# 2022 Contingency Operations Readiness Exercise comes to a successful end

/ Published Aug. 1, 2022
BATTLE CREEK, Mich, 
As July ends, so too does the latest edition of the Defense Logistic Agency’s Contingency Operations Readiness Exercise in Battle Creek, Michigan. 

The exercise featured different parts of the agency working together across multiple sites – simulating an expeditionary environment.

01:23VIDEO  | 01:23 |COREX 2022 is underway in Battle Creek, Michigan

“COREX is an opportunity for both DLA Distribution as well as the DLA Disposition Services to team together to exercise their expeditionary capabilities,” said Benjamin Boone a facilities supervisor from DLA Distribution in San Joaquin, California.

This latest edition of COREX was different from years past in that the increased scope meant involving multiple parts of DLA as the agency put on a display of its expeditionary capabilities.

“This is the biggest DLA expeditionary exercise in the history of DLA,” said DLA Disposition Services Director Mike Cannon. “This exercise is just one of the ways we get to show what we do in a big real-world situation.”

                Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Royal from Columbus, Ohio, takes part in disposal training while participating in COREX22 at the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base.                            COREX 2022                            Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Royal from Columbus, Ohio, takes part in disposal training while participating in COREX22 at the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Jason ShambergerVIRIN: 220729-D-AU600-200

To accommodate such a large undertaking, J6 [information technology team] was on-site supporting the activities every step of the way ensuring communications capabilities remained intact and preparing their own personnel for eventual deployment as well.

“We’re the part of J6, the contingency side, where we could deploy anywhere whether it’s local or OCONUS,” said Jimmy Stephenson, an IT specialist. “During COREX we’re providing NIPR, Distribution Standard System and all types of local [communications] support to the mobile sites.

                Disposition Services personnel take part in exercise duties at the expeditionary site during COREX22 taking place at Fort Custer, Michigan.                            COREX 2022                            Disposition Services personnel take part in exercise duties at the expeditionary site during COREX22 taking place at Fort Custer, Michigan.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Jason ShambergerVIRIN: 220729-D-AU600-201

Those taking part in the nearly two-week long exercise were able to hone a variety of skills including operating heavy machinery as well as making use of cutting systems on the Disposition Services side.

“This is the culmination of all the training that we provide here at the expeditionary site set,” said Brian Davidson, a certified instructor. “This is going to prepare participants and validate their skills, so they are able to deploy and operate in any type of environment around the world.”

                As part of exercise operations, DLA Distribution receives a mock shipment during part of COREX22 activities at Fort Custer, Michigan.                            COREX 2022                            As part of exercise operations, DLA Distribution receives a mock shipment during part of COREX22 activities at Fort Custer, Michigan.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Jason ShambergerVIRIN: 220729-D-AU600-202

Members from multiple DLA Distribution sites came to Battle Creek to take part in this exercise. The Distribution team spoke of their thoughts on having the chance to work alongside of Disposition Services and operate outside of their daily norms.

“I thought it was definitely a great opportunity to partner with Disposition Services,” said Boone. “We don’t always get to work together closely [with Disposition Services] and COREX allowed us to exercise capabilities that we don’t always have the opportunity to use at our home stations.

                Robert Small, an equipment specialist from Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, performs disposal operations during COREX22 on Fort Custer, Michigan.                            COREX 2022                            Robert Small, an equipment specialist from Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, performs disposal operations during COREX22 on Fort Custer, Michigan.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Jason ShambergerVIRIN: 220729-D-AU600-204

The annual exercise came to an end with some final comments from Cannon, as he expressed his thoughts on how successful he felt the entire event was.

“33 years in uniform and I was involved in lots of exercises, from small-scale to a large-scale,” said Cannon. “I don’t think there were any [exercises] as well orchestrated as this one. You guys were a well-oiled machine from the planning to the execution and to the clean-up.”