JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — The Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) stands as the Army’s premier combat training center in the Indo-Pacific, designed to replicate the complexity of large-scale, multi-domain operations across the region. Each rotation brings together U.S. Army units, joint partners, and multinational forces to train in realistic environments stretching across the islands of Hawaii.
For JPMRC 26-01, the 25th Infantry Division (25ID) leads the training effort in setting up for the exercise, while the 8th Theater Sustainment Command (8TSC) plays a critical role behind the scenes. In preparation for this year’s exercise, 8th TSC played a pivotal role in coordinating the movement of vehicles, platforms, water containers, and sustainment equipment to Big Island of Hawaii and Maui, ensuring every equipment arrived where it was needed. From port operations to Logistic Support Vessel (LSV) transport, 8th TSC’s posture and distribution planning set the foundation for the exercise’s success.
“We focus on posture and distribution throughout the Pacific,” said Master Sgt. Shawn O’Toole, Senior Airdrop Operations Noncommissioned Officer with 8th TSC. “For JPMRC, we synchronize the aerial delivery pieces so that all the supplies and platforms flow together at the right time, cranes, vehicles, parachutes, everything. Every part is a puzzle piece.”
With equipment spread across multiple islands, the Army relies on an asset that is uniquely suited for the Pacific’s dispersed terrain, aerial resupply. That mission heavily incorporates the Parachute Riggers of the 4th Quartermaster Theater Aerial Delivery Company (4th Quartermaster TADC) and supporting personnel.
In support of JPMRC 26-01, these riggers, in addition to Soldiers from supporting units, are responsible for duties on ground at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, including building platforms, certifying vehicles, and preparing Container Delivery System (CDS) bundles, amongst other heavy equipment, destined for Big Island and Maui.
“This is where we showcase what we can do,” said Warrant Officer Aaron Pérez, Airdrop Systems Technician with 4th Quartermaster TADC. “Our role is to advise the commander and ensure everything is done according to the manual, no mess ups. Mission success is equipment landing safely, fully functional, and ready for Soldiers on the ground.”
On the rigging floor at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the operation runs like a machine. Riggers begin each morning with safety briefs and mission updates before staging equipment, assigning lanes, and verifying load plans. Teams of Soldiers work simultaneously across stations, cutting wood, prepping honeycomb pads, inspecting platforms, and securing vehicles for aerial delivery. Every piece of equipment undergoes a three part inspection process, an initial rigger check, a quality control review by a senior rigger, and a final certifying inspection performed or overseen by a Joint Airdrop Inspector. The process ensures every platform meets the exacting standards outlined in the Army’s technical manuals before certification.
“The scale of this mission demands structure and precision,” said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Foust, Aerial Delivery Shop Foreman for the 4th Quartermaster TADC. “We operate in a high-tempo environment, balancing mentorship and production. My job is to make sure each lane has the right mix of experienced riggers and learners so supervision, safety, and mentorship all happen in real time. It’s about reinforcing standards while building confidence in our junior Soldiers.”
For many on the floor, including JPMRC lane chief Sgt. Destiny Clark, a Parachute Rigger with the 4th Quartermaster TADC, the operation is more than just another training event, it’s a reflection of pride in her job. “Here in JPMRC, we all work as a team. Everybody plays a crucial role, riggers, detail Soldiers, movement, aviation,” said Clark. “We have people prepping platforms, forklifts moving heavy loads, others filling water bli vits or securing vehicles for drops. It’s fast-paced, but at the end of the day, seeing those platforms make it safely to the ground reminds us why we take every step seriously.”
As JPMRC 26-01 draws to a close, the mission doesn’t end when the last platform hits the ground. Recovering and returning equipment across multiple islands is its own operation, one that demands just as much synchronization, accountability, and discipline as the initial movement. Once the final training objectives are met, units begin consolidating their gear, inspecting serial numbers, and preparing everything for transport off the Big Island.
For many Soldiers, the exercise ends with another lift, 11th Airborne Division troops load fresh parachutes and jump back into Alaska to maximize training value, while 25th Infantry Division Soldiers recover vehicles and platforms from the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) and stage them for the return trip to Oahu. Army watercraft play a key role in this phase, particularly the LSV.
Built to move heavy loads across the ocean, the LSV enables transportation units and Army mariners to safely return vehicles, platforms, and other cargo that parachuted into the PTA. Each voyage reinforces mariner proficiency and strengthens a capability the Army uniquely relies on in the Indo-Pacific. “The more LSVs sail, the better their Soldiers become,” said O’Toole. “These exercises give them real-world repetitions that matter.”
Behind the scenes, this redeployment phase is not improvised, it’s the result of detailed planning conferences held nearly a year in advance. That early coordination allows movement teams, transportation units, and Army mariners to transition smoothly from the first shipment to the final recovery. Accountability remains paramount, hand receipt holders verify every serial number before loading, and again on the drop zone, ensuring every item returns to its parent unit.
This final movement is more than a logistical requirement, it is a readiness imperative. “Success can’t be measured until the complete conclusion of an exercise,” O’Toole emphasized. “Successful equipment recovery contributes to readiness by keeping equipment staged for the next mission.”
As the last LSV docks at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the final parachute systems and heavy equipment are shipped back to Alaska, the full picture of JPMRC becomes clear, from rigging floors to drop zones to ocean crossings, every Soldier, every platform, and every movement is part of the larger effort to keep Indo-Pacific forces trained, ready, and forward-postured for whatever comes next.