USCENTCOM deployment/redeployment support Port Operations serve as Proof of Principal (POP) for Army Total Force Policy (ATFP) readiness and interoperability:

Photo By Lt. Col. Cinnie Mullins | 936th Soldier supervises the off load of an M1 Abrams  

KUWAIT

04.01.2017

Story by Maj. Joshua Oneill 

595th Transportation Brigade

The 595th Transportation Brigade USCENTCOM’s Single Port Manager, conducted a POP validation exercise with a United States Army Reserve (USAR) Expeditionary Terminal Operations Element (ETOE). The 936th ETOE deployed in December 2015 as part of the annual rotational support forces which supports Military Surface Deployment and Distribution (SDDC) Command’s mission in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR).
While deployed to the USCENTCOM AOR the 936th ETOE is missioned across 11 countries and supports nine different ports in support of three named military operations. The 936th ETOE reconstituted in Kuwait during simultaneous, major unit moves. The 936th ETOE conducted lift-on and lift-off (LOLO) and roll-on roll-off (RORO) operations in support of (ISO) a Brigade Combat Team deployment and redeployment. The Military Sealift Command (MSC) called out two Light, Medium –Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) vessels to support this simultaneous deployment and redeployment surge and provided the perfect opportunity for the 595th Transportation Brigade to validate the readiness of the 936th ETOE.
The 840th Transportation Battalion executed Mission Command over the 936th ETOE while they conducted 19 continuous days of LOLO/RORO operations on the USNS Britten and USNS Mendonca. The 936th ETOE exercised all aspects of port management and vessel operations under the direct supervision of LTC Jeffery Wagstaff, Commander of the 840th Transportation Battalion. Soldiers from the 936th ETOE planned and executed vessel storage plans, LOLO/RORO operations and Stevedoring and Related Terminal Services (S&RTS) management. Over the course 19 days the 936th ETOE loaded/discharged over 3000 pieces of rolling stock and containerized cargo. This marked the first ever collective validation event for the newly organized Army organization.
This event not only marked a POP for a newly developed Army organization but also increased operational readiness and interoperability IAW ATFP Directive. The validation of the 936th ETOE during real world port operations incorporates both MG Kurt Ryan’s (Commander SDDC) READY Campaign focusing on SDDCs ability to “Fight Tonight” and the ATFP Directive to train as a multi-component team. This validation in the USCENTCOM AOR will have a lasting readiness effect increasing readiness in every echelon of the Army from the individually deployable ETOE to USTRANSCOM at the Functional Combatant Command level.

• Date Taken: 04.01.2017
• Date Posted: 04.06.2017 04:41
• Story ID: 229332
• Location: KW