“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
That’s an old saying first uttered by the French art critic Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr way back in 1849. It was true before he said it and it’s been true ever since. There are some things that remain the same even through the passage of time. Examples include the brilliant realism of Norman Rockwell, the value of good French wines, and the insignificance of professional hockey south of the Mason Dixon Line. Disparate? Yes… but they prove a point.
When it comes to the U.S. Military, everyone knows the value of tradition. It is true in obvious places and some that are not-so-obvious. One of those less visible examples – apropos for Patterson Pope – is the cage storage area. In many military installations, there is an area that combines storage for communication devices (e.g., radios and walkie-talkies, Pelican cases and tough boxes), a supply cage (usually filled with office-type supplies) and a CBRN cage (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear), which houses equipment like gas masks and other protections against chemical, biological and nuclear attacks.
“Typically, when you walk into these areas, you have this miss-mash of stuff. That’s going to happen, because people are moving a lot, and commands change every two years, and different people like doing things different ways,” said Patterson Pope Military Solutions Specialist Ken Stone.
“You might find three or four different kinds of shelving. Some of it is bookcases that they’re making into shelving, and in some cases there’s no shelving and it’s all just stacked up in there in piles. So, putting something in there that gives it some organization is key.”
This exact scenario recently played out at North Carolina’s famous Ft. Bragg. As is always the case, the first step in determining a military storage solution was to talk with those who would use the system. Their insights, experiences and opinions were a central part of the consultative approach.
“Installations like this are really similar to a living, breathing organism,” said Stone. “They’re constantly changing. We’re not really able to see the end because neither are they. So we make some recommendations based on what we know works and on what they’re looking for. It’s about making things more orderly and making items more accessible.”
The three storage cages in this installation at Ft. Bragg together totaled just 620 square feet. While that size may be standard on this base, they can vary at different locations. What is universal across all military bases is the quest for order.
CBRN – 4-post shelving with EZ rails and chrome hooks; RaptorRAC™
SUPPLIES – 4-post shelving with Rollok locking doors; EZ Rail with hanging plastic bins; mobile system featuring RaptorRAC™
COMMUNICATIONS – 4 post with locking hinged doors & RaptorRAC™
“We used a variety of great products that, in the end, helped create a little more organization in each of the three cages,” said Stone. “Items like sturdy 4-post shelving, RaptorRAC shelving, mechanical assist mobile shelving, Rollok doors, Spacesaver lockable hinge doors, and then EZ Rail with slat wall hooks for things like gas masks. Really, sometimes simplicity is the best answer.”
There are more than 52,000 active-duty soldiers at Ft. Bragg. There are also more than 12,500 reserve components and temporary duty students, and nearly 9,000 civilian employees. Every single one of them is dedicated to serving and protecting the United States. Even in the smallest of ways, we at Patterson Pope are proud to do our part in helping those brave men and women do their jobs to the best of their ability.
The gear stored in the supply cages at Ft. Bragg is essential to hundreds of individuals. While the maintenance of these cages will depend to some degree on the people in charge, there is no question that the addition of a well-planned and executed storage solution will help contribute to order and ease of operation. It’s built to be flexible, and it’s built to last. Ensuring that being able to access the right equipment and supplies when soldiers need them is a privilege we take seriously. Indeed, being able to continuously deliver on that military storage mission is job number one for Patterson Pope.
