Photo By Wade Mathews | On July 28, Soldiers from the Utah Army National Guard’s 118th Transportation...... read more read more
TOOELE, Utah – One of the specialties and main functions of Tooele Army Depot is the movement of munitions. Moving new munitions from trucks and trains to storage. Moving lethal munitions from storage to send to the warfighter. Also moving old, obsolete, and unsafe munitions to internal demilitarization sites for destruction. Munitions are being moved from one place to another at TEAD almost every day.
In recent years, TEAD has seen a sharp spike in the number of short tons of munitions moved every summer. This year was no exception, and that spike, 1,716 short tons this year, is attributed to Soldiers participating in Operation Patriot Press.
“OPP helps the depot in moving material to new locations within our storage areas in order to fit our Storage Plan, so we can be better prepared in supporting the warfighter,” said Glenda Bender, Chief, Ammunition Support Division, Depot Ops Directorate.
Originally established by Army Materiel Command, OPP is an annual logistics exercise conducted by Joint Munitions Command that provides a coordinated opportunity for Army active-duty, reserve, guard units and units from other branches of the military to gain real-world experience in practical, hands-on, training missions.
On July 27, the Utah Army National Guard’s 118th Transportation Company, Rear Detachment, based in Spanish Fork, Utah, rolled into TEAD in support of OPP 2025 for its two-week annual training. The unit’s main body is mobilized for border security. This is the fifth time the 118th has participated in OPP at TEAD.
The Rear Detachment is commanded by 1st Lt. Tyler Anderson, who is supported by Sgt. 1st Class Danny Murdock and Staff Sgt. Chuck Coleman. The Rear Detachment consists of 41 soldiers. It being his first time at TEAD, Anderson said that as a company he wants to continue to build upon the relationship they have with TEAD and OPP.
“Previous participants of this mission have worked diligently to create a good reputation, and I want to continue that tradition,” he said. “As a unit, we conduct training every month with the intent of having OPP be our culminating event.
“Our training consists of preventative maintenance checks and services, forklift proficiency, ammo courses, load plans, convoy procedures, refueling operations, maintenance, and Joint Battle Command-Platform operations,” Anderson added.
Besides helping TEAD move munitions, Soldiers get a lot out of OPP, too. OPP helps them become more familiar with their vehicles.
“Soldiers need to be proficient with their equipment and have confidence to use it in a combat environment. This training is also the time to refine our tactics, techniques, and procedures and our standard operating procedures,” Anderson said.
The 118th mobilized with 10 medium tactical vehicles with step-deck trailers. The UTNG provided all the supplies needed by the 118th for the mission including fuel, oil, vehicle parts, and food. The only resources TEAD provided were the barracks the Soldiers stayed in for the two-week exercise and the forklifts they used to move the munitions from storage to the trailers and then into the new storage locations.
During the exercise, TEAD employees oversaw the work performed by the Soldiers. TEAD Munitions Handlers were staged at the loading and unloading areas, to track and document every item that was moved, validating all the barcodes and ensuring both the from and to scans matched.
“TEAD employees appreciate the opportunity to work side-by-side with Soldiers and the Soldiers enjoy being able to learn from our workforce the skills and abilities necessary for critical tasks, which is often not available at their home stations,” Bender said. “It gives our employees an opportunity to serve those who serve us. OPP strengthens relationships between the civilian workforce and active-duty forces, National Guard, and Army Reserve units.”
Robert McLean, Motor Vehicle Operator, Depot Ops, TEAD, has witnessed firsthand the professionalism and dedication of the Soldiers supporting depot operations at TEAD, and he couldn’t be more impressed.
“All the Soldiers have been awesome. They’re easy to work with; they listen and are very respectful. They follow instructions well and follow up. They’re very forward thinking, too, and perform work without being told what to do,” McLean said.
Each day, Anderson and Coleman met with Bender and other Depot Ops leadership to review the days’ movements, discuss any issues and concerns, and review the next day’s expectations.
The 118th experienced only one major setback. During the second week, one of the tactical vehicles blew a head gasket, making it non-mission capable. The unit conducted a recovery mission and sent a team back to its headquarters to pick up another vehicle. Despite that setback, the Soldiers drove 11,763 miles, staying on schedule throughout the mission.
Coleman, the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, for the mission, was excited about the work his team did during the exercise.
“These Soldiers are exceeding expectations with the short manpower,” Coleman said. “They’re doing great work. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Reflecting on his unit’s involvement in OPP, Anderson shared how the mission provided a rare and rewarding opportunity to engage in real-world operations.
“Instead of convoying with no real purpose for annual training, we get to assist TEAD with a real ammo warehousing mission,” Anderson said. “Some units go years without a real operation or a Combat Training Center rotation, so for us to participate in OPP it is extremely beneficial.
“I’m really proud of the unit and what they accomplished,” he added. “The amount and volume of munitions they moved for TEAD is very significant.”
| Date Taken: | 08.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2025 18:00 |
| Story ID: | 546444 |
| Location: | TOOELE, UTAH, US |
| Hometown: | SPANISH FORK, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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