CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – The 4th Infantry Division has spent the last month transitioning into its role as the new leaders of Multi-National Division – Baghdad; it is an effort that exemplifies that civilians and Soldiers alike are vital members of the Ivy team.

In recognition of the 4th Inf. Div.’s civilian teammates whose job it is to support the Soldiers’ dining needs, a ceremony was held at the Ironhorse dining facility here Jan. 7 to celebrate the 100,000th safe delivery of food supplies in three years from the Agility Logistics/Public Warehousing Company into Iraq.

There are many things happening beneath the surface as the Soldiers are performing their duties, and there are many fans of the division working tirelessly to support its members.

For instance, Ivy Soldiers have the opportunity to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner inside a welcoming building without worrying about where the food is coming from.

“We’re here so the military can focus on their main mission: fighting wars,” said Michael Fleming, an Auckland, New Zealand native, who works as a camp operations manager for Agility Logistics/PWC.

To train Soldiers to do the shipping, receiving and preparing of food would take a lot of valuable manpower away from the mission at hand, Fleming added.

While MND-B Soldiers engage in military operational supply missions, hundreds of third-country national drivers make it their mission to supply the Soldiers with food and services. According to a press release distributed by the company, the workers, along with their military escorts, use a fleet of more than 1,200 trucks to transport the valuable cargo through routes where there is constant danger from improvised-explosive devices, small-arms fire, adverse weather and arduous conditions throughout Iraq.

In the three years since the company began its mission, 27 Agility Logistics/PWC workers were killed on the job and more than 235 workers were injured. Additionally, more than 300 trucks were destroyed and more than 700 were damaged, said the company in its press release.

Nevertheless, even under stress and tight deadlines, the company’s drivers and other members of their team continue to push forward and rely on their motto: “Feed the Forces, Whatever it Takes” to make their mission one of the most successful of its kind in history.

“Our brothers that assist us in this intricate operation risk their lives just like the Soldiers out their on the lines,” said Chief Warrant Officer Sabrina Nero, a native of Harker Heights, Texas, and the chief of food services for MND-B’s Company B, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Inf. Div.

“All we see is the food on our plates; we don’t really think about what it takes to get it there,” said Nero, who was presented a certificate of appreciation for assisting with the ceremony. “It was an honor to be part of this moment. The 4th Infantry Division is definitely proud to receive this 100,000th shipment.”

The teamwork between MND-B, Agility Logistics/PWC and other civilian contractors is often overlooked, but it plays a vital part in allowing the division’s deployment to run smoothly, added Nero.