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FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Defense Logistics Agency Energy plays a big part in supporting the combat training that gives America’s warfighters the edge they need.
Realistic combat training requires a steady diet of fuel. DLA Energy Americas West, responsible for supporting DLA Energy customers west of the Rocky Mountains, keeps three of the military’s premier training programs fully fueled. The Army’s National Training Center; the Navy’s Fighter Weapon School, called Top Gun; and the Air Force’s Red Flag and Green Flag exercises are all supported by the Americas West team.
“These are the big three training and force projection facilities in the world,” said DLA Energy Americas Commander Army Col. Bill Keyes, “and supporting them creates many fuel challenges.”
Once fuel contracts are awarded through DLA Energy business units at Fort Belvoir, Va., AMW makes sure clean, on-specification products reach the training facility. Two of DLA Energy Americas primary inventory managers, Keith Embree and Dave DeHoag, work together to schedule delivery to the training facilities.
Because there are no local refineries in the region supporting the Defense Department and because other contract specifics can differ from year to year, “award patterns can be quite elaborate,” explained Lee Oppenheim, AMW’s deputy commander.
“The supply pipeline is different in each case, and timing is everything, so planning begins at about 60 days prior to the start of an exercise,” Oppenheim said.
JP8 aviation jet fuel is the primary fuel used throughout the training programs, and not just for air operations. The team places orders with suppliers using current contracts. Then a local quality assurance representative inspects and assures both the quality and quantity of fuel purchased.
Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., one of the bases served by DLA Energy Americas West, has more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. With 1,900 possible targets, realistic threat systems and an opposing enemy force that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world, Nellis is the home of a "peacetime battlefield," providing combat air forces with the ability to train together in a realistic combat environment.
Red Flag and Green Flag exercises are held there throughout the year to train aircrews from the United States, NATO partners and other allied countries in combat situations.
“The exercises almost pull fuel faster than we can give it to them,” said Bo Swenson, distribution manager. “It’s very challenging, and the trick is to ‘frontload’ the system with fuel because these exercises use more fuel in one day than most commercial airports do,” he explained.
During Red Flag exercises, the base consumes 6,000 to 8,000 barrels of fuel per day. To ensure adequate stock for the exercise, the team ensures a supply of fuel is available ahead of time.
“Just prior to any exercise, Embree works mightily to make sure all the available tankage is full,” AMW Commander Air Force Lt. Col. Tam Gaffney explained.
By fueling the Army’s National Training Center and the support battalion at Fort Irwin, Calif., DLA Energy fosters vital training of Army and other U.S. forces. NTC training is often supported by air assets from Nellis, as well.
The NTC focuses on battalion task force and brigade levels to provide “tough, realistic joint and combined arms training,” according to its website. Rotational combat exercises are held throughout the year to support Army, Air Force, Marine, Navy, NATO and allied forces.
During each two-week exercise, Defense Fuel Supply Point San Pedro, Calif., ships about 50,000 gallons to the NTC. Quality assurance representatives provide product quality surveillance and take product samples for analysis in order to meet product specification. They also provide customer support to the Fort Irwin fuel group for issues related to upkeep and maintenance of the fuel distribution system.
Naval Air Station Fallon, Nev., is the only U.S. naval facility where advanced integrated carrier air wing strike training can take place, combining realistic flight training in electronic warfare, air-to-ground, air-to-air weapons delivery, special weapons delivery, and enemy evasion tactics. Military aircrews from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Nevada Air National Guard train at NAS Fallon, located 70 miles east of Reno. The Naval Fighter Weapons School, called Top Gun, is also located here, providing strike planning and execution training opportunities in a dynamic, realistic, scenario-driven simulated wartime environment.
Last year, DLA Energy provided about 525,000 gallons of fuel per month to NAS Fallon. This supported all traffic at NAS Fallon, both directly fueling the aircraft for Top Gun training and other aircraft used to transport personnel and material associated with the training exercises.
“We estimate this year’s consumption will increase significantly,” Oppenheim said. “There are, on average, 2,200 refuelings per month performed by the base fuels personnel.”
Gaffney said she is proud of her team’s support to its customers.
“Because the Americas West professionals strictly adhere to detail and maintain superior technical knowledge of the products, we have never purchased off-specification fuels for our customers, and we deliver products to them on time,” she said.
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2011 12:30 |
| Story ID: | 66008 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 144 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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