CAMP ATTERBURY, IND – The Alabama Army National Guard’s 167th Theater Sustainment Command, Fort McClellan, Ala., deployed approximately 60 soldiers here in support of Operation Vibrant Response 12.1. VR12.1 is a national exercise designed to test the preparedness of various federal, state and local emergency responders. The exercise provides the best training to these “first responders” in the event of a national emergency.
Exercise Vibrant Response 12.1 is a Defense Support of Civil Authorities training event that replicates the federal military role in responding to a 10-kiloton nuclear detonation in a major American city. This exercise is designed to provide relevant and realistic staff-level training that challenges military personnel to perform their mission and achieve desired effects in support of overall mission objectives.
The 167th provides logistical support to U.S. military forces during DSCA missions such as the one in the training exercise. They do so in support of U.S. Army North in conjunction with Joint Task Force-Civil Support. Logistical support includes the coordination and supply of food, water, ice, fuel, uniforms and other equipment that military personnel need in order to accomplish their mission.
Every staff section of the TSC is represented at 167th Headquarters Forward at Camp Atterbury. Their mission is to provide logistical planning, run the Base Support Installation and in-process soldiers who are coming into the area. They also are responsible for overseeing the ‘staging yard’ where every vehicle is staged. Soldiers who are part of the mission also come through this area to receive an in-briefing, get their first view of the on-going mission and handle any personnel issues they may have at arrival.
The 167th also has a Judge Advocate General in place at Camp Atterbury to support the legal aspects of the operation, such as Standing Rules of Force, mortuary affairs and local laws. They also have a public affairs office non-commissioned officer-in-charge whose job is to advise the commander, give a “heads-up” view to the exercise operators on what the 167th is doing, respond to exercise media queries, take photographs and support the 167th rear element in Alabama.
Brig. Gen. Allan Harrell, deputy commanding general of the 167th TSC, is at Camp Atterbury with the forward team. Harrell is constantly engaged with the exercise. His duties include overseeing operations, checking messages, attending briefings and greeting visiting general officers.
“I am proud of the job our Soldiers are doing in support of VR12.1,” he said. “Our officers, NCOs and soldiers hit the ground running and haven’t slowed down since we deployed here. They know we are here for the duration and that others are taking a good look at our considerable capabilities.”
The 167th Theater Sustainment Command, as the senior logistics command, provides mission command of theater sustainment forces on the U.S. Northern Command Area of Operations; conducts theater opening; establishes and operates theater distribution systems and provides sustainment of Title 10 forces conducting Defense Support of Civil Authorities operations.