Providers complete historic SEDRE with help from Navy, Air Force

Photo By Master Sgt. Ben Navratil | Spc. Brian Taylor, a Team Leader with the 530th Engineer Company, 92nd Engineer Battalion, from Lowell Mass., guides a Light Equipment Transport into place on a berth in the naval vessel Cape Decision at the Naval Station Charleston, S.C., May 11. The 530th was working in tandem with the Soldiers of 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade on a Sealift Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise, and helped load more than 90 pieces of equipment into the vessel for overseas shipping in less than two days. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ben K. Navratil)  

CHARLESTON NAVAL COMPLEX, SC, UNITED STATES

05.13.2016

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Ben Navratil 

3rd Division Sustainment Brigade

In the event of a major disaster, the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade is ready to deploy to provide their services as needed; whether it’s helping civilian authorities after a natural disaster, assist following a major terrorist attack, or anything else that requires the help of the active Army.
But moving the required people and equipment is no small task. That’s why the 3rd Inf. Div. Sust. Bde., “Providers,” along with the 530th Engineer Company, 92nd Engineer Battalion, conducted a Sealift Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise to train on just how they would go about that task. This was the first time the Providers had ever done a SEDRE.
In just a few days, the Providers moved more than 200 personnel and 90 pieces of equipment from their home base of Fort Stewart, Ga., to Charleston Naval Complex, S.C., and loaded all of the equipment onto a sea vessel. The equipment was then lashed down to the decks of the vessel just as would happen if the ship was moving overseas. For most of the Soldiers involved, it was the first time they’d done anything like it.
“It took time and poise,” said Staff Sgt. DeAngello Wiggins, a transportation management coordinator with Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 3rd Inf. Div. Sust. Bde., who was charged with overseeing the loading and securing of all the equipment. “We wanted to give the Soldiers an objective and see them accomplish it.”
A vast array of equipment was loaded onto the ship, the smallest being a Humvee, the largest being a Heavy Equipment Transport System, which is large enough to carry an M1 Abrams tank. Fitting these large vehicles into the cramped berths on the ship was challenging, but the Soldiers were able to not just get them on, but turn them around and back them into place, making sure driving them off the ship would be quick.
To Wiggins, the most important thing throughout the exercise was safety.
The key to ensuring safety is “staying on the troops, making sure everyone was well-informed of what their responsibilities were and making sure they had on all the proper protective gear,” said Wiggins, who assigned noncommissioned officers at each deck to oversee safety and make sure all rules were being followed.
Planning a mission on this scale took weeks, and required the cooperation of other military branches and agencies.
“This exercise was built on relationships,” said Capt. Junias Jackson, a logistics officer with Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 3rd Inf. Div. Sust. Bde., who planned and oversaw the whole mission “We started out by seeing who was there to support us, what infrastructure was already in place, and what locations we could use.”
“The Surface deployment and Distribution Command and Military Sealift Command are always ready to serve,” said Jackson. SDDC and MSC are agencies that manage shipping Department of Defense goods and equipment overseas. They also manage the Cape Decision, the ship that was used in this exercise.
The success of the mission also depended on relationship between the services.
“The Navy really stepped up to the plate,” said Jackson. “They provided hot meals and boxed lunches, a water point, and allowed us to use one of their recreation areas to set up our sleep tents and living area.”
Additionally, the Air Force’s 628th Logistics Readiness Squadron provided maintenance support to help make on-the-spot repairs to some equipment, and coordinated with local police to provide escorts while moving vehicles on the busy roads around Joint Base Charleston.
The whole mission took about four days, from leaving Fort Stewart to getting everything loaded onto the ship, and then unloaded again. From there, the Provider Soldiers mounted their vehicles and drove back to Fort Stewart and straight into another field exercise. All together the exercise simulated getting called up for a mission, loading everything onto the ship, unloading it after deploying, and going straight into the mission.
“I truly enjoyed the training,” said Staff Sgt. Gary Pendleton, a squad leader with 90th Human Resources Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Inf. Div. Sust. Bde, “it was something I’d never done before and a whole new experience for me.”

• Date Taken: 05.13.2016
• Date Posted: 05.15.2016 22:22
• Story ID: 198176
• Location: CHARLESTON NAVAL COMPLEX, SC, US