) |
| Garrison: | 1LT David R. Wilson Armed Forces Reserve Center Orlando, Florida |
| Garrison Label: | Reserve Center |
| Colors Label: | Transportation Corps Colors |
| Battles: | Operation Enduring Freedom 2003-2007, 2009-2010, 2013-2014, 2018-2019 |
| Decorations: | Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) |
| Notable Commanders: | LTG (Ret) Jack C. Stultz |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Distinctive Unit Insignia |
| Current Commander: | COL Dawn M. Johnson |
The 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)(formerly: 143rd Transportation Command), is one of seven general officer sustainment commands in the United States Army Reserve. It has command and control of more than 10,000 Army Reserve Soldiers throughout the southeastern United States in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. It is made up of more than 100 Army Reserve units whose missions are diverse and logistical in nature. The mission of the 143rd ESC is to provide command and control of sustainment forces and to conduct sustainment, deployment, redeployment and retrograde operations in support of U.S. and multinational forces. The mission of the 143rd when not deployed is to ensure readiness of the soldiers under its command and control.[1]
The ESC is a peacetime subordinate to the 377th Theater Sustainment Command.
The 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) [referred to as an ESC] was originally constituted as the 143rd Transportation Command 24 November 1967 in the Army Reserve and activated 2 January 1968 in Orlando, Florida. It was reorganized and redesignated 16 October 1985 as the 143d Transportation Command. From 2003 to 2007, the 143d Transportation Command maintained a continuous presence in Southwest Asia in support of US Military Units engaged in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. In a ceremony 17 September 2007, the 143rd Transportation Command cased its command colors for the last time signifying the end of the unit's era as a major transportation command headquarters. Immediately following, the new 143rd ESC Commanding General, Brigadier General Daniel I. Schultz, uncased the 143rd ESC colors, signifying the standup of this new logistics headquarters and the start of a new era for the 143rd.
Six months after the transition ceremony the 143rd ESC received a Department of the Army warning order for mobilization and deployment of the 143rd headquarters. Since receipt of the warning order, the 143rd ESC prepared for deployment by completing various Soldier readiness activities including soldier readiness processing, a sustainment training exercise conducted at Ft. Lee, Virginia and warrior training at the Regional Training Center, Ft. Hunter Liggett, California.
On 9 January 2009, the 143rd ESC deployed in support of the troop buildup in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. The 143rd's deployment is the first time an ESC has deployed to Afghanistan. The mission of the 143d ESC during this deployment is to provide command and control of assigned forces, and to conduct sustainment, deployment, redeployment and retrograde operations in support of U.S. and multinational forces in the U.S. Central Command area of operations.[2] In December 2009 the 143rd ESC turned over command of the Joint Sustainment Command-Afghanistan to the 135th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).[3]
In June 2013, the 143rd ESC once again mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and deployed 265 Soldiers to Kuwait and Afghanistan in support of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command and operations in the US Central Command area of operations. The unit assumed responsibility for operational sustainment in the ARCENT AOR in October 2013 from the 135th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and served as the senior operational sustainment headquarters in Kuwait until May 2014, when the unit redeployed, having transferred responsibility for operational sustainment to the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater).
Structure: November 2022.[4]
On a brick red upright rectangle with a NaNinches brick red border 3inches in height and 2inches in width overall, two golden yellow ribbands lined white with an arrowhead at each end interlaced and reversed at a 90-degree angle, fimbriated brick red.
Brick red and golden yellow are the colors used for Transportation units, the previous designation of the unit. The interlacing represents a strong support and simulates roads and viaducts, suggesting travel. The arrowheads denote leadership and a determined direction.
The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved 24 October 1968 for the 143d Transportation Brigade. It was redesignated for the 143d Transportation Command on 16 October 1985, and amended to revise the description and symbolism. The insignia was redesignated effective 17 September 2007, for the 143d Sustainment Command with the description and symbolism updated.
A gold color metal and enamel device NaNinches in height overall consisting of an upright winged gold arrow with wings down, surmounted by a brick red annulet inscribed in the upper arc, "MOVEMENT" and on the lower "BRINGS VICTORY" in gold letters, the area within the annulet green.
Brick red and golden yellow (gold) are the colors used for Transportation, the previous designation of the unit and green is basic for "all traffic forward." The annulet simulates both a wheel, alluding to motor transport, and an enclosure, symbolizing a terminal. The arrow, a sign of direction, denotes controlled determination, and is used to represent the implements and armaments of warfare, while the wings relate to the unit's air transport aspects and symbolizes the speed in the organization's operations.
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 143d Transportation Brigade on 13 January 1969. It was redesignated for the 143d Transportation Command on 16 October 1985 and amended to revise the description. The insignia was redesignated effective 17 September 2007, for the 143d Sustainment Command with the description and symbolism updated.