USNS Sacagawea, CLR-35 Marines deliver ammunition for Ssang Yong 2016

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Madailein Abbott | 160314-N-WJ640-143 POHANG, South Korea (March 14, 2016) U.S. Marines and civilian mariners on board dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2) load ammunition ordnance on-board an MV-22 aircraft for transfer, March 14. The Sacagewea was one of three MPF ships that offloaded her cargo in support of Exercise Ssang Yong 16, under the Exercise Freedom Banner 2016 directive. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Madailein Abbott/Released)  

SOUTH KOREA

03.18.2016

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Madailein Abbott 

Military Sealift Command Far East

With Ssang Yong 2016 (SY16) in full swing, it’s easy to forget some behind the scenes efforts, which went into making the exercise possible. One of those elements is the packing and transfer of required ammunition for the exercise. Combat Logistics Regiment 35 (CLR-35) put in round the clock force to ensure that SY16 continued without any delays.

Two groups of ammunition were released from the Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ship USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2) this week in support of SY16. Though the Sacagawea was the ship that carried it, the Marines from CLR-35 ensured the ammunition was properly transferred to help support the exercise.

“The ammo (for the exercise) came from two places,” said Cpl. Robert Goetti, a Marine assigned to CLR-35. “One was the Okinawa (Japan) ammunition supply point (ASP) and the other was here on the Sacagawea, so even before we came on-board we were prepping the ammo back in Okinawa and then finished it up here.”

The ammunition transferred was delivered to U.S. Marines at two different ranges, both in support of SY16. Each pallet is carefully examined before being loaded onto aircraft to guarantee maximum safety.

“We have to make sure that the ammo is compatible for transfer,” said Lance Cpl. Anacaren Sanchez. “That’s why sometimes you have to have multiple aircraft when the ammo is moved because you don’t want to put everything on one aircraft and run the risk of an incident since what we’re transferring is explosive.”

These type of seabasing operations assist in the U.S. Marine Corps mission for maximum operability in changing circumstances, such as a possible humanitarian disaster relief scenario.

“Transferring this ammunition was a demonstration that this seabasing concept works and proving that we can build upon it,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Kathryn Lindsey. “It’s going to allow our service members to be able to deliver and resupply from a safe distance in a quicker, safer and more timely manner than ever before.”

Seabasing has been heavily present during the SY16 exercise. SY16 is the largest multilateral amphibious exercise to date, conducted by integrated Marine Expeditionary Brigade/Navy Expeditionary Strike Group, forward-deployed forces with the Republic of Korea (ROK) navy and Marine Corps designed to strengthen interoperability and working relationships across a wide range of military operations ranging from disaster relief to complex expeditionary operations.

SY16 includes more than 19,000 joint and combined forces and takes place at various training areas primarily throughout southern and southeastern ROK. All participating units will return to their home base at the conclusion of the exercises.

• Date Taken: 03.18.2016
• Date Posted: 03.21.2016 01:52
• Story ID: 192918
• Location: KR