JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD, Wash. - U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps troops are participating in the Quartermaster Liquid Logistics Exercise, here.
QLLEX 2014 is an annual training exercise run by the Army Reserve, supported by the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, to provide service members familiarity with production, transportation and distribution of water and fuel in a field environment.
Training events, such as QLLEX, are invaluable when it comes time for a combat or humanitarian deployment. The 380th Quartermaster Battalion, Commanded by Lt. Col. Harold E. Turks, is overseeing operations here with an emphasis on Soldier and operational readiness.
“We can provide a base camp like this anywhere you want, all we need is a water source. You can take this same group of people and put them in to a disaster relief situation and they can provide food, fuel, water, showers and laundry services anywhere,” said Turks.
Liquid logistics units provide vital infrastructure for all other types of units. All troops need water and fuel, making access to remote destinations a necessity for these quartermaster units.
“We have the capability, our equipment can be dropped in and it’s simply a matter of setting up. Even the ROWPU [Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit] and the CMKT [Containerized Mobile Kitchen Trailer] can be sling loaded and dropped in. All we need to do is set it all up and access a water source,” said Turks.
Water and food are necessities for troops to live, but petroleum fuel is a necessity for troops to do their jobs. The military uses JP-8, a petroleum fuel, to power vehicles, heavy equipment and generators. Transportation, storage and testing of this fuel, is another major facet of QLLEX.
Motor transport operators drive large tanker trucks of fuel to various locations during the exercise, just as they would in theatre. These trucks are tracked by the Movement Tracking System, which is a satellite-based tracking and communications system that allows commanders to track assets on the battlefield, said Turks.
When the tankers deliver fuel to a field location they fill a fuel systems supply point, commonly referred to as a fuel farm, which were built and operated by Army petroleum supply specialists and Marine Corps bulk fuel specialists, here.
The fuel is tested by the Defense Logistics Agency as well as Army petroleum laboratory specialists to ensure quality and purity, said Army Cpl. Tania Zamora, petroleum laboratory specialist, 308th Quartermaster Company.
The operations at QLLEX are functional 24 hours a day, just as they would be during an actual deployment. Troops working around the clock are entitled to rest and recuperation.
“When you have a mission as important as this, with Soldiers up at all hours of the night, they need a day to wind down and get ready to kick off the second half of the exercise,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Thomas, 380th Quartermaster Battalion.
The service members participating in QLLEX here, observed a mandatory safety stand down by having a morale, welfare and recreation day.
“An MWR day is an opportunity for the Marines and Soldiers to interact on an informal level,” said CSM Thomas.
Inter-branch cooperation and communication is critical to mission success while deployed, making QLLEX 2014 that much more beneficial to all involved.
| Date Taken: | 06.22.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2014 14:09 |
| Story ID: | 133953 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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