Photo By Spc. Cal Turner | U.S. Soldiers and Sailors participating in the Seaport Operations Company (SPOC) 13-2...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – With more than 500 soldiers, a fleet of watercraft, multiple rotor-wing aircraft, and two 120-ton locomotives, the Seaport Operations Company 13-2 training exercise is a multi-service training phenomenon here at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
Featuring the Army’s only Maritime Training Academy for watercraft operators and the home of the military railroad, Joint Base Langley-Eustis is a hub of Army transportation training and an ideal location for U.S. Army Reserve transportation Soldiers to conduct their annual Extended Combat Training.
“My Soldiers have stayed motivated; they know their jobs,” said Sgt. Antonio Lennon, acting platoon sergeant with the Fort Belvoir Detachment of the 464th Transportation Company (Medium Boat). “Basically our job for the exercise is to pull up to the beach and offload the cargo.”
Getting the cargo to the port was the job of the 390th Seaport Operations Company from Ceiba, Puerto Rico, and the 743rd Seaport Operations Company out of Boston.
“We have 200-plus soldiers here and most of the them are new to the unit,” said Staff Sgt. Neftali Torres, a hatch foreman with the 390th SPOC. “This is my first time doing this with civilians and the Navy, but my soldiers enjoy it and are motivated. That’s what I like to see: my soldiers motivated. Then we as NCOs can teach them and get out the way.”
A mock watercraft called the Vissering Landship Training Facility is located at the port to assist in practicing these cargo operations. Originally built in 1952 and upgraded over the years, the facility houses working cranes that are used during the joint-service seaport operations training events by the Army and the Navy.
“This is pretty good integration,” said Logistics Specialist 3 Jonathan Earles with the Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 10 out of Columbus, Ohio. “I’ve had a lot of fun working with the Army. This has been good training since I’ve been here.”
Throughout the exercise, military observers move among the training areas to watch, teach and offer advice to the units in the exercise if and when they need it.
“This is my first time observing two different branches working alongside one another,” said Sgt. 1st Class Henderson Singleton, a truck driver with the 80th TASS Training Center. His role was to observe the roll-on/roll-off and load-on/load-off operations at the port.
In addition to loading cargo, soldiers track the movement of the vehicles in and out of the port to assure and maintain accountability.
“I’m in charge of tracking auto cargo that comes in and out,” said Spc. Ashley Holiday, a transportation management coordinator from the 614th Transportation Company out of Houston, Texas. “I track vehicles, containers, sensitive items and even people. It’s a great job. You have to make sure you properly track numbers and weights in order not to overload these vessels out here.”
This type of mission is an up-to-date reflection of how units deploy and operate transportation missions in today’s Army.
“[Joint training] is a real plus for us,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Mann, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Reserve Deployment Support Command. “Because when we deploy, we are working with personnel from other services … so it really helps us train as you will be fighting later. So this is a priceless opportunity for us.”
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2013 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 111437 |
| Location: | VA, US |
| Hometown: | CEIBA, PR |
| Web Views: | 208 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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