The 831st Transportation Battalion (TB), located on Naval Support Activity Bahrain, provides single port authority services across its expansive footprint. As one of only two SDDC forward deployed battalions assigned to the 595th Transportation Brigade, Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), the Battalion provides a multitude of port services and acts as port managers responsible for managing the flow of Defense Transportation System (DTS) cargo in the countries of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Oman. Over the past year, Joint Security Cooperation (JSC) Exercises continued to be the driving force that forge relationships with partner countries and the 831st TB led the way logistically within the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR). 2017 marks the second straight year that the 831st TB provided significant support to exercises in Oman. The Battalion supported MARCENT led exercise Sea Soldier 17 from 13 February to 1 March. The bilateral exercise is an annual event which seeks to improve regional relationships and build a warfighting capability between U.S. and Royal Omani Forces. The exercise featured over 250 Marines and 150 pieces of equipment transported via the USS Somerset (LPD 25), all of which carried ashore via Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs).
Once the equipment was delivered ashore, the 831st TB synchronized the movement of personnel and equipment via in-land transportation from Senoor Beach, Oman to Rabkut training facility to commence the joint exercise. The Battalion is rather small with a total of 59 Soldiers and Civilians assigned, but has the ability to impact on a large scale. The Battalion has long standing contracts with port services in each country in its footprint. The Stevedoring and Related Terminal Services (S&RTS) contract allows the battalion to provide critical port services support to both exercises and operational missions in the Sultanate of Oman. The Battalion used its office at the Port of Salalah to finalize all contracted sustainment support. The move consisted of 36 tractor trailers, buses, and NTVs over three days to move the MARCENT element from Senoor Beach to Rabkut Training facility. In addition, MARCENT requested latrines, floodlights, dumpsters, flatbed trailers, low bed trailers, Material Handling Equipment (MHE), and water at the exercise location in order to improve the training and increase readiness. The Battalion deployed a three person Deployment Distribution Management Team (DDMT) from Bahrain to provide contract oversight and surveillance from start to finish.
In addition to Sea Soldier 17, the Battalion deployed several members of the team to Port Salalah, Oman to support Inferno Creek 17 a few weeks earlier. Three Soldiers and one civilian (GS-11) comprised the DDMT in order to coordinate the vessel discharge of the 2-13th CAV equipment at the port. The Battalion downloaded 36 pieces of equipment from the Army Logistics Support Vessel, SP4 James A. Loux, and escorted a 19 truck convoy with unit equipment from the port to Rabkut Training facility. The Battalion deployed teams to Oman to support both the deployment and redeployment phase. The exercise ran from 13 January – 3 February and strengthened relationships with Oman’s military. CPT Casey Phillips, the 831st Transportation Battalion Officer-in-Charge for Oman was present for both operations. He highlighted the importance of the operation stating, "Providing support to training exercises gives the 831st an opportunity to strengthen our relationships with our joint partners and foreign allies. The experiences are symbiotically beneficial to all participants and lead to improved readiness across all fronts."
The ability to deploy multiple DDMTs to Oman while maintaining mission command in Bahrain is an example of the 831st Transportation Battalion’s capability to execute expeditionary operations. The Battalion continues to establish itself as the region’s transportation expert intent on refining its capacity to support training and operations within the CENTCOM AOR. Exercise support operations display the Battalion’s ability to provide adaptive support to units in a joint force environment.