Photo By Chief Warrant Officer Jason Fetterolf | Chief Warrant Officer 3 Raymond Sapp, left, a mobility officer with the 1185th...... read more read more
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The 1185th Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion, 1179th Transportation Surface Brigade, Deployment Support Command, U.S. Army Reserve, conducted a staff ride during battle assembly at Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pa., on July 12, 2025.
The unique staff ride was led by retired Lt. Col. Travis Shick, Pennsylvania National Guard Command Historian and Museum Curator for the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum. While Shick has conducted more than 30 staff rides, he tailored this tour of the Battle of Gettysburg to emphasize the importance of logistics and transportation during the Civil War and Gettysburg, relating to the 1185th DDSB’s transportation and logistics mission.
According to 1185th DDSB Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Gordon Pry, the Gettysburg battle staff ride benefitted unit Soldiers by focusing on the importance of logistics and providing a motivating, interactive tour.
“There are plenty of movies, books, and accounts for the battles but very little on the logistic support of the battle and how logistics shaped the fight,” said Pry. “Lieutenant Colonel Shick involved our Soldiers by including hands-on portions of some of the Gettysburg battles to create a visual representation of how the logistics were working for both [Union and Confederate] sides.”
[The staff ride] motivated our Soldiers to show their job is very important, and what we do at the seaports and preparing units for movement can actually shape future battles or readiness,” noted Pry.
Maj. Samuel Coover, battalion operations officer, added: “The ride utilized geographically and historically local resources for leader development.”
Next, Pry spoke excitedly about some lessons he learned from the Gettysburg battle.
“I was amazed about the battle and how it was shaped, how much of a role logistics played in the battle and outcome and how the Armies had different concepts of logistical support,” he said.
Finally, Coover summarized lessons learned from the staff ride relating to Army logistics, transportation and non-combat specialties - sustainment.
“The sustainment community sometimes loses sight of just how important its role is,” Coover said.
"Good Army sustainment must be responsive, simple, economical, and adaptable to changing conditions, while also ensuring the survivability of its forces.”
The mission of the 1185th DDSB is to operate a Seaport of Embarkation with three berths simultaneously under continuous operations, and is directly responsible for the safe loading and unloading of cargo from vessels.
The 1185th DDSB was activated in 1951 as the 9248th Organized Reserve Technical Service Unit, located in Lancaster, Pa. After several reorganizations and re-designations, the unit took on its current name in 2009.
In 2020, the 1185th DDSB deployed to Kuwait to operate the seaport of Ash Shuaiba as well as perform missions in United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. In 2026, elements of the 1185th DDSB are scheduled to mobilize to provide expertise in the deployment and distribution process at three seaports.
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2025 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 550755 |
| Location: | GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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