Courtesy Photo | Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Jacksonville’s...... read more read more
When you are the logistics officer, it can mean arriving first and being the last to leave.
Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Jacksonville’s Lt. Cmdr. Ken Garrett departed for Cartagena, Colombia, in late June to take part in Unitas, the long-running annual multinational maritime exercise conducted in the waters around Central and South America.
Hosted this year by Colombia, Unitas featured 29 vessels, 25 aircraft and approximately 7,000 people from 20 nations in events that took place from July 11-21.
In addition to the boots-on-the-ground work of Garrett, NAVSUP FLC Jacksonville contributed to the exercise through contracting expertise in the Jacksonville headquarters.
The command’s five-person Husbanding Service Program team authored nine contracts valued at over $1.3 million to support two sets of ship port visits. Services provided include delivery of critical parts, mail, vehicles, cell phones and port services such as cranes and forklifts.
The Fleet Expeditionary Support team awarded orders totaling $476,000 that provided generators, interpreter services, lodging, meals and other services, plus supplies for six U.S. ships.
In Cartagena, Garrett oversaw execution of the day-to-day logistics schedule. As the exercise concluded, he provided an overview of how it went.
Q: What specific tasks did you do while in Colombia?
A: The first task I performed was meeting USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) at the local commercial port upon its arrival in Cartagena and completing the customs process for all of the exercise gear the ship transported. Once complete, the ship shifted to the Cartagena naval base, where we offloaded the gear and transported it via line haul to locations throughout the country. Once that was settled, and United States and partner nation forces began to arrive, focus shifted to the management of the lodging and transportation plans developed to ensure everyone was taken care of.
Once the exercise started, adjustments to the plan were needed, as each of the participating organizations discovered new or different requirements than the ones previously given. That resulted in a series of modifications to the original contract.
Upon conclusion of the exercise, the plan was executed in reverse. Equipment was returned from the various locations and loaded onto Burlington. Lodging, transportation, internet and other contracted services were closed out, and the outgoing customs process was completed.
My team here consisted of a contracting officer’s representative, logistics watch officer, transportation coordinator, expeditionary support contractor and one representative from each of the participating organizations. I held a daily meeting with my team to recap the current day and to ensure we had a solid plan for the upcoming three days.
In summary, I was the first person to arrive in Colombia, the last to leave and was tasked with ensuring the logistics plan supported 100% mission accomplishment.
Q: What was the biggest challenge for you?
A: Conducting logistics operations in a foreign country was easily the most challenging part of this particular mission, and one of the biggest challenges of my entire career.
Significant obstacles, which we were unaware of prior to our arrival, were encountered with our inland transportation plan. Specifically, contracted heavy-lift vehicles, such as 5-ton trucks, are licensed for operation only in certain areas of Cartagena, and on certain days of the week. The naval installation is located in an area where these operations are not typically allowed. This made it impossible to effectively execute the transportation plan that we had developed previously. Vehicles were constantly being precluded from movement to and from their destinations due to this licensure issue.
Resolution required engagement by the U.S. Embassy’s Force Protection Detachment and close coordination with Cartagena local police as well as Department of Transportation representatives on a case-by-case basis. These obstacles significantly hampered gear movement to remote training sites and led to major schedule changes that had severe second-and-third-order effects. It also meant increased costs due to overtime and other considerations.
Q: What was satisfying about the experience?
A: The most satisfying part of the experience was seeing the exercise executed fully, with zero lost missions or events. This iteration of Unitas was extremely complex, required extreme coordination and presented significant challenges on a daily basis from a logistics perspective. The fact that our team met and overcame every bit of adversity thrown at us and helped facilitate a successful exercise is something that we are all proud of.
NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville is one of eight logistics centers under the command of NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 25,000 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor and family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2023 15:33 |
| Story ID: | 450358 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 199 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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