SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – From Sept. 8 -12, the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC), a subordinate joint command of U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), demonstrated its unique, joint expeditionary skill sets during a Mission Readiness Exercise (MRX) took place at the Scott Lake Family Campsite.
The JECC, which was assigned to USTRANSCOM as a subordinate joint command in July 2011 following the disestablishment of the former U.S. Joint Forces Command, is one of the lesser-known entities of USTRANSCOM. However, the recent MRX aboard Scott Air Force Base (AFB) provided a chance for USTRANSCOM leadership and component commands to observe and learn about the capabilities resident within the JECC’s three subordinate joint commands – the Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE), the Joint Planning Support Element (JPSE) and the Joint Public Affairs Support Element (JPASE).
“This was a unique opportunity for the USTRANSCOM staff to gain a greater understanding of the JECC's mission,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Bret Batchelder, commander of the JECC. “As a relatively new component of USTRANSCOM, we want to ensure our primary advocates are familiar with the value we bring to the joint warfighter and how we complement their existing mission sets.”
The JECC exists for crisis response and is an integral component of the Global Response Force (GRF) Execute Order (EXORD), meaning that the command can deploy its forces within hours for crisis or contingency operations worldwide to provide the specific skills and capabilities needed for various joint force requirements. Like USTRANSCOM, the JECC has both a global mission that extends across all geographic and functional combatant commands as well as a focus on providing the joint force with the enabling capabilities it needs to rapidly respond to global threats and disasters – anywhere, at anytime.
Since its establishment in 2008, the JECC has deployed on short-notice for missions covering the full range of joint military operations including, most recently:
•Shipboard communications aboard the M/V Cape Ray in support of the international effort to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons
•Joint planning, communications and public affairs capabilities for disaster relief efforts in the Philippines following Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda
•Multiple emergent requirements for strategic joint planning and public affairs expertise in the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility (AOR)
In addition, the JECC’s JCSE has maintained a continual presence in the USCENTCOM AOR since 2002 providing specific communications capabilities to joint task forces (JTF) and joint special operations task forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Shortly after being reassigned to USTRANSCOM, the JECC assessed its ability to provide mission-tailored, ready teams of joint experts for the combatant commander’s most imminent or emergent requirements. As a result, the JECC instituted a quarterly MRX program which attempts to replicate a probable, operational problem set for JECC members to exercise their skills in a realistic environment with the ultimate goal of verifying their ability to successfully form and standup a joint task force.
“The JECC established the MRX program as a means of validating its current Ready JECC Package - a set of planners, communicators and public affairs specialists put on alert to rapidly respond to the requirements of geographic combatant commanders,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Jeff Vandenbussche, the JECC J3 operations director. “Following the execution of an MRX, the Commander, JECC can more accurately assess and report the readiness of JECC forces to USTRANSCOM leadership.”
During the most recent MRX aboard Scott AFB, the JECC also held a Distinguished Visitors (DV) Day in which USTRANSCOM leadership and other DVs were invited to a demonstration of the JECC’s unique capabilities. Visitors had an opportunity to observe the joint skills sets a JECC team brings to the joint force commander downrange. From the setup of communications capabilities with secure and non-secure network access to public affairs and media training for subject matter experts to developing course of action and mission analysis briefs; the JECC illustrated how its experts from JCSE, JPASE and JPSE can accelerate and increase the effectiveness of a joint force headquarters.
“Our hope is that the USTRANSCOM leadership will gain some additional understanding and exposure to the unique enablers the JECC provides; as a collective and individually within the subordinate elements,” said Vandenbussche.
This MRX provided a chance for the JECC to exercise their comprehensive capabilities to ensure its forces are adequately prepared to respond to the next request for support and concurrently demonstrate how the command continues to align with USTRANSCOM’s overall mission.
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2014 13:13 |
| Story ID: | 148267 |
| Location: | SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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