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Staff Sgt. Nicholas Moyte, Special Operations Command Europe
STUTTGART, Germany – Getting the required supplies, equipment and materials to U.S. special operations forces is the first critical step to being successful in any engagement. These materials must be obtained, transported, and distributed quickly, efficiently and without error so that the operators of Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) do not lose the advantage on the battlefield. It is the unsung heroes of the logistics section, or J4, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make certain the tip of the SOCEUR spear remains honed to razor sharpness and always ready.
“J4’s responsibility is to provide engineering, contract and logistical support to all things SOCEUR does,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Travis Benne, SOCEUR J4X Branch Chief, “We are constantly refining our logistical capabilities and the involvement we need to have. We are right there alongside the operations during the planning of exercises or investments SOCEUR is pursuing.”
Getting equipment and supplies to the right place, at the right time and in the right condition is a central mission of the SOCEUR J4. A failure on this front makes it vastly more difficult for the Special Operations Forces they are supporting to accomplish their missions. Working in Europe can present some persistent challenges for the logistics experts of SOCEUR.
“Probably the biggest problem is navigating through German terrain,” said Staff Sgt. Sean Crouchley, Supply Sergeant, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), SOCEUR. “And everything is really spread out here in Germany, so we utilize places like K-Town [Kaiserslautern], we use Stuttgart, we use Mannheim, all these different installations. So that’s probably a big challenge, finding out where we need to go and how to get there, and who to talk to.”
The logistics experts of the SOCEUR J4 confront these challenges along with a multitude of others so that the operators can focus on training and successfully executing their missions all over Europe. This symbiotic relationship has been cultivated and encouraged as a foundational truth for the continued effective global presence of SOF and is enshrined as SOF Truth #5: “Most special operations require non-SOF support.”
“They [SOF] can do a lot of things, but they can’t do everything, and that’s where people like me come in, that’s where 88Ms [U.S. Army motor transport operators] come in,” said Crouchley. “It’s all about different mission sets. I’d say that everything is important in its own way. They can’t move without us, and we don’t have a mission without them.”
As the conventional SOCEUR logistics team brings its experience and expertise to bear to increase the mobility, lethality, and effectiveness of SOF, so too does SOF shape and influence the efficient operation of the J4 team.
“In Special Operations, people understand that you have that job to do and it doesn’t really matter what rank they are, they understand your position and what your job is,” said Crouchley. “As long as you’re respectful about it, they’ll kind of step aside and let you do what you need to do, rank impartial.”
It is this environment of mutual respect that fosters the successful integration of conventional and SOF personnel into a cohesive, honed and intimidating force that makes adversaries freeze in their tracks. The J4 and SOF of SOCEUR demonstrate that we are stronger together.
“Sometimes a mission will come down and you have 12 hours to react. And that includes getting the right equipment, on the right plane, with the right people,” said Crouchley. “So, having people understand what your position is and being able to set rank aside and personality aside, just for a couple minutes and say ‘hey, go do what you gotta do’, that helps a lot. You know, we’re all a big family. And if you look throughout history, nothing could have been achieved without each other.”
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2023 09:01 |
| Story ID: | 457764 |
| Location: | BAUMHOLDER, RP, DE |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Logistics professionals keep U.S. special operations forces in the fight, by SSG Nicholas Moyte, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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