translog

THE JOURNAL OF SURFACE 

DEPLOYMENT AND DISTRIBUTION

Summer 2009

Relentless

Support

to the

Warfighter
2 translog Summer 2009

TRANSLOG is published by the Office of Command Affairs, 

Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, 

Headquarters, 709 Ward Drive, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois 

62225, in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1.

All photos property U.S. Army, unless otherwise noted.

Views expressed in TRANSLOG are not necessarily those of 

the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, or the Military Surface Deployment 

and Distribution Command. Reference to commercial products or services does not imply Army endorsement. Unless 

otherwise stated, TRANSLOG material may be reprinted if 

credit is given to TRANSLOG and the author.

Submissions: TRANSLOG considers all manuscripts, photo essays, artwork, white papers and general news about military 

transportation, its history, and related human endeavors. 

Material, including photos, may be mailed or sent electronically. Scanned and digital images should be in full-color TIFF 

or JPEG format, at resolution of 300 pixels per inch at 100 

percent size (at least 3” x 4”; preferably larger).

For additional guidance on submissions, content, distribution, 

or address changes contact the editor: 

Mike W. Petersen, Editor

(618) 220-5197

sddc.safb.translog@us.army.mil

translog

THE JOURNAL OF SURFACE 

DEPLOYMENT AND DISTRIBUTION

is a quarterly publication of

Military Surface Deployment 

and Distribution Command 

Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge

Commanding General

Command Sgt. Maj. Tomás Hawkins

Command Sergeant Major

Scott Ross

Director of Command Affairs

Mike W. Petersen

Editor

features 

departments 

Summer 2009

From the Command Sergeant Major 3

ITV: In Transit Visibility 4

History: The Case for Consolidation 9

Transitions 12 

White Papers: Changing role of the DDSB 35

Professional Development: Improving for the Soldier 27

SDDC in pictures 43

Rehearsals key to mission success 14

Charleston to Kandahar 16

Joint Operations at JAXPORT 20

SDDC’s Special Operators 22 

TRANSLOTS 2009 24 

Reserve staff train for downrange mission 26

World War II hero gets overdue honors 28 

NCOs, Soldiers rise to greater challenges 30

NCOs sharpen warrior skills in Belgium 32

Workshop brings together container experts 38

Q&A: Col. Sue Davidson 40

28 32

9 35 SDDC 4

16
3 translog

Surface Warriors,

A lot has happened over the last few months. We’ve had another successful Training Symposium, Commanders Conference 

and other events, to include the co-hosting of the Army Birthday 

Ball in St. Louis. We’ve said farewell and wished continued success to a few of our teammates who have gone off to do bigger 

and better things. We’ve also said hello to some new members 

of the SDDC family and look forward to their contributions to 

enhance our being Committed, Dependable and Relentless. 

The Year of the NCO has had much success throughout the 

command as shown through NCO-led programs, staff rides and 

professional development sessions emphasizing the core values 

of the NCO Corps as outlined in the NCO Creed. I salute all who 

stand in support of this effort and applaud our outstanding Corps. 

As always, there’s still a lot yet to come as we engage in the 

responsible drawdown in Iraq and the build up in Afghanistan. 

We continue to stay focused on the Army Enterprise, and specifically the Materiel and Joint Distribution Enterprises and how 

we fit in to support them. Our relationship with our Reserve units continues to improve and our 

Rapid Port Opening Elements (RPOEs) are being verified, manned and equipped in our mission 

to provide seamless support to the warfighter. 

Lastly, we move closer to completing our BRAC move. The movement of the remainder of 

the Headquarters and Operations Center from Fort Eustis is on track to start in the May-June 

timeframe next near. The new building looks to be completed ahead of schedule. So, as you can 

see, we have a lot to look forward to and be thankful for. 

Again, thanks to the SDDC workforce, the Global Surface Transportation Experts, for the 

trust and confidence they inspire through their daily efforts. Until next time ....

from the Command Sergeant Major

Let’s Roll

Summer 2009

2009 - The Year of the Noncommissioned Officer

SDDC extends its gratitude to the “Backbone of the Army” for 

taking care of Soldiers and serving our nation. 

For more on the outstanding NCOs of SDDC, see the special 

section starting on page 30.
4 translog

in transit visibility ITV transportation and logistics news in brief

in transit visibility

Summer 2009

SDDC welcomed two units into its family in 

a patch-changing ceremony held May 15 at the 

command’s Fort Eustis, Va., facility. The ceremony signified the transfer of authority of the 

688th and 689th Rapid Port Opening Elements 

from the 7th Sustainment Brigade to the 597th 

Transportation Terminal Group.

 Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge, SDDC commander, hosted the ceremony welcoming the 

two units into SDDC’s fold. He spotlighted the 

history of the Army’s patches which date back 

to World War I, stating that each shoulder sleeve 

insignia is crafted with symbolism alluding to 

each unit’s formation.

Hodge told the units’ Soldiers that he knows 

how proud they’ve been to wear the 7th Sustainment Brigade patch as well as the tradition it 

signifies. In fact, Hodge shared that he, too, was 

proud to have worn the same patch during his 

first assignment as a young lieutenant with the 

97th Heavy Boat Company, 10th Battalion, 7th 

Transportation Group.

 “I hope that you are equally proud to 

wear the SDDC patch, demonstrating to all at 

a glance that you are committed, dependable 

and relentless,” said Hodge. “Part of SDDC’s 

vision and focus for the future is to become 

the operational and deployment and distribution champion. This patch changing ceremony 

is part of the realization of that vision. I take 

seriously SDDC’s new responsibility for the 

readiness, manning and equipping of your fine 

units.”

Col. Charles F. Maskell, commander, 7th 

Sustainment Brigade, and Command Sgt. Maj. 

Lesley T. McCorkle, 7th Sustainment Brigade, 

participated in the ceremonial removal of the 

units’ brigade patch. Col. Craig B. Hymes, 

597th Trans. Gp. commander, and Command 

Sgt. Maj. Allen B. Offord, Jr., 597th Trans. Gp., 

next moved forward for the ceremonial changing 

of the patch by both units.

The 688th and 689th are the first active 

duty Army units created specifically to provide 

surface transportation expertise for Joint Task 

Force – Port Opening (JTF-PO). As an interim 

measure, a provisional reserve unit was formed 

to meet immediate requirements. The reserve 

unit was designated as the Transportation Port 

Opening Element (TPOE) and assigned to 

SDDC’s 597th Trans. Gp. at Fort Eustis since 

June 14, 2006, but was located at Fort Dix, N.J., 

adjacent to McGuire Air Force Base where the 

621st Contingency Response Wing is based. 

SDDC gains Rapid Port Opening Elements

Story and photo by June Pagan

SDDC Command Affairs
5 translog

Summer 2009

The 816th, 817th and the 818th Contingency 

Response Groups (CRG), assigned to the 621st 

CRW, make up the other half of the JTF-PO.

On July 1, 2008, the TPOE was inactivated 

and the 688th assumed its current mission. In 

October 2008, the 689th was stood up, and both 

RPOEs now serve as part of the U.S. Transportation Command’s JTF-PO. 

On order, the RPOEs will deploy with a U.S. 

Air Force Air Mobility Command CRG Air Element as a joint expeditionary logistics force to 

establish an aerial port of debarkation, forward 

distribution node, in-transit visibility, and conduct clearance and distribution operations. The 

RPOEs receive and transload cargo as an initial 

entry port opening force until relieved by, or 

integrated into, follow-on sustainment forces.

 “Following a certification exercise the week 

of May 18, we will have our first RPOE validated and trained to support JTF-PO seaport 

operations,” said Hymes. “Command Sgt. Major 

Offord and I are pleased to have both the 688th 

and 689th RPOEs join the 597th team.”

The 597th Trans. Gp. has been located at Fort 

Eustis since July 2005. Today, the Group provides command and control for the 832nd (Jacksonville), 833rd (Seattle), the 841st (Charleston), and the 842nd (Beaumont) Transportation 

Battalions who ensure SDDC’s vital mission is 

accomplished. Prior to relocating to Fort Eustis, 

the 597th was located on the west bank of the 

Cape Fear River at the Military Ocean Terminal, 

Sunny Point in Southport, N.C.

 “You can count on team ‘Movers’ to continue to provide the warfighter with world-class 

strategic surface deployment and redeployment 

through United States ports,” said Hymes. “I 

am proud to have the 688th and 689th wear the 

SDDC patch, sharing our mission as global surface transportation experts.” 

Soldiers from 688th and 699th Rapid Port Opening Elements take part in a ceremony as they become part of SDDC’s 597th Transportation Group May 15 at Fort Eustis, Va.
in transit visibility

6 translog

in transit visibility ITV transportation and logistics news in brief

Summer 2009

SDDC announces Civilian Employee of the Year

By Cherrie Moore, SDDC G8

Brenda L. Short has been named SDDC Civilian Performer of the Year for 2008. Short is a 

budget analyst in the Budget Formulation Branch 

at SDDC headquarters at Scott AFB, Ill.

Working with a senior analyst, Short researched financial records and compiled detailed 

data which resulted in the collection of $165 million in Traffic Management and Port Readiness 

revenue from the services. 

During the fiscal year 2008 close-out process, two key G8 reports showed a difference 

of $43 million. Using her skill and attention to 

detail, Short was able to reconcile the difference 

between the two reports, which allowed SDDC 

to use the funds toward mission requirements. 

Without her hard work and diligent research, SDDC wouldn’t have fully executed the 

FY08 program, thereby averting some critical program funding shortfalls. 

“All of the Budget Formulation Branch members are new to SDDC, so there was no 

corporate knowledge to tap here at Scott AFB,” said Linda Wilson, SDDC G8. “Mrs. 

Short learned from everyone available how the data and financial processes flow, and 

willingly shares her knowledge and skills with enthusiasm.”

Brenda L. Short, budget analyst, was 

honored as the SDDC Civilian Employee of the Year.

SDDC awarded for 

chemical safety 

Story and photo by June Pagan

SDDC Command Affairs

George Gounley, chief, Rail Fleet Branch, 

SDDC G9, attended an award ceremony April 

1 in Atlanta to accept CSX Transportation’s 

Chemical Safety Excellence Award on behalf 

of SDDC. 

This year, SDDC was one of 64 shippers 

recognized by CSX Transportation for the 

annual award that reflects each winning organization’s commitment to rail car maintenance 

and safety as well as continuous, safe tank car 

loading. 

“Throughout the challenging economic 

environment, these CSEA award winners have 

remained focused on the safe loading and 

unloading of their fleet, and maintaining their 

fleet in safe working condition,” said Dean 

Piacente, CSX vice president - Chemicals and 

Fertilizer.

SDDC manages the Defense Freight Railway Interchange Fleet, which numbers almost 

2,100 rail cars, and according to Gounley, this 

award reflects the attention to detail by users 

of DFRIF rail cars.
7 translogSummer 2009

SDDC names 841st captain Junior 

Officer of the Year

By Mike W. Petersen, Editor

Capt. Philip S. Raumberger was recognized as SDDC’s 

top junior officer during the command’s Annual Training 

Symposium in Atlanta.

Raumberger was named by SDDC leadership as the Maj. 

Gen. Henry Del Mar Junior Officer of the Year. He serves 

with SDDC’s 841st Transportation Battalion in Charleston, S.C., as the port operations officer. Prior to coming to 

SDDC in April 2007, Raumberger was an Infantry Officer 

with 101st Airborne Division and deployed twice to Iraq. 

“While executing his first logistics assignment since 

leaving the Infantry, his exceptional performance and expertise has rivaled that of a seasoned logistician,” said Maj. 

Isabel Geiger, operations officer for 841st Trans. Bn. “He 

is exactly the type of leader the Army needs and hopes for 

in the toughest situations; morally courageous, technically 

competent, and totally dedicated to excellence.”

As a result of his dedication, the 841st shipped more than 8,000 MRAPs in 2008. In addition, 

under his watch as operations officer, the 841st has successfully handled 135 vessels, more than 

1,550 trucks, 6,300 railcars and more than 30,000 pieces of rolling stock in the last year.

The Del Mar award, named for SDDC’s longest-serving commanding general, is awarded to 

one SDDC active component officer of the rank of captain or below. The award seeks to recognize 

a junior officer’s performance and achievements both on duty and in his community.

Capt. Philip Raumberger, 841st 

Trans. Bn., was named SDDC Junior 

Officer of the Year.

“SDDC works with both shippers and 

receivers of hazardous materials to address promptly any car defects they may 

discover,” said Gounley. “In addition, we 

have established and frequently update 

preventive maintenance standards for all 

DFRIF cars, including the hazmat cars. 

These standards go beyond government 

regulation requirements and the railroad’s 

interchange rules to maximize the safety 

and availability of the fleet.”

George Gounley, chief, Rail Fleet Branch, 

with the CSX Transportation’s Chemical Safety 

Excellence Award.
8 translog

in transit visibility in transit visibility ITV transportation and logistics news in brief

Summer 2009

Dunwoody visits SDDC in Italy

Story and Photos by Joyce Costello, U.S. Army 

Garrison Livorno Public Affairs

Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command and Dean 

Popps, acting Assistant Secretary of Army (Acquisitions, Logistics and Technology) visited 

SDDC’s 839th Transportation Battalion on Camp 

Darby, Italy, June 8.

SDDC, the Army component of U.S. Transportation Command, falls under AMC for Army 

administrative support, and Dunwoody believes 

that benefits both commands.

“Now SDDC has Army top cover for resources they may need,” said Dunwoody. “They have a 

tremendous relationship with U.S. Transportation 

Command, which gives them operational orders and missions; and we give them the administrative 

support, whether it’s through personnel or resources.”

Lt. Col. Robert King, 839th Trans. Bn. commander, added that his unit is better resourced because of this relationship.

“I believe it has really made a difference knowing that we have a four star general taking on 

SDDC issues and working for resources for the command,” said King.

Dunwoody was SDDC’s commanding general from 2002-2004. Dunwoody and Popps also visited 3/405th Army Field Support Brigade and U.S. Army Africa Command during their visit.

POVs ship to Papa

By Janice Griffin, SDDC Personal Property

On short notice in January, the Air Force 

requested the assistance of SDDC’s Global 

Privately-owned Vehicle Team to assist with the 

establishment of POV operations at Papa, Hungary. The NATO Air Base, which supports airlift 

operations for 12 nations, was established in 

2008.

Terry Griffin, the Global POV Program 

Manager in SDDC’s Personal Property Directorate, developed a detailed plan for the shipment 

and delivery of 39 POVs to Papa, approximately 

100 miles west of Budapest. Working closely with 

the prime contractor for the Global POV contract, Air Force staff, and the contracting officer 

from USTRANSCOM, the team addressed many 

challenges. The plan called for staging military 

members’ POVs at the port of Bremerhaven, Germany for consolidation and line haul movement to 

Papa. As a result of the planning and execution by 

SDDC, the Air Force, and the contractor, POVs 

were delivered March 3 to Air Force personnel in 

Papa – weeks ahead of schedule and with significant savings to the government. 

POVs are delivered to Soldiers at Papa, Hungary.

Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, commanding general, 

AMC, greets Staff Sgt. Nadia Smith, 839th Trans. 

Bn. during her visit to Camp Darby, Italy in June.
translog 9

Summer 2009

The Case for Consolidation In 1982, Maj. Gen. John Bruen 

helped make a case for a single 

transportation command By Dr. Kent Beck 

SDDC Command Historian

Anyone who has served in a military command 

headquarters, DOD agency or federal department knows that congressional testimony by 

the commander, director, or secretary is a big event. 

Congressional testimony demands intense staff preparation over weeks culminating with a careful rehearsal 

and the appearance itself. 

Yet, most hearings generate a limited number of 

questions, and once those inquiries are answered satisfactorily, “business as usual” often resumes. 

The Senate Armed Services Committee hearing 

June 17, 1982 was far from ordinary. It featured a 

statement by Deputy Secretary of Defense Frank C. 

Carlucci in favor of a Joint Chiefs of Staff proposal 

to integrate Military Sealift Command and Military 

Traffic Management Command into a unified Military 

Transportation Command (MTC). Since Secretary 

of the Navy John F. Lehman had opposed the MTC 

initiative previously in March 1982 testimony before 

the House Armed Services Committee, Carlucci’s case 

attracted unusual interest. 

Nevertheless, by August 

1982, the MTC plan had been 

blocked in Congress. As it 

turned out, lawmakers would 

not authorize a unified transportation command until 1986.

Amid the debate over 

MTC, the testimony of MTMC’s commander, Maj. Gen. 

John D. Bruen, attracted only 

passing notice. The official 

chronology of the emergence 

of United States Transportation 

Command noted in passing 

that Deputy Secretary Carlucci’s position had been “supported at those hearings by the 

Director of the Joint Staff and 

Commander, MTMC.” 

Bruen’s point of view is 

worth recalling 27 years later 

because his case for integration rested on a strong 

sense of MTMC’s role, an active sense of history, and 

key considerations of mobility strategy. 

When it emerged, USTRANSCOM was not MTC, 

but the mobility issues raised by Bruen in 1982 would 

occupy the new joint command and its Army component command into the first decade of the next century. 

His ideas and recommendations did not die.

MTMC in 1982 already had a large, global role, 

and its responsibilities were growing. Bruen’s opening statement pointed out that his command acted as a 

central traffic manager for defense surface cargo and 

controlled 97 percent of all DOD tonnage in the continental United States. Its additional impact included 

port selection and terminal management at home and 

at ports in Europe and the Pacific. This global operation carried 11,343,000 measurement tons in fiscal 

1981. 

Other well-established MTMC roles in fiscal year 

1981 ranged from managing 728,000 personal property and 93,000 private vehicle 

moves by uniformed personnel 

and DOD civilians, as well as over 

800,000 DOD passenger movements. In late 1981, DOD had 

transferred ocean carrier booking and contract administration 

from Military Sealift Command 

to MTMC. The Pentagon also had 

named MTMC as DOD’s single 

global manager for intermodal 

containers in war and peace.

After offering an overview of 

MTMC’s entire mission, including 

personal property moves, private 

vehicle moves, DOD passenger 

movements and transportation 

engineering, the MTMC commander was prepared to 

make the case that integrating the two surface 

commands would save 

Maj. Gen. John Bruen 

MTMC commanding general, 1979-83
translog 10

40 years ago

An article titled “The Army’s Truckathon,” by 

Michel R. Scott, commemorated the first long-distance truck convoy, starting July 7, 1919. It took 

the Army convoy 60 days to reach San Francisco 

from Washington, D.C.

Transportation Proceedings, July 1969

30 years ago

“The U.S. had eight skyjack attempts in 1978, a 

new high since screening passengers and carryon luggage began six years ago ... From [1973] 

through 1978 there were 25 attempts to hijack 

U.S. airliners, with one success.”

Newsreview, TRANSLOG, July 1979

from the archives

Summer 2009

money, improve efficiency and enhance combat effectiveness by being “a single, responsive military traffic 

management organization.” The Military Transportation Command would institute common procedures 

and in time develop joint communications systems. 

It would have the prestige to raise surface logistics 

issues with combatant commanders so that land/sea 

supply and transportation considerations would not 

be overlooked or minimized. MTC also would be a 

single point of contact with commercial shippers, the 

Air Force’s Military Airlift Command (MAC), and 

the new Joint Deployment Agency (JDA). 

Including MAC in the MTC was not urgent, since airlift was responsible for 

only five percent of overall cargo 

tonnage. 

While Bruen predicted that 

a new joint command would 

promote a better future, he also 

came armed with summary lessons from World War II, Korea, 

and Vietnam to buttress his view 

that further consolidation would be 

the smart choice in the 1980’s. 

His briefing papers included a list 

of significant problems encountered from 1941-45, beginning 

with an enormous shortage of 

shipping which severely limited the nation’s power 

in the early stages of the conflict. As late as 1944, 

overseas commands retained many vessels to use as 

floating warehouses, since regional ports had a limited 

capability to receive and distribute supplies effectively. Theater commands also overestimated their 

requirements. 

With the World War II military transportation 

structure largely intact, surface mobilization for the 

Korean War was handled by far fewer people with 

relative efficiency. Congestion in the Republic of 

Korea ranked as the primary problem. 

Despite being a new command (activated Feb. 

15, 1965), Military Traffic Management and Terminal 

Service (MTMTS) guided the deployment of 129.4 

million measurement tons from the continental United 

States to South Vietnam from 1965-1975. Recalling 

this remarkable debut, the MTMC “lessons” from 

Vietnam included the proud note that port congestion 

at home was never a major problem. 

Breakdowns and crew shortages on old 

ships mobilized to carry cargo to Southeast Asia ranked as the largest problem, followed by limited facilities, a 

shortage of trained port personnel 

and automated data processing in 

South Vietnam.

MTC was needed, in Bruen’s 

view, because the crucial strategic mobility challenge was “getting Army and Marine Corps to the 

theater” and supporting one or more 

combatant commanders. As 

he saw it, the Navy Secretary’s 

objections should not prevail because the Army was the primary 

customer of defense transportation, generating 64 percent of the cargo in peacetime 

and 88 percent of the surface traffic in a major conflict 

scenario. 

The new command would accelerate planning 

and deployment in a crisis or conflict and save money 

by standardizing planning and communications systems. Bruen also felt a single surface mobility command would “assist in obtaining visibility of cargo on 

land, at ports and on the high seas.” These arguments 

The proposed shield for the unrealized 

Military Transportation Command.
ultimately rested on a “common 

user orientation” which placed 

supporting deployed forces 

ahead of a service unique 

perspective.

Twenty-seven years 

later, MTMC’s losing effort (in a supporting role) 

in 1982 may have been for 

the best. As it turned out, an 

Army-Navy compromise in 

August 1983 contained the assurance that MSC would survive 

as a separate command under a 

future unified transportation command. 

Following the Packard Commission’s February 1986 recommendation that MAC be added to a 

unified transportation command, the Goldwater-Nichols Act of September 1986 directed 

the Defense Department to consider 

creating a single United States Transportation Command. When it was 

activated in 1987, USTRANSCOM 

initially was restricted to planning for 

a wartime transport role and was led 

by “dual-hatted” commanders of MAC 

(later Air Mobility Command) until 

November 2005. 

More authority and a series of 

large operations since Operation Desert Shield compelled USTRANSCOM 

to focus on surface as well as air issues. When USTRANSCOM gained 

the peacetime mobility mission in 

February 1992 and became the Distribution Process Owner in September 

2003, MTMC (later SDDC) gradually 

gained an increased role in managing 

surface mobility. 

SDDC’s enlarged mission grew 

to include joint traffic management, liner sealift, global container management, deployment 

and distribution support teams as 

well as in-transit visibility of cargo. Over time, in a subordinate 

role to USTRANSCOM, SDDC 

gained many aspects of the enhanced authority that Bruen sought 

from Congress in 1982. The Senate 

hearing of June 17, 1982 soon was forgotten, but, despite near-term setbacks, much 

of Bruen’s vision ultimately prevailed.

11 translog

20 years ago

U.S. Transportation Command took an active role 

in the deployment of U.S. forces to Panama ordered by President Bush May 11, 1989. Operation 

Nimrod Dancer was the first operational deployment managed by USTRANSCOM.

TRANSLOG, June, 1989

10 years ago

MTMC announced the launch of Electronic Transportation Acquisition Suite, a web-based technology suite allowing shipments between nearly 800 

installations to be arranged online, reducing query 

times from 24 hours to a few seconds.

TRANSLOG, Summer, 1999

Summer 2009

Lt. Gen. (Ret .) John Bruen, left, and Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge speak 

during SDDC’s 2009 training symposium.
12 translog

transitions

Summer 2009

The 596th Transportation Terminal Group 

(Ammo) transitioned 

from former commander 

Col. Michael J. Babul, 

to current commander 

Col. Mark J. Hagan

April 16, during a ceremony in Southport, N.C. 

Babul commanded for 

nearly four years at the Military Ocean Terminal Sunny 

Point.

842nd Transportation Battalion at the Port of Beaumont, Texas, conducted a change of command May 

21 aboard the lay-berthed Cape Vincent. The battalion 

welcomed aboard Lt. Col. Tom Clady and bid farewell 

to Lt. Col. Marshall N. Ramsey.

Lt. Col. Rhonda L. Fisher assumed command of 

the 831st Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion, headquartered in Bahrain, from Lt. Col. Michael 

Frego in a ceremony June 11.

Lt. Col. Riley J. Cheramie took command of the 

838th Transportation Battalion during a change of 

command ceremony at the 598th Transportation Group 

Building in Capelle aan den IJssel, The Netherlands on 

June 26. Lt. Col. James E. Anderson, departing commander, will be part of the 

Army War College class of 

2010.

Col. Prescott Marshall, 

SDDC chief of staff, retired after 27 years in the U.S. Army in 

a ceremony June 26 at the Seay 

Auditorium at U.S. Transportation Command Headquarters, 

Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge congratulates 

Col. Prescott Marshall on his retirement 

after 27 years of service to the Army. 

Photo by Bob Fehringer.

Col. Michael J. Babul, Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge, and Col. 

Mark J. Hagan salute during the 596th Trans. Group change 

of command. Photo by Ted Fanning.

Lt. Col. Riley Cheramie, 

838th Trans. Bn. commander.
13 translog Summer 2009

Lt. Col. Kenneth 

Walker, assumed command of the 835th Transportation Battalion from 

Lt. Col. Jonathan Watson

in a June 29 ceremony at 

Naha, Okinawa, Japan.

Lt. Col. Randy Haufe

handed command of the 

841st Transportation Battalion in Charleston, S.C., 

to Lt. Col. Ines White

July 1.

Col. Dennis Harber

assumed command of 

the 595th Transportation 

Terminal Group from Col. 

Stanley H. Wolosz in a 

ceremony July 6. Wolosz 

departed Kuwait for Scott 

Air Force Base to become 

SDDC’s new chief of staff.

Col. Sue Davidson, 

commander of the 599th Transportation Terminal Group 

passed the colors to Col. Courtney Taylor in a ceremony July 9 at the Battleship Missouri Memorial. Prior 

to her departure, Davidson sat down for a question and 

answer session which can be found on page 40.

Col. Dave McClean, SDDC G5 retired July 14 in a 

ceremony at the Seay Auditorium at U.S. Transportation 

Command Headquarters, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Col. 

Richard J. Kramer is the new SDDC G5.

The 597th Transportation Terminal Group welcomed 

new commander Col. Jeff Helmick in a July 17 ceremony at Fort Eustis, Va., and bid farewell to retiring 

commander Col. Craig Hymes.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Watson, outgoing commander of the 

835th Trans. Bn. in Okinawa, relinquishes the unit colors to 

Col. Susan A. Davidson, commander of the 599th Trans. 

Group during a change of command ceremony June 29.

Col. Stanley Wolosz, SDDC 

chief of staff.
14 translog Summer 2009

I

n March, a key unit move took place on the 

Korean Peninsula that affected the strategic 

deployment of air power in this theater. In the 

planning phases for almost three years, the 1-2 

Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, a subordinate 

unit of the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Camp 

Humphries, was ordered to move to its new home 

at Fort Carson, Colo., and begin training to deploy 

later next year.

Since most units in Korea are not yet part of 

the Army Force Generation deployment cycles, 

unit moves as large as this one are rare. The 

602nd Aviation Support Battalion was tasked to 

plan, support and execute the movement of unit 

equipment from Camp Humphries to the Port of 

Busan. Then, as the single port manager for Korea, the 837th Transportation Battalion received, 

staged and loaded all unit cargo at Pier 8 in Busan 

aboard the commercial vessel, MV Green Dale. 

“It was a tremendous opportunity for us to 

demonstrate our total commitment, dependability 

and relentless pursuit of excellence in support 

of the 2nd Infantry Division warfighter,” said 

Lt. Col. Tripp Blanton, 837th Trans. Bn. commander.

One of the immediate challenges associated 

with this mission was ensuring that coordinating 

and executing units understood the standards for 

ocean cargo shipments and the steps required to 

make certain all unit equipment was prepared, 

inspected and loaded properly. In addition to the 

education process for a deploying unit, continuity of key players was a struggle as well. Since 

many tours of duty in Korea are still only one 

year in length, identifying and synchronizing 

planning efforts needed to be done very deliberately and far ahead of the execution timeline.

The 602nd ASB hosted several in-progress 

Rehearsals key to mission success

By Capt. Brian Young,

837th Transportation Battalion

2nd Infantry Division Soldiers carefully move an attack helicopter to the staging and tear down area.
15 translog Summer 2009

reviews leading up to a rehearsal of concept drill 

hosted by the 837th at Pier 8 thirty days before 

the ship’s arrival. The rehearsal was attended by 

the assistant division commander for support of 

the 2nd Infantry Division, Col. James Creighton. 

The event provided an opportunity for leaders 

from all supporting units to sit face-to-face and 

walk through the mission from aircraft arrival to 

ship’s departure. Each unit briefed its responsibilities from the timeline, highlighting crucial 

points of execution that would take place. 

“This rehearsal was a total success for both 

units,” commented Maj. David Law, Delta Company Commander for the 602nd ASB. “It allowed for us to get everyone on the same page.”

Following the ROC drill mission analysis, the 

602nd ASB conducted another “aircraft reception” and “blade-team” rehearsal the day before 

the aircraft arrived. This event improved Soldiers’ confidence in their ability to safely receive 

and stage multiple aircraft simultaneously alongside the pier. Since both rolling-stock cargo and 

aircraft were being received at the same time, 

it was important all Soldiers and civilians were 

aware of established traffic patterns and 837th 

safety standard operating procedures (SOPs). 

Both of these rehearsals left every leader, Soldier 

and contractor confident in the plan.

The MV Green Dale arrived at Pier 8 March 

17. The 837th “Kargo Kings” terminal operations team, led by Lou Lansangan, terminal operations chief, loaded 418 pieces onboard the vessel over the next two days, including 24 Apache 

attack helicopters. Because of the rehearsals of 

the upload, the team was able to safely conduct 

simultaneous discharge and upload of rolling 

stock and Apaches. This process allowed for a 

more efficient upload and saved lead time over 

the course of the operation. 

The 602nd ASB used three load teams for 

the helicopters: one team to bring the aircraft 

to the top of the ship’s ramp, another to pull the 

aircraft into its stow location and the last team 

to tie down the helicopter. This process sped up 

the loading significantly and kept personnel and 

equipment utilized at all times.

“In terms of efficiency, teamwork, and planning, the mission was a complete success,” said 

Law. “Prior coordination paid off and both units 

agreed that rehearsals played a huge part in this 

achievement.”

Maj. Gen. John Morgan, the 2nd Infantry Division commander, visited the operation and said 

he was pleased with SDDC’s capability to leverage commercial assets to support the warfighter. 

“SDDC makes it look easy for us, and it’s 

greatly appreciated,” Morgan said as he departed 

Pier 8.

Capt. Brian Young, 837th Trans. Bn. operations officer (center,) participates in a Rehearsal of Concept 

drill with 2nd Infantry Division Soldiers prior to receiving 24 attack helicopters at Pier 8 in Busan.
16 translog Summer 2009

I

n April, Military Sealift Command transported 100 new and recently refurbished Black Hawk, 

Apache, Chinook and Kiowa Warrior helicopters from the U.S. East Coast to the Middle East – a 

move that doubled the number of U.S. military helicopters in Afghanistan. 

MSC personnel and the captain and crew of the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Ready Reserve 

Force roll-on/roll-off ship MV Cape Rise assumed active roles in the combined Navy, Air Force and 

Army operation. In addition to the helicopters, 250 pieces of aviation equipment were moved by ship 

from Charleston to Rota, Spain, 

then by air to Afghanistan in approximately three weeks. 

The arrival of the helicopters 

is expected to greatly improve the 

effectiveness and safety of U.S. 

combat operations in Afghanistan. 

For years, most of the U.S. 

aircraft sent to the country supported troops in the east, where, 

until recently, the United States 

operated its sole aviation brigade 

out of Bagram Air Field located 

at the International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command-East headquarters. 

But these new and recently 

refurbished helicopters were 

destined for ISAF’s regional command in southern Afghanistan, 

where an additional brigade began 

arriving April 1, following a February announcement that several 

thousand more U.S. troops would 

be deployed to the area this year. 

The aircraft quadrupled the 

previous lift capabilities at Kandahar Air Field. The helicopters will support the Operation Enduring 

Freedom efforts of U.S. and NATO forces, including Soldiers from the United Kingdom, Canada, 

Australia, Romania and the Netherlands.

A small aviation inventory – 20 helicopters – in Kandahar meant that Soldiers in the south primarily traveled in ground vehicles. This increased the threat of roadside bombs. 

“Acquiring more helos helps troops avoid land transportation and aids us in countering Improvised Explosive Devices, which are currently the biggest threat to Soldiers in Afghanistan,” said 

Army Lt. Col. Edwin Brouse, the deputy brigade commander of the Army’s 82nd Combat Aviation 

Brigade. Brouse deployed to Kandahar from Fort Bragg, N.C., in late April with other members of 

Charleston to Kandahar

Joint effort delivers much needed airlift for Army

An Apache attack helicopter is towed aboard the MV Cape 

Rise during the loading of the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade 

at Charleston, S.C.

By Meghan Patrick

Military Sealift Command Public Affairs
17 translog Summer 2009

his airborne unit to function as part of the new 

brigade’s first combat unit. 

But before the helicopters reached Kandahar Province, higher in altitude but physically 

similar to Iraq, the aircraft endured a long 

journey facilitated by many players.

“It was truly an all hands effort,” said Tom 

D’Agostino, MSC’s representative in Charleston since 1986, who helped to synchronize the 

numerous forces and organizations that worked 

together to execute the important operation. 

D’Agostino later received a Maritime Administration letter of appreciation for his support to 

the vessel. 

Cape Rise’s civilian ship master, Capt. 

Gary Hill, and his crew of nine civilians 

quickly switched into high gear when Cape 

Rise, ordinarily layberthed in Portsmouth, Va., 

was activated March 25. 

Cape Rise is one of 50 Ready Reserve 

Force ships that offset the shortage of commercial U.S.-flagged ships that are able to transport large combat equipment. When activated, 

RRF ships come under the operational control 

of MSC and supplement the command’s surge 

sealift fleet. With 20 additional mariners hired 

specifically for the voyage, the ship set sail for Charleston March 31, arriving the next day. 

D’Agostino spent the next few days coordinating the loading of the helicopters and numerous 

other pieces of heavy equipment onto the ship, a role in which he is well practiced. In 2008, MSC 

loaded and delivered 8,351 pieces – 71,059 tons of cargo – from Charleston. Ninety percent of the 

cargo was destined for the Middle East and Afghanistan. 

D’Agostino also functioned as a liaison between MSC, helicopter technicians contracted by the 

Army to load the cargo and members of the Army’s 841st Transportation Battalion in Charleston 

tasked with load planning and documentation. When a cargo lift experienced some mechanical difficulties, D’Agostino coordinated a revised stow plan with the Army to allow the operation to continue 

with no delays while the elevator was being repaired. 

“Helos require special care to ensure they are not jostled around,” explained Hill, who has delivered the valuable cargo many times in his 30-year seafaring career. En route to Rota, Hill maneuvered the ship at a slow, safe speed and closely monitored the weather forecast to ensure that strong 

winds and other weather threats did not harm the helicopters.

Six noncommissioned officers from the 82nd CAB rode the ship to help protect and maintain the 

A stevedore waits in a Chinook staged 

aboard the MV Cape Rise during the joint 

effort to deploy the 82nd Combat Aviation 

Brigade to Operation Enduring Freedom.
18 translog Summer 2009

helicopters while in transit. Soldiers fulfilling roles in this capacity are subject-matter experts, proficient in helicopter logistics in this case, and are referred to as ‘supercargo’ while en route. 

When Cape Rise docked in Rota April 14, the next operational team was ready to greet the mariners and supercargo, and immediately start on the next leg of the delivery. 

Robert Foster, MSC’s civilian shore representative since 2006, was among those preparing for 

the arrival of the ship at U.S. Naval Station Rota, located on the Spanish navy’s Base Naval de Rota. 

Foster, who is responsible for all 

of MSC’s port operations in Rota and 

who supports operations in other European ports and Africa, explained that 

while a shipping destination located 

further east would be more appropriate for a delivery to Afghanistan, Rota 

was chosen as a sea-to-air transition 

point because it is the only naval base 

in the Middle East or Europe with a 

port and an airfield. This permits the 

transfer of cargo between ship and 

plane to occur within the base’s gates.

“This convenience, however, 

does not make the helicopter operation an easy task,” said Foster. Rota 

is not traditionally used for strategic 

sealift operations because the port is 

an operating navy base that lacks the 

lay-down space, an open area usually several acres wide required to hold the large cargo moved off 

ships. Unlike ports such as Charleston or Ash Shuaybah, Kuwait, which conduct sealift operations 

daily, Rota has approximately six to 12 dry cargo operations a year. 

Spanish nationals working on the Spanish navy’s Base Naval de Rota use tractor tugs to tow 100 Army 

helicopters 1.5 miles across the base from the ship cargo unloading area to the airfield. The helos 

were transported in groups of eight to 10, in approximately 20-minute-long shifts. (U.S. Navy photo)

A Kiowa Warrior is loaded aboard the Cape Rise during 

the deployment of the 82nd CAB to Afghanistan.
19 translog Summer 2009

Thus, Rota lacks some of the personnel essential to shoreside sealift-operational support. Because Rota is not a strategic hub, it also does not have a military unit stationed nearby. With the 

exception of a few Navy Seabees, there are no forces in the area. In order to properly execute each 

segment of the transport, groups with specific capabilities – including some from other European 

countries – reported to the base to help transfer the helicopters from ship to plane. 

“When Rota does something like this, it’s a big deal,” said Foster, referring to the mass collaborative effort. 

Two dozen Army contractors from the Theater Aviation Sustainment Manager-Europe Unit from 

the 21st Theater Support Command flew in from Germany to offload the helicopters from the ship 

and secure them in ‘tractor tugs’ – large, chain-linked yellow boxes that function as trains, moving 

cargo across the base. 

Spanish nationals working for Rota’s supply and 

warehouse carefully towed 

eight to 10 helicopters at a 

time along base roads to the 

airfield located 1.5 miles 

away. 

The offloading operation 

took two and a half days, 

and involved more than 50 

people who discharged the 

ship and brought the helicopters to the airfield. 

Foster says the movement of helicopters across 

base is a spectacle. “It’s like 

a parade – police escorts and 

stopped traffic lights included,” he observed. 

When the helicopters 

reached the airfield, they 

were received once more by 

members of Theater Aviation Sustainment ManagerEurope, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany. TASM-E spent more than two days providing field, 

sustainment and limited aviation maintenance to both aircraft and aviation ground-support equipment, in addition to loading the helicopters onto the Air Force-operated aircraft designated to fly 

them into theater. 

The Air Force’s 725th Air Mobility Squadron set off for Afghanistan April 17. Each of the approximately 50 aircraft carried two or three helicopters, and two or three members from the 82nd 

Airborne tasked to Rota to accompany the aircraft into theater.

The aircraft arrived in Kandahar in late April, where the helicopters immediately began supporting military movement and activity. 

Brouse expressed his gratitude for the comprehensive effort by recognizing how each body supports in-theater activity. 

“This is a joint environment where we rely completely on each other to sustain until we get into 

the fight.”

SDDC’s 841st Transportation Battalion works load planning and execution at the Port of Charleston, S.C., during the deployment of the 82nd 

Combat Aviation Brigade to Afghanistan in April.
20 translog Summer 2009

As 12,000 pieces of equipment made their 

way to the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) commercial seaport in 

Jacksonville, Fla., the 832nd Transportation Battalion and the U.S. Marine Corps Blount Island 

Command (BIC), in a joint effort, prepared to 

deploy the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade 

(MEB). 

Under the Command of Brig. Gen. Larry 

Nicholas, the 2nd MEB, stationed at Camp 

Lejeune, N.C., deployed this spring in support of 

Operation Enduring Freedom. The deployment 

has brought together two commands who have 

been neighbors on Blount Island Marine Terminal since the 832nd Trans. Bn. arrived in Jacksonville in 2003, yet the two commands have 

never collaborated on such a large mission.

This mission, as 832nd Trans. Bn. safety officer Rafael Leon-Castro explained, “has opened 

up channels of communication that never existed 

before between the two commands.” 

Working with several industry partners, the 

832nd Trans. Bn. and USMC BIC spent several 

days to meticulously plan the documenting, staging, uploading, and stowing of the commercial 

vessels. 

Being one of the premier ports for military 

strategic lift, JAXPORT commercial terminal has 

seen its share of military deployments. The port 

facility realizes the importance of the 832nd in 

support of OIF and OEF, and a solid relationship 

between the two was critical for success. 

With a constant flow of equipment from the 

USMC side of Blount Island, including 1,100 

milvans and more than 900 trailers, staging space 

needed to be addressed. The 832nd and USMC 

BIC effectively worked with JAXPORT terminal 

to ensure that approximately 25 acres of staging 

area for the battalion were free for the duration 

of the mission.

The mission’s success relied heavily on the 

teamwork of a collection of industry partners and 

augmentees. The 832nd called upon the members of the Deployment and Distribution Support Team (DDST) from its sister unit, the 841st 

Trans. Bn. from Charleston, S.C. The seven 

member DDST provided deployment process 

and in-transit visibility expertise that aided the 

A Marine from Blount Island Command places an 

RFID tag and military shipping labels on a 2nd 

Marine Expeditionary Brigade container.

Joint operations at JAXPORT

By Anthony Hill, Jr.

832nd Transportation Battalion
21 translog Summer 2009

832nd in documenting the 2nd 

MEB equipment. 

The 832nd Trans. Bn. also 

sought the help of two Jacksonville 

reserve units, the 352nd Transportation Corps Detachment and 

1186th Deployment Distribution 

Support Battalion, to provide additional marine cargo and traffic 

management support during the 

deployment. Labor and terminal 

services were provided by the 

battalion’s contractor, Stevedoring Service of America. The Port 

Support Activity, provided by 

ITT contractors from Fort Benning, Ga., ensured all maintenance 

and special equipment parts were 

available. And as with every mission, the U.S. Coast Guard and the 

Jacksonville Sheriff’s office provided 24-hour water side and port 

security during operations. 

 From the beginning of the mission, the 

832nd Trans. Bn. encountered its fair share of 

obstacles in the documentation of cargo. Incompatibilities between the Army and Marine 

documentation databases created issues with the 

receipt of cargo from the USMC to the Army 

systems. The majority of the USMC equipment required manual input into the Army’s 

port computer database, Worldwide Port System (WPS), to ensure accurate accountability 

of equipment. The 832nd documentation team 

created more than 4,000 Transportation Control Numbers (TCN), dimensions and serial 

numbers for all of the cargo in WPS. In addition, to ensure 100 percent in-transit visibility, 

the 832nd Trans. Bn. team burned most of the 

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags 

and printed military shipping labels for all the 

deploying equipment. The burning of each tag 

is integral in the movement of each piece of 

equipment, allowing proper tracking and visibility of all the equipment. 

A total of four commercial vessels were 

loaded during the four week deployment exercise, destined for the USCENTCOM area of 

operation. Additional equipment is still being 

received at the USMC Blount Island Command 

for an eventual fifth vessel out load that will 

close out the 2nd MEB deployment. Through 

the diligence of the 832nd, USMC BIC, augmentees, and the various industry partners, the 

mission did not encounter a single safety accident or incident. 

The deployment of the 2nd MEB allowed 

both branches to take a look at each other’s 

logistical process and to learn from one another, 

said Capt. William Reasoner, operations officer 

for the 832nd.

“Working with other service branches is not 

something that is done very often, and in doing 

so, allows each of us to take the good and the 

bad to create a seamless system that will only 

make us better at what we do,” Reasoner said. 

“Though difficult at times, it will make us better 

Soldiers and better Marines.” 

A port crane lifts a 2nd MEB container onto the Westward Venture, a commercial vessel, during load-out operations.
22 translog Summer 2009

By Captain Anderson Raub, 

838th Transportation Battalion, Operations Officer

The successful completion of operations March 19 at Illesheim, Germany demonstrated the agility and flexibility of the 838th Transportation Battalion Deployment and Distribution Support Team (DDST). 

The mission was a collective effort between the deploying unit, 3rd Bn., 58th Aviation 

Regiment’s Air Traffic Services Battalion, 21st Theater Support Command, and the 838th 

Trans. Bn. DDST. 

The significance of this particular mission was that it demonstrated the ability of the 

838th to assemble and push out DDSTs, regardless of lead time, to support operations any 

time or place. 

Operating with little advance notice of the mission, and just coming off of a port operations mission in Antwerp, the team was able to devise a deliberate plan that guaranteed 

the deploying unit’s equipment was prepared for Installation Support Activity inspectors. 

The responsiveness of the DDST in executing an unexpected mission demonstrated 

the team’s intended role in providing support to deploying and redeploying units, according to Maj. Luke Meyers, executive officer for the 838th Trans. Bn.

“[The DDSTs] are uniquely qualified and strategically positioned as an asset within 

SDDC to help facilitate the success of units during Installation Support Activity operaCapt. Anderson Raub, 838th Trans. Bn. operations officer, briefs Soldiers from the 3rd Bn., 58th Avn. 

Regt.’s Aviation Traffic Service Battalion in Illesheim, Germany, as they prepare for deployment. 

838th supported 3rd Bn., 58th Avn. with a Deployment Distribution Support Team. Photo by Wolfgang Scherer, Rhine River Detachment.

SDDC’s Special Operators

Short-notice mission highlights capabilities of 838th Transportation 

Battalion’s Deployment and Distribution Support Team
translog 23 Summer 2009

tions,” said Meyers.

The team assembled to conduct the mission was comprised of Capt. Anderson Raub, 

DDST officer in charge, Sgt. First Class Bobby Blanson, DDST NCOIC, Anthony Armstrong, cargo control, and marine cargo specialists Michel van Marle and Wolfgang 

Scherer.

DDSTs provide support in many aspects of deployment and redeployment operations, 

including containerization processing, identifying and documenting hazardous materials, 

preparing in transit visibility tags, and supporting onward movement. The importance 

of DDSTs and the capabilities they bring make the teams a valuable tool to the overall 

surface deployment and distribution enterprise. 

“These teams bring a highly specialized skill set to the fight,” said DDST member 

Sgt. First Class Larry Dozier. “In the SDDC arena they are our equivalent to special 

operators: these guys are the first ones in, they are our main effort, they prep the SDDC 

battlefield, and ultimately ensure mission success time and time again.”

As the 838th Trans. Bn. continues its mission to support units deploying and redeploying, DDSTs will continue to be the key to guaranteeing success. 

Wolfgang Scherer, Rhine River Detachment, 

and Michel van Marle, 838th Trans. Bn., 

place HAZMAT decals on Army containers to 

prepare them for deployment. (Photo Anthony Armstrong, 838th Trans. Bn.)
24 translog Summer 2009

The pickup points for collecting retrograded equipment bound for the states 

sounded like the itinerary for a Caribbean 

cruise: Juana Diaz, Puerto Nuevo.

This was the mission on the island of Puerto 

Rico for 14 Reserve units representing seven 

states, participating in Transportation Logistics 

Over the Shore (TRANSLOTS) 2009 June 1-19. 

The goal of this year’s exercise was to recover 

and transport equipment of the 1st Mission 

Support Command onward to Roosevelt Roads 

Naval Station. From there, the equipment was 

loaded onto a Logistics Support Vessel (LSV) 

and two Landing Craft Utility (LCU) watercraft 

bound for Port Canaveral, Fla.

Since being transformed from a Deployment 

Support Brigade to the 1190th Transportation 

Group in 2008, TRANSLOTS was a learning experience for the 1190th as much as for the units 

executing the plan.

“This is a training exercise for all of us,” 

said Col. Walter T. Weaver, 1190th Trans. Group 

commander. “For most of us wearing the SDDC 

patch and who are assigned to the Deployment 

Support Command, this is the first time we have 

exercised in our new configurations.”

Capt. LaMaudia Bentley, 743rd Sea Port Operations Company (SPOC) Commander, oversaw 

the convoys which brought the designated equipment to Roosevelt Roads. Bentley said it took 

three trips to Juana Diaz and four trips to Puerto 

Nuevo to collect it all.

“There’s a lot of equipment to get off this island,” she said. “My Soldiers have worked some 

really long hours.”

Many 743rd Soldiers participated in last 

year’s TRANSLOTS exercise, including Bentley, who said the operation is a great teaching 

tool.

“It’s a great mission for training,” said Bentley. “Hopefully our people get the big picture 

from it.”

The operation offered transporters of various 

disciplines the opportunity to practice their jobs 

TRANSLOTS 2009

real-world experience in a training environment

By 1st Lt. Damiane Ricks, 

1190th Transportation Group

Arriving from Puerto Rico, the Maj. Gen. Robert Smalls lowers its bow ramp at Port Canaveral, Fla. The 

vessel was one of three used to transport retrograde equipment during TRANSLOTS 2009.
translog 25 Summer 2009

in a real-world scenario, as well as work with 

units with which they are not familiar.

In a perfect world, units deploy together, said 

Sgt. Jesse Axley, an intelligence analyst with the 

359th Transportation Battalion out of Fort Eustis, 

Va., however that’s not usually the case. He said 

the exercise was good for their Soldiers manning 

the boat transports, who have not yet deployed 

overseas, to learn to work with different personalities now rather than later.

“We’re used to working with our subordinate 

units within our battalion,” Axley said. “This has 

been a unique experience working with other 

battalions.”

Capt. James Dumas, operations officer for 

the 359th Trans. Bn., who oversaw last year’s 

TRANSLOTS exercise, said the “larger footprint” of this year’s exercise compared to last 

year more resembles a deployment atmosphere.

“This is real world,” he said. “We’re getting 

the job done.”

When the stern of the Maj. Gen. Robert 

Smalls (LSV 8) reached the coast of Puerto Rico, 

the second phase of TRANSLOTS 2009 also 

came into focus. LSV 8—named for a slave who 

went on to become a Civil War hero—and its 

crew from the 203rd Trans. Det. completed the 

six day journey from its home port in Baltimore, 

Md. to the Caribbean isle.

Lt. Col. Dianne Del Rosso, 359th Transportation Battalion Commander, said when she was 

invited to take the journey with the Maj. Gen. 

Robert Smalls crew she jumped at it.

“This, to me, is how you find out how your 

Soldiers operate,” she said. “It also gives you a 

flavor of how the battalion can do a better job of 

supporting them.”

The all-reservist crew of eight warrant officers and 23 enlisted Soldiers possess varying 

levels of licensing and proficiency, said Chief 

Warrant Officer 4 Steven Brown —from the 

lowest level, where Soldiers are able to steer the 

vessel, plot a chart and tie various knots, to his 

level as vessel master. Brown, a fire department 

captain in his civilian occupation, has commanded the 203rd Trans. Det. since 2004 and has 

been the vessel master since LSV 8 was commissioned in 2007.

The LSV is the largest of the Army’s watercraft at 273 feet, however, the 314-foot Maj. 

Gen. Robert Smalls is one of only two modified 

LSVs in the Army, making it capable of carrying 

even more cargo. Normally a 31-person crew, 

LSV 8 carried a crew of 42 for TRANSLOTS 

to allow reserve Soldiers from the other modified LSV unit to train on various tasks to become 

licensed.

Warrant Officer Michael Byrne, vessel 

master for one of two LCU watercraft from the 

824th Heavy Boat Company out of Morehead 

City, N.C., said while the LCU technically could 

perform long-range, open-water missions like 

an LSV, its missions primarily keep it relatively 

close to shore. In his 14-year career in the Army, 

the five-day trip from Morehead to Puerto Rico 

was the farthest he had traveled.

Once loaded and secured, the vessels departed for the mainland and the final phase of 

TRANSLOTS 2009.

Four months of planning and execution culminated with the rapid off-loading of the three 

vessels over a span of three days. Despite its 

own set of challenges, discharge operations at 

Port Canaveral finished ahead of schedule.

“Our training for the year’s exercise could 

not have been better,” Weaver said. “I am very 

pleased with our units’ performance.” Col. Walter Weaver, 1190th Trans. Group commander, praises the Soldiers of 1188th Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion at 

Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico.
26 translog Summer 2009

Deployment Support Command conducted Battle Command Staff Training 

(BCST) in March for DSC reserve units. More than 50 Soldiers conducted a 

multiple-unit BCST at the 4th Brigade, 75th Training Division’s Battle Projection 

Center in Birmingham, Ala. 

“This event was significant because we were able to replicate the types of staff interaction and decision making that SDDC units need to conduct in the area of responsibility, 

through a simulation here in the U.S.,” said Col. Ronald Lane, DSC G7.

In October 2008, the DSC G7 team developed a partnership with 1st Group, 4th Brigade of the 75th Training Division to conduct a “proof of principle” BCST exercise designed to train DSC subordinate command staffs in the Military Decision Making Process 

(MDMP). Following an aggressive timeline, the DSC G7 staff and 1/4/75th developed a 

four-day, two-part BCST exercise. 

Part one consisted of training units in the rapid version of the MDMP requiring Mission Analysis and Course of Action decision briefings. Part two required the units to 

function in a Tactical Operation Center environment and perform command staff actions 

in a nine-hour Master Schedule Event List (MSEL) injection exercise.

The units delivered Mission Analysis and Course of Action briefings to their peers as 

part of a shared learning experience while conducting port management and operations in 

a Caspian Sea scenario. 

Reserve staff trains for downrange mission

By Maj. Russell DuBose

Deployment Support Command

Maj. Kate Numerick, 1188th Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion operations officer, leads 

a discussion with her team.
translog 27 Summer 2009

The DSC G7 staff served in multiple roles for the exercise including as a higher notional theater support command in the Higher Response Cell as a control element for the 

exercise. As each unit progressed at a different speed, the HRC controlled unit flow with 

MSEL injects and OPORD FRAGO’s to exercise unit staffs. DSC G7 staff also assigned 

Soldiers to each unit as observers, controllers and trainers to observe and record unit actions. 

The four day BCST ended in a formal After Action Review process facilitated by the 

1/4/75th. Participants discussed their unit strengths and weaknesses and ways to make 

the exercise better for their peer groups and battalions. 

 “Given the pace of deployments for most our DSC units, and myriad other Soldier 

readiness requirements, the Groups do not get the opportunity to conduct or participate 

in this type of training during the year,” said Col. Edward Casazza, 1179th Trans. Group 

commander. “The exercise exposed many of my Soldiers to the tasks they would face in 

opening/operating a port with subordinate units or planning for JLOTS Operations.”

Additionally, the training can be leveraged to develop staff sections more fully with 

the generation of WARNORDs, OPORDs and other staff products, said Casazza. “It is 

our intent to execute more of these exercises throughout the training year as a unit.”

DSC G7 staff and 1/4/75th continue to improve and plan the BCST program as a 

primary tool in exercising unit command staffs in the MDMP process. The BCST in 

2010 will expand in scope and complexity and the DSC G7 team stands ready to meet the 

challenge.

Capt. Greg Birkenstock and Sgt. Robert Gil,1179th Transportation Group, 

serve as adjacent and lower unit representatives in the Higher Response Cell.
28 translog Summer 2009

On Dec. 30, 1943, Pfc. Clarence Wallaert was shot in the hip by a German 

sniper while fighting against the German Winter Line in Italy. Wallaert bandaged 

his own wound and provided 12 hours of 

automatic rifle support for his Army comrades 

advancing into the Liri Valley—the “Gateway 

to Rome.”

Nearly 66 years later, Wallaert, 86, was 

awarded the Bronze Star Medal at Scott Air 

Force Base April 14 for his meritorious actions 

during World War II.

Wallaert’s son-in-law, retired Air Force 

Col. Jim Harper, attended the ceremony at 

SDDC Headquarters where he works, along 

with other members of Wallaert’s family.

“It was such an awesome and humbling 

experience to have Maj. Gen. (James) Hodge 

meet with the family and then award his medal,” Harper said. “My father-in-law said that he 

was ‘awed’ by the ceremony.”

Harper said the award was delayed for decades because Wallaert and his family did not 

realize he was authorized to receive the award 

until recently. 

“It was unknown that Army regulations 

authorized the Bronze Star medal for World 

War II recipients if they had been awarded the 

Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman’s 

Badge,” Harper said. 

Wallaert previously received both decorations and his Bronze Star request was filed 

March 16.

“It’s one of those gems uncovered over 

World War II hero 

gets overdue honors

SDDC commander presents Bronze Star 

66 years in the making

By Steve Berry

375th Airlift Wing 

Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge pins a Bronze Star Medal to World War II veteran and former Army Pfc. 

Clarence Wallaert. Wallaert was wounded in combat by a German sniper in Italy, but continued fighting and supporting his unit for 12 hours after treating his own wound.
translog 29 Summer 2009

time that showed he was authorized to receive 

it (the Bronze Star) when it was unknown to 

him prior to recently,” Harper said.

Hodge, SDDC commanding general, presented Wallaert with his Bronze Star during the 

ceremony last week.

“I was as happy as I could possibly be to be 

involved in the recognition of one of our World 

War II veterans,” said Hodge, whose father is 

also a decorated World War II veteran.

“It was close to me personally,” he said. 

“You could certainly see his pride during the 

ceremony.”

Back in Michigan, Wallaert said via phone 

that he was surprised by the large crowd at the 

ceremony.

“I was really overwhelmed,” Wallaert 

said. “I expected maybe one person to be there 

but they had the whole room (filled). I was 

just doing my duty and I didn’t expect all the 

praise.”

Wallaert served as a Browning Automatic 

Rifleman with the Army’s K Company, 3rd 

Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Division from February 1943 until January 1944. 

Wallaert and Company K received strong 

combat resistance from the hills of Mount 

Raimo in Italy, Dec. 30, 1943. The company 

had just cleared the town of Venafro and was 

fighting to move forward and drive German 

Soldiers out of Southern Italy when thenPfc. Wallaert was wounded but continued to 

provide automatic rifle support for his Army 

Company.

Before his exceptional actions in Italy, Wallaert served in North Africa and Sicily. After 

being wounded in Italy he was transferred to a 

military hospital in Tunisia to recover and was 

then transferred back to the United States. 

Back in the U.S., Wallaert was assigned to 

Fort Sheridan, Ill., on the north side of Chicago. He was discharged from active service 

on Dec. 7, 1945. After being discharged, he 

worked as a mixer for the Sunshine Biscuit 

Company in Saginaw, Mich., then on a General 

Motors assembly line. Wallaert married his 

wife Geraldine on May 1, 1948. The couple 

has six children.

In 1995, Harper went to Venafro, Italy, and 

took pictures of the war site. He shared the 

photos with his father-in-law who recalled the 

World War II battleground.

“He remembered well the terrain and 

which mountain he was wounded on,” Harper 

said.

Of the Bronze Star Medal award ceremony, 

Harper said it too would become another 

memory for his father-in-law.

Wallaert’s Bronze Star Medal awaits presentation 

nearly 66 years after his actions in Italy.
translog 30

Summer 2009

Two SDDC Soldiers were named Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year May 8 after four days of 

competition hosted by the NCOs of the 599th 

Transportation Group at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.

Sgt. Billy E. Richardson, senior forklift 

operator at the 688th Rapid Port Opening 

Element, 597th Transportation Group at Fort 

Eustis, Va., won the title of NCO of the Year, 

while Spc. Darwynn McPherson, also of the 

688th RPOE, was awarded the title of Soldier 

of the Year.

The competition for NCO of the year was 

a test among Soldiers representing the 595th 

Trans. Gp. in Kuwait, the 597th Trans. Gp. 

in Fort Eustis, Va., the 598th Trans. Gp. in 

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and the 599th 

Trans. Gp. at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. 

The competition included a 50-question quiz, 

a physical fitness test, an essay, a rucksack 

march, day and night land navigation, a board 

appearance, warrior testing, the M9 range, and 

a mystery event, which competitors only found 

out the subject of on the day of the test.

“I feel honored, humbled and excited all at 

the same time,” said Richardson after receiving his award at a luncheon. “This competition 

was challenging; it was strenuous. This is the 

toughest board I have been on, and I have been 

on several.”

Command Sgt. Maj. David Jarvis, command sergeant major for the 599th Trans. Gp., 

agreed, saying the NCOs in the group purposely made the competition tough. 

“We wanted to make sure that the Soldiers 

who won the competition would be ready to 

go on to compete at the next level, at AMC,” 

Jarvis said. “This board and the one we had 

earlier for the 599th title are the most difficult 

I have seen anywhere. A tremendous amount 

of effort went into planning and executing it on 

the part of the staff here.”

 Jarvis said the 599th had made revisions 

based on after-action reports from the 2008 

competition, and he expects the group that 

hosts the competition next year will continue 

Story and photos by Donna Klapakis

599th Transportation Group

2009 - The Year of the Noncommissioned Officer

SDDC troops from around the world compete 

for command’s top honors

NCOs, Soldiers rise to greater challenges

Sgt. Billy E. Richardson, 2009 SDDC Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, checks his map against 

his GPS coordinates during the night land navigation course at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
translog 31 Summer 2009

to refine based on the after-action reports from 

this year.

The competition will also change based on 

the environment in which it is held.

“The competition differed from last year 

because the land navigation there was not as 

challenging. Fort Eustis is a different environment. Eustis doesn’t have the infantry there 

who do this type of training. It’s just not set up 

for physical events like we are. Also, there was 

no road march there,” said Sgt. 1st Class Vernon Williams, 599th first sergeant and administrative NCO in charge of the competition. 

This was the first year that SDDC had held 

its competition somewhere other than Fort Eustis. Beginning this year, SDDC plans to rotate 

the competition between groups.

Williams said the logistics for getting the 

people here and setting up the competition 

itself were the most interesting aspects for the 

host unit.

“You know that most units have their 

brigades, battalions and companies in the same 

area. In SDDC, we’re spread out all over the 

world. You’ve got so many time zones you’re 

crossing. We had to bring in people from Germany, Kuwait, Japan and Virginia.

“Also, we had to go find support locally. 

Because we have so few NCOs of our own, we 

asked the 8th Theater Sustainment Command 

to help with set up, and for personnel for some 

of the events. Even our neighbors, the 25th 

Operations Squadron of the Air Force, loaned 

us the GPS units and gave us a class on how to 

use them. The National Defense Transportation 

Association also helped by donating plaques 

for the winners,” Williams said.

The runners up for the competition were 

Sgt. William R. Davis, 595th Transportation 

Group; Sgt. Scott L. Yeager, 598th Transportation Group; and Sgt. 1st Class Corey S. Bledsoe, 599th Transportation Group.

“They are all winners to me,” said Jarvis. 

“Every one of the candidates has earned my 

greatest respect.”

Above: Spc. Darwynn McPherson (right) of the 

688th RPOE, SDDC Soldier of the Year, finishes the 

physical fitness testing phase of the competition. 

Left: Sgt. Billy E. Richardson, SDDC NCO of the 

year, evacuates a simulated casualty during warrior 

leadership testing.
32 translog Summer 2009

2009 - The Year of the Noncommissioned Officer

Noncommissioned officers from the 

598th Transportation Group gathered in Chievres, Belgium in the 

last week of April to enhance their warrior 

skills. The training grounds on Chievres 

Air Base were made available to NCOs 

coming from all over the 598th Trans. Gp. 

area of responsibility to ensure the Soldiers 

are trained on the fundamentals.

598th Trans. Gp. Command Sgt. Maj. 

James Riddick and Master Sgt. Gilbert 

Scott, 598th Trans. Gp. training NCO, put 

together a list of warrior tasks for 

all the NCOs present. Using the 

Group’s Mission Essential Task 

List (METL), Riddick provided 

input to Scott, who planned how 

the warrior tasks would be used 

in a real-world port operation. 

Scott coordinated to provide 

for classroom facilities and for 

Soldiers to act as enemies on the 

battlefield to make the training 

as real as possible. Chievres 

Garrison also provided lodging and dining so the group had 

maximum time to train. Coordination with the Training Support Center Benelux in Chievres 

ensured the availability of the 

firing range, NBC chamber, and 

the training site where the entire 

scenario was conducted.

The NCOs from the 598th Trans. Gp., 

the 838th and 839th Trans. Battalions, as 

well as the 950th Trans. Company were 

able to practice all their METL skills during the week, ensuring they had skilled 

trainers, material and a top-notch training 

site.

The Soldiers were trained by Sgt. 1st 

Class Tom Mills from the Armed Forces 

Network Europe in dealing with the media. 

 “It is essential that the Soldiers of 

NCOs sharpen warrior skills in Belgium 

From first aid and marksmanship 

to IEDs and media on the battlefield:

Sgt. 1st Class Juanita Maximin, 839th Trans. 

Bn., guards another Soldier role-playing as 

a prisoner of war during a training scenario 

on Chievres Air Base, Belgium.

Story by Martin Weteling, 598th Transportation Group Public Affairs

Photos by Pierre-Etienne Courtejoie
translog 33 Summer 2009

today are trained in dealing with 

the media,” Mills said. “In today’s 

world, they simply cannot do 

without it.”

Sgt. Scott Yeager, 598th 

Trans. Gp. supply sergeant, knows 

first-hand the value of the training. During his last deployment 

he encountered the media and was 

glad to have media training. 

“I was not looking like a deer 

in headlights, but was able to 

answer the questions in a way that 

did me proud, as well as my unit 

and the U.S. Army,” said Yeager. 

Staff Sgt. Quincey Tate and 

Staff Sgt. Ruby Betancourt felt 

the training where they had to 

evaluate a casualty and perform 

first aid training was very useful. 

“Even though I have been 

trained on it before, it is always 

useful to train and be able to help save a life 

where possible,” said Tate. “We simply cannot 

afford losing a fellow Soldier, so we need to 

know what to do when someone gets hurt.”

Scott put together a training schedule with 

as much variety as possible. At the end of each 

training day, he consulted with Riddick and 

Sgt. Maj. Felton Head, 839th Trans. Bn.

“Putting together a training schedule is one 

thing, but being able to execute it as we did 

here is really beneficial to all the NCOs in the 

group. This way, we’re able to maintain the 

highest level of readiness in order to execute 

any mission for the unit,” said Scott. 

 “These horrid devices have killed so many 

innocent people already, I really want to make 

sure that the group and myself know all there 

is to know on them,” Sgt. David Kehrer, operations NCO at the 598th Trans. Group said 

during Improvised Explosive Device training. 

“Recognizing IEDs in the field is something 

Top: Soldiers from 598th Trans. Gp. assume a defensive posture while Sgt. Scott Yeager performs first aid techniques on a mannequin during training at Chievres Air Base in Belgium. 

Above: Yeager advances with two other members of his squad during tactical training on 

Chievres Air Base. 
34 translog Summer 2009

that has to become second nature to Soldiers 

since they can be used 

everywhere,” 

After having completed all the necessary 

training, the last days 

were used to bring all 

that was learned into practice. Scott initiated a scenario where the group had to secure 

a port where the 598th Trans. Gp. would be 

able to execute port operations.

At the end of the week, the whole 

group was ready and started executing the 

mission. In a scenario where IEDs went 

off, a sniper had to be eliminated and a 

wounded Soldier had to be treated, the 

group worked its way to securing the port.

After the training week, Riddick credited the realism and value of the training 

to the many contributors that facilitated it, 

including the NCOs, the Chievres Garrison, and Mills from AFN. 

“The training was great, and I couldn’t 

be more proud of the Soldiers. The NCOs 

put their all into making this training effective,” Riddick said. “Master Sgt. Scott did 

a wonderful job putting this week 

together. It was nice having the 

time to bond with the NCOs.” 

Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Mills, center, Armed Forces Network Benelux, trains NCOs about communicating with the media. At right, 

Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddick and Sgt. Maj. Felton Head 

observe the training.

Sgt. 1st Class Mark Jackson, 950th Trans. Co., conducts an after 

action review of Soldiers’ performance during 598th Trans. 

Group port operation training in the Alliance Home Station 

Training Area on Chievres Air Base, Chievres, Belgium.
translog 35 Summer 2009

white papers:

Same port, same unit, different process

The changing role of the Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion 

By Lt. Col. Stephen M. Rutner, PhD

Though the unit’s core mission has not 

changed since the 1181st DDSB last operated 

at Ash Shuayba, Kuwait, the business model of 

SDDC has changed. 

U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and SDDC have modified the 

business practices to prioritize the use of commercial carriers in lieu of activating Military 

Sealift Command (MSC) ships. This provides 

cost savings to the government and increases 

flexibility in meeting customer units’ requirements. It also changes the way a port operator 

or terminal battalion operates.

In short, the USAR Transportation Terminal 

Battalion (TTB) model has changed, and the 

new organization, DDSB, may help this process. 

The DDSB is not strictly in the business of loading and unloading ships. The unit has evolved 

into more of an oversight role. This creates massive changes and benefits to the units that will 

operate under this model. It means learning new 

skills and re-prioritizing efforts across the port. 

As the TTB model is replaced by the DDSB 

model, there are significant changes in the way 

units will operate when they reach the port. The 

DDSBs must understand some of the new challenges and responsibilities they will face in the 

future at commercial ports across the world.

Data is king

At Ash Shuayba, the most immediate change 

under the new model is the critical role of data 

accuracy. Under the old model, we could throw 

1,600 pieces on a Large Medium Speed Roll OnRoll Off (LMSR) vessel and have 1,590 correct 

in Worldwide Port System (WPS). Then, once 

the manifest was done, everyone would work to 

produce a corrected final manifest to identify all 

1,600 pieces. The measuring stick was if there 

wasn’t any cargo left on the port, then it was all 

shipped and “all good!” 

In working with the commercial carriers, 

this method doesn’t work. The carriers require 

100 percent accuracy every time. Commercial 

carriers bill on the size and weight of the cargo. 

Therefore, dimensional data is directly related to 

government dollars.

During a recent load out, one container had 

to be stripped and re-stuffed into a seaworthy 

The 1181st Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion (DDSB) is again deployed to the Port of Ash Shuayba, Kuwait. The unit is on its second mobilization in 

support of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Through vignettes from 

multiple tours, battalion commander Lt. Col. Stephen Rutner explores the role of 

DDSBs and the effects of SDDC’s changing business processes on port operations.

Pfc. Robert McMillan does a final check to confirm 

cargo is properly staged for a commercial vessel.
36 translog Summer 2009

container and was therefore not on the pier. The 

carrier needed to know where that one piece was 

before the vessel arrived, since their numbers 

were off by one. 

On another occasion, the measurements on 

the helicopters were in the wrong configuration when provided by the Deployment Support 

Brigade to the Ocean Cargo Clearance Authority 

(OCCA), and the commercial carrier accepted 

the cargo at that size. When the sizes were corrected, it created a situation where the carrier 

could not physically load the cargo and the entire 

Combat Aviation Brigade had to be unallocated 

from that commercial company and put back out 

to bid. Needless to say, the commercial carrier 

was unhappy that the data error potentially cost 

him hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. 

Fortunately, there was other cargo allocated to 

the carrier; resulting in no lost revenue. 

This increased emphasis on data accuracy 

may be the most important aspect of operations 

under the new business model. 

Maintaining core skills

The second major change or challenge is the 

loading process. While TTBs were tasked to 

load vessels, the DDSB is primarily responsible 

to provide command and control of an operation. 

Proficiency in ship loading remains a core competency, however there are fewer opportunities 

to hone that skill operationally. 

For the first five years at Ash Shuayba, there 

was almost constantly a LMSR or other MSC 

vessel on berth. Therefore, USAR battalions 

had more than enough practice to maintain their 

loading skills. Today, the port is averaging less 

than one MSC vessel a month. 

The alternative is to work with the commercial carrier to practice loading their vessels. This 

works well for templating the load, scanning the 

cargo and other tasks. However, commercial 

carriers do not use all the same processes that 

SDDC uses in terms of lashing, spacing, etc. 

While not a perfect system, it provides some 

practice for when the occasional MSC vessel 

arrives. Also, many of the commercial operations 

are booked as liner in-free out, which means 

the carrier conducts the loading, but the Army 

is responsible to discharge. In those situations, 

the DDSB is able to maintain skills as it helps 

oversee the actual loading on the vessel to ensure 

that it can be unloaded by Army personnel at the 

discharge port.

Smaller loads, more vessels

Another key change is that the number of 

vessel operations is increasing. When LMSRs 

were the main assets, there were few, with very 

large loads. In the commercial world, the vessels 

are smaller and often the Army is just one customer of many on a ship. 

One recent load consisted of seven flat racks 

on a container ship. In that case, we were a very 

small customer to the carrier. So, we have to 

readjust our expectations on how flexible the carrier will be to meet our needs. If our cargo is not 

prepared to standard and ready when it is time to 

load, the carrier will not wait. The preparation 

of both data and equipment is critical to success. 

Even with Roll-On/Roll-Off operations, there 

are more ships and smaller loads. This adds to 

the difficulty of running the port: it is not uncommon to have three consecutive ships in a fortyeight hour period. Each is going to a different 

location with different cargo sets, but all load or 

discharge in the same berth and on the same pier. 

The management of the cargo to the pier and the 

staging becomes critical.

Terminal Section 

The increasing number of vessels and the 

smaller loads also means that there is a premium 

on terminal management. While the Terminal 

Section has always been an important part of any 

Sgt. 1st Class Henry Scott supervises third-country 

national personnel onboard a commercial vessel.
translog 37 Summer 2009

port operation, its value is growing. 

The cargo spends less time at the port 

and must be sequenced more carefully 

to meet the requirements of multiple 

commercial carriers. 

It is critical that Terminal Section 

personnel be experts not only in terminal operations, but they must also be 

knowledgeable in HAZMAT, Customs, WPS and other related areas. 

The Terminal Section has become the 

“traffic cop” of the cargo to ensure 

that it meets all requirements for the 

commercial carrier before it can leave 

the yards to be pushed down to the 

commercial pier areas. 

Under the old model, a battalion 

could fix issues on the pier or even on 

the ship, if it was a MSC vessel. With 

commercial carriers, it has to be right 

before it gets to the pier or the stevedore company will not receive it. 

For example, a recent intratheater load needed specialized Kuwaiti customs paperwork. The 

stevedore company would not allow the cargo 

onto the pier until it was 100 percent correct. 

This is another subtle change from pure military 

RO-RO operations due to the commercial nature 

of the process.

New relationships at the port

Another significant change is the relationship 

between the SDDC port operator and the vessels. 

In the past, there was a standing relationship 

between the MSC representative and the port. 

However, now there are multiple new players. 

Each carrier has its own agents and owner representatives, with differing priorities and goals. 

While all want to support the customer, as noted 

earlier, the Army may not be the primary customer of the vessel. 

Each commercial carrier is critically aware of 

costs, and will make business decisions that may 

not necessarily be aligned with the Army’s needs. 

Safety and Soldiers

Under the evolving business process, the 

DDSB does less loading of big metal machines 

in little metal holds. The result is decreased risk 

of accidents and injuries. At the same time, there 

is an increased use of commercial carrier berths 

which are not under Army control: this is an environment of “time is money,” often run by thirdcountry nationals. The result can be very dangerous surroundings in which the DDSB has to work 

hard with its commercial carriers to ensure safety 

is not overlooked. 

There are significant benefits to the changing role in commercial-driven operations. The 

reduced number of MSC vessels requires fewer 

Soldiers to oversee the actual loading and unloading of vessels. Therefore, a smaller footprint is 

able to accomplish more at the port. Also, the 

physical demands placed on Soldiers working in 

the heat on the vessel, for hours on their feet, is 

somewhat reduced. Finally, the new skills learned 

from working with the commercial sector will develop the USAR battalions into more experienced 

and versatile transporters. 

As with any change, there are challenges 

inherent in the new process for which the DDSB 

leadership must prepare. The same unit at the 

same port will need new skills that will provide 

better service to the SDDC customer at a better 

value to the taxpayer.

Sgt. Kenya Singleton works with a third-country national to 

verify a piece of cargo loading on the ARC MV Freedom.
38 translog Summer 2009

SDDC’s core values – Committed, Dependable, Relentless – aptly described the 184 attendees who recently gathered at Pocono Manor, Pa., for the annual SDDC/AIDPMO- hosted Worldwide Container Training workshop. The group, professional transporters and logisticians, joined 

together June 16-18 for three agenda-packed days to get their arms around the oftentimes challenging container management mission. 

Col. Paul Giovino, deputy chief of staff for operations, G3, SDDC, served as the keynote 

speaker. He reminded the attendees that the DOD container inventory has grown extensively 

since Desert Shield and Storm. The mission has grown progressively each year, indicative of its 

mushrooming responsibilities and oversight, with the multi-service container management team 

busy preparing for the responsible withdrawal and reset of containers in theater. 

“We have a big mission ahead of us,” said Giovino, “to get the majority of our forces back to 

the United States, and that includes the estimated 90,000 containers in theater. We are moving the 

largest redeployment force ever known in a very short period of time,” said Giovino. 

The Army Intermodal and Distribution Platform Management Office (AIDPMO), assigned to 

SDDC since October 2008, initiated the workshop to bring together those involved in the container mission. With the surge of container requirements for forward deployed forces, the number 

of interested agencies has grown dramatically. 

“This is our largest workshop to date,” said Sandy Gorba, chief, AIDPMO. “We began eight 

years ago with a mere 30 participants, and attendance has increased to more than 180 folks, most 

of whom tackle container issues daily.” 

These “who’s who” of DOD container experts come from every service, both military and 

civilian, from all points on the globe – Iraq, Kuwait, Japan, Hawaii, Europe, Alaska, as well as 

dozens of stateside activities and units – to share their successes, ideas and issues. 

Workshop brings together worldwide container experts

Story by June M. Pagan, SDDC Command Affairs

Col. Ken Shannon, SDDC’s director of Global Container Management, addresses workshop attendees. 

Photo by Anthony S. Medici
translog 39 Summer 2009

“We had full support from all the services to ensure that they 

were getting the right 

folks here,” said Col. 

Ken Shannon, director, 

Global Container Management Office, SDDC 

G3. “This vital container 

management responsibility is a critical piece 

of a warrior’s checklist 

of ‘must haves’ when 

units move either to or 

from stateside, abroad, or 

theater. Workshops like 

these truly help us find 

the best ways to manage 

containers as we all work 

together as one team.” 

Lively discussion ensued during each session, and experts were on hand during panels and breakout sessions, creating 

an environment conducive to tackling ongoing issues as well as energizing this team with a common cause – to ensure serviceable containers are not only available when needed, but expertly 

managed, tracked, and utilized. 

“This is especially critical as we drawdown in Iraq,” said Shannon. “Our partnership with 

AIDPMO, together with an SDDC-managed Army Reserve element, has dramatically strengthened our abilities to manage this global DOD general cargo inventory worldwide, thus supporting the warfighter.”

Col. Paul Giovino, G3, addresses workshop attendees on the magnitude 

of the DOD container management mission. Sandy Gorba, chief, AIDPMO, stands ready to provide input on Army challenges. Photo by June 

SDDC container management staffers, Rick Bagby, (2nd left), and Bob Friedman 

(2nd right) talk with services container experts Tony Bailey (left), U.S. Marine 

Corps, and Noel Smith, former SDDC staffer now with the Naval Operational 

Logistics Support Center. Photo by June Pagan.
40 translog Summer 2009

What was the most 

rewarding part of the assignment to the 

599th?

The most rewarding aspect has been 

making a difference in so many places and 

people’s lives. From the moves that we 

make for the Soldiers and civilians, to the 

people we employ in other countries to 

get the job done, to the vast port improvements that are going on in the Pacific, we 

are making a real difference in countries 

throughout the Pacific and the world. It still 

amazes me how many lives we touch.

SDDC makes a lot of that possible 

through its great coordination between the 

groups; sometimes we see it here, but we 

saw it often when we were in Kuwait. Cargo often goes through up to three groups 

to reach a destination, and because of the 

coordination from headquarters, the moves 

are seamless.

What was the most fun part of the assignment?

The most fun was the unit, our unit, 

because we are so small. Throughout the 

battalions and the headquarters staff, the 

camaraderie we enjoy just couldn’t be 

found in a huge organization. Plus, people 

here bring such a good attitude. Even 

though some parts of a mission might not 

be exactly fun, the attitude of joy they 

bring to it makes it fun for all. That’s why 

we excel in the team effort that the people 

throughout the command contribute to accomplish our missions.

What would you say is your major accomplishment? 

That’s a tough one. Because we do a 

lot of exercises and support missions, what 

we have here is an accumulation of benefits 

and accomplishments rather than one big 

accomplishment. I think that I would have 

Q&A with Col. Susan Davidson

By Donna Klapakis

599th Transportation Group

Col. Susan A. Davidson explains operations to Gen. Norton A. 

Schwartz, then commander of USTRANSCOM, at the Port of 

Ash Shuaybah, Kuwait, April 2008.

Col. Susan A. Davidson commanded the 599th Transportation 

Group in Hawaii for the past two 

years until her change of command 

July 9. For six months of that time, 

from November 2007 to May 2008, 

she was forward deployed and 

commanded the 595th Trans. Gp. 

in Kuwait. Prior to her departure, 

Davidson sat down to answer a few 

questions about her experience in 

command. 
translog 41 Summer 2009

to say becoming well known throughout 

the community, both in the military and 

civilian communities within Hawaii. Now 

everyone here knows who to call when 

they need our help rather than going to the 

wrong places first and making mistakes.

Did you have any surprises when you got 

here? 

The biggest surprise at the 599th was 

the size of the organization and the structure. I came up through 26 years in the 

military within the rigid military structure 

of platoon, company, battalion, brigade -- 

which is a big unit... Even though we hire 

contractors to move a lot of the freight, the 

fact that we support all of the moves for 

52 percent of the world with less than 300 

people total still amazes me.

What is the most important thing you 

learned while you were in command?

I learned that every word you speak is 

heard from a different perspective depending on the listener. Within the Army you 

have to be careful that everyone knows 

what you mean when you say something. 

Even two branches that are as close as 

logistics and transportation have some 

acronyms that are the same words when 

pronounced or written but are made up of 

different words and have totally different 

meanings. Be very careful not to use shortcuts, figuring that everyone is one the same 

page, because it’s likely they aren’t even in 

the same book.

Along those same lines, we work in a 

unique environment in the Pacific because 

we are working in countries that we get 

along with, but they do not necessarily 

always get along so well with each other. 

That makes it a kind of balancing act sometimes, making sure that everything is taken 

care of in each environment.

Any disappointments with the 599th? 

With the 595th?

I didn’t get much time on the beach 

here, or time with my family. Because we 

worked at a breakneck, exhausting pace 

all the time, and I was 

gone more than I was 

home, there really was 

no time off just to kick 

back. Everyone smiles 

when you say you’re 

going to Hawaii, but 

that’s not the case 

when you’re in command. 

In the 595th, 

because the unit had 

not been formally 

stood up, the biggest 

problem was the inability to really belong 

to someone on the 

ground in Kuwait. The Davidson passes the guidon during the 599th change of command ceremony July 9 at the Battleship Missouri Memorial.
1st Theater Sustainment Command 

took us in informally, but because 

we weren’t in their rating chain 

anywhere, when it came down to 

needing to send a Soldier home 

on emergency leave, there was no 

general to sign the form as an onthe-ground, recognized authority 

at the airfield. The immediacy of 

conditions in a war zone made it 

painful. Here we have the time to 

go through and solve the problems. 

If you had one thing to do over what 

would it be?

I would have spent a lot of time studying up on the Ocean Cargo Clearance 

Authority. I’d make sure that I got a better understanding of the administration of 

commercial and contractor regulations before I came into command. I didn’t understand the contract vehicle well enough to 

influence things when I first came in, and 

had to rely on the people who did understand it to tell me how it worked. I believe 

we may have missed some opportunities 

because of that. 

Is there anything else you’d like to 

say?

I personally understand the impact 

our mission has on our families. My 

daughter is moving for her senior year 

in high school, and this will be 11 

schools for her in 12 years. My son has 

been in 10 schools in 11 years. I understand what it is like to have to leave 

your children and have them go through 

emotions that a 16-year-old shouldn’t have 

to experience.

I enjoy my job; in fact, I love it, but 

my family doesn’t really love it so much. 

I think that the emphasis on family support within the Army now is so great and 

helpful to our families as they have to be 

separated. In an organization as small as 

this headquarters, it is so heartwarming that 

the families here take time to spend with 

the organization. 

Davidson now serves with Army Materiel 

Command at Fort Belvoir, Va.

42 translog Summer 2009

On the 599th motto, “Koa Kokua:” 

“As we searched for the right Hawaiian 

words to express warrior support, we found 

something that not only means support, but 

means to volunteer, help that is willingly given 

to our fellow warriors. That’s the spirit I’ve 

found here in the organization, and that’s 

what it reflects.”
translog 43 Summer 2009

SDDC in pictures

Lt. Col. Riley Cheramie, commander of the 838th Transportation Battalion, SDDC, monitors a harbor crane off-loading Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles from the hull of 

the MV Marilyn in the port of Antwerp, Belgium, July 11. This is the first major shipment of 

40 MRAPs from Kuwait that will be used for training exercises at the Grafenwoehr and 

Hohenfels (Germany) Training Areas. Photo by Pierre-Etienne Courtejoie.

Steve Bohannon, team lead for expeditionary communications for SDDC G6, and Jim Snyder, contractor, take in 

the view from the Mobile Port Operations Center at the annual Joint Logistics Over the Shore training exercise at 

Onslow Beach, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Photo by Mike W. Petersen.
44 translog Summer 2009

Case Study: Improving for the Soldier

How the DMAIC process is giving troops more time at home

professional development

Lean Six Sigma

The Challenge

The Vice Chief of Staff of the Army challenged the distribution community to reduce the 

time required to return equipment from Iraq to units in Continental United States from 58 to 

50 days. The ultimate beneficiary of the improvement is the Soldier preparing for deployment: 

because the equipment is returned to the CONUS destination quicker, the Army Force Generation training cycle can be planned so the Soldiers gain both training time and free time with their 

families before deployment.

U.S. Transportation Command and SDDC planners looked at options to meet this challenge. 

They considered increasing the speed at which ships cross the ocean, options for ship loading, 

CONUS port of debarkation selection, and CONUS surface transportation mode selection. 

SDDC Soldiers and civilians at CONUS battalions stepped up to the challenge to improve 

their processes, reducing unit cargo Port Hold Time (PHT) to eight days or less. SDDC battalions at Charleston, Beaumont, Jacksonville, and Seattle chartered Lean Six Sigma projects to 

address the challenge.

Lt. Col. Randy Haufe, former commander, 841st Transportation Terminal Battalion, and 

Capt. Phil Raumberger, Black Belt candidate, led the project team at Naval Weapons Station 

Charleston, S.C. The 841st Trans. Bn. team used Lean Six Sigma methodology to significantly 

improve processes reducing the cargo PHT. 

Following the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) methodology, their effort set the benchmark for CONUS battalions.

Define –

Clearly identify the problem and the process to be improved.

The original charter broadly challenged the project team to reduce time required to move 

cargo from ship to delivery at final destination for cargo going to both Army Forces Command 

units and reset cargo going to Army Materiel Command depots. The team’s original goal was to 

decrease the time required for the reception, staging, and onward movement segments.

Measure – 

Determine the baseline performance.

The team mapped the process from cargo coming off the ship, “ramp down,” through the 

port, onto follow-on conveyance, and to the final destination. The time for one piece of cargo to 

move from the ship through the process to destination is called “process lead time” (PLT). The 

team used 158 pieces of equipment from USS Gilliland to set the baseline. They found the maximum PLT was 13.5 days with 48 percent of the cargo exceeding the 11-day maximum or “upper 

specification limit.”

By Jim Coe

SDDC Lean Six Sigma manager
translog 45 Summer 2009

Figure 1: Ishikawa diagram prepared during the 

841st Trans. Bn. LSS project. Root 

causes are highlighted in yellow

Analyze –

Identifying the root cause.

The most significant contributor to onward-movement time was the decision to move cargo 

by rail or truck. Also, the type of cargo was the deciding factor in selecting transportation mode. 

Tracked vehicles go by rail because it is more cost effective. Heavy vehicles, such as a Heavy 

Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, go by truck. Because the mode decision is made above the 

battalion level, the team continued looking for things they could change. 

Raumberger let the data lead them to root causes they could affect. For example, the data on 

port operations confirmed that time to lash cargo on rail cars was an area for improvement. The 

team used several techniques to identify root causes including an Ishikawa or “fish bone” diagram (Figure 1). 

The Charleston team identified quick wins during the Measure and Analyze phases of the 

project and immediately implemented improvements:

• The battalion improved communication with CSX railroad to reinforce standards for rail 

lashing, supervisor training and inspector availability.

• Cargo was documented as cleared of unexploded ordnance and hazardous materials in 

Southwest Asia so it does not get frustrated at Charleston.

Improve –

Fix the root cause to improve the process.

Based on their goal of reducing cargo PHT to eight days or less, the team changed planning, 

execution, and control processes at the 841st. The 841st team:

• Revised the port clearance plan and documentation to remove unnecessary information providing a more usable consolidated discharge and clearance list.

• Aligned effort with CSX and agreed on using the CSX SOP for rail lashing, 

expectations and limitations of CSX, stevedore, and 841st operations were shared 

and noted.

• Conducted refresher training for 841st personnel and stevedores prior to rail 
46 translog Summer 2009

Capt. Phil Raumberger (left,) during port operations in Philadelphia. 

Raumberger was presented his LSS 

Black Belt following the success of the 

841st Trans. Bn.’s project to reduce 

port hold time.

loads to ensure first time success.

• Conducted a teleconference 

eight to 10 days before the ship 

docks with 841st and SDDC 

teams at the port of embarkation to review the manifest 

identifying cargo needing special handling during offload, such as battle damaged equipment.

• Changed the organizational culture by discussing the goal of an eight-day maximum PHT at town hall meetings, rewarding top performers contributing to the 

goal, and writing the 8 day PHT into NSPS performance objectives. 

The team then measured performance on cargo from the USNS Soderman and MV Honor. 

Mean PLT for USNS Soderman cargo was 4.27 days with no items exceeding the eight day limit. 

Results for MV Honor were mean PLT of 5.2 days, also with no items exceeding the eight-day 

limit.

Control –

Make the new process part of everyday work

The Charleston team implemented a process control and response plan to keep them meeting the 8-day maximum PHT. For example, the S3 is responsible for conducting the daily port 

clearance synchronization meeting. Alternate leaders are the Senior Maritime Cargo Specialist 

or Operations Officer, so the meeting continues if the S3 is not available. Standard Operating 

Procedures (SOPs) were revised as was training for new employees and refresher training for 

supervisors.

Following the successful completion of his project, the Army certified Raumberger as a Lean 

Six Sigma Black Belt. Col. (P) John O’Connor, SDDC deputy commanding general, presented 

the certificate to Raumberger at Fort Eustis, Va., June 26. 

Other CONUS Battalions are working Lean Six Sigma projects to reduce cargo port hold 

time:

833rd Trans. Bn., Seattle, Wash.

Lt. Col. Robert Lehman, commander, Lt. j.g. Tom Tang, Green Belt candidate, and their team 

are nearly complete with a project to decrease port clearance time and daily port clearance costs 

while getting cargo to units sooner. Their Improve phase showed a reduction on PHT by one 

work day, equaling a minimum savings of $40,361 at the port. They beat the target mean PHT of 

5.9 days by finishing in five days. 

842nd Trans. Bn., Beaumont, Texas
47 translog Fall 2008 - Winter 2009

The Beaumont Green Belt 

project team, led by Green Belt 

candidate Fran Willis, was the first 

to finish a PHT project, January 22. 

The 842nd team began working on 

decreasing Brigade Combat Team 

cargo time from off-the-ship to outthe-port-gate to 10 working days or 

less. 

The requirement to rapidly redeploy BCT cargo back to the owning 

unit reduced the timeline from first 

piece off the ship to arrival at home 

station to 11 days. The Beaumont 

team answered this challenge using 

many of the same techniques and 

tools as the Charleston team. They 

improved mean time to clear unit 

cargo from 5.8 days to 4.6 days, 

and reduced volume of unit cargo 

pieces exceeding 8 days from PHT 

23 percent to less than 9 percent 

(exceeding the project goal of a 50 percent reduction). 

841st Trans. Bn., Jacksonville, Fla.

Yolanda Santiago, project sponsor, and Green Belt candidate Ada Quinones-Morales are leading the Jacksonville team to reduce PHT to eight days or less. During the Measure stage, the team 

found the mean PHT was 6.2 days with 19 percent of the cargo exceeding the eight day maximum. After the improvements were in place, mean PHT decreased to 3.9 days, meaning port 

clearance time is now 2.3 days faster with no cargo exceeding the eight day limit.

5.8

7.7

6.2 5.9

4.6

5.2

3.9

5

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Beaumont Charleston Jacksonville Seattle

Days

Average Cargo Port Hold Time

Average cargo port hold time for four CONUS ports, before 

(red) and after (blue) Lean Six Sigma projects.

Green Belt

• DMAIC concepts, tools, and techniques

• Project leadership and small group facilitation tools and techniques

• Data-driven analysis techniques

• Two 1-week sessions separated by about 

three weeks

Black Belt

• Advanced DMAIC concepts, tools, and 

techniques

• Project leadership and small group facilitation tools and techniques

• Statistical analysis techniques using Minitab

• Four 1-week sessions separated by about 

three weeks

Lean Six Sigma practitioner training

Project teams participate in a structured, fact-based problem solving activity, demonstrating their 

commitment to improving their organization – a basic Army leadership principle. 

Jim Coe, LSS Manager 618-220-5073 Jim.Coe@us.army.mil

Rick Rodriguez, Operations Manager 618-220-5815 Richard.L.Rodriguez@us.army.mil

Don Keane, Training Program Manager 618-220-5813 Donald.J.Keane@us.army.mil
SDDC

M I L I T A R Y 

S U R F A C E 

D E P L O Y M E N T 

AND

D I S T R I B U T I O N 

COMMAND

Building 1990

709 Ward Drive

Scott Air Force Base, IL 

62225

Committed Dependable Relentless