31st MEU embarks for PHIBLEX ‘08
OKINAWA, Japan (Oct. 12, 2007) -- Considered one of its most challenging embarkation efforts this year, the logisticians of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, bobbed and weaved their way around obstacles and challenges to ensure its Marines, sailors and gear were ready to set sail Oct. 12, here.
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/lookupstoryref/20071014205535
Oct. 12, 2007; Submitted on: 10/14/2007 08:55:35 PM ; Story ID#: 20071014205535
By Cpl. Kamran Sadaghiani, 31st MEU
The MEU’s embarkation team comprised of logisticians from the MEU’s command element, ground combat element, combat logistics support element and aviation combat element moved more than 1,200 personnel, 180 vehicles, and 250 pieces of cargo across three ships: USS Tortuga (LSD 46), the USS Juneau (LPD 10), and the USS West Pacific Express (HSV).
“In order to logistically support the MEU’s broad spectrum of operational capabilities, a great task was placed on the men and women behind the scenes,” said Sgt. James Milburn, the MEU embarkation chief and Austin, Texas native.
Together, the embarkation team planned and executed a strategic move to position gear, such as storage containers, ground support equipment, aircraft, vehicles and weapons systems needed for the various missions the MEU may encounter.
The team loaded the ships in a manner that allowed its contents to be disembarked in the most effective manner to support planned activities ashore, said Cpl. Stacy Thetford, the MEU logistics non-commissioned officer.
“The embarkation of assets is a vital element of each deployment,” said Thetford, a Philadelphia native. “A heavy responsibility rests on the shoulders of these Marines and sailors who help mobilize the MEU for its many missions.”
When it rains, it pours for these embarkers. Their jobs are not as simple as loading cargo from the port to inside a ship with cranes and forklift vehicles, explained Milburn.
“Embarkation is so complicated that we essentially plan two months ahead,” he said. “There is a lot of coordination we had to do. We have to get the count of vehicles, equipment, and storage containers from all of the MEU’s major subordinate elements and combine them on a spreadsheet. After putting together all the pieces of the puzzle on a load plan, the combat cargo detachment and landing support platoon must work hours on end to move all cargo aboard the ships. There is a lot of thinking and strategy involved.”
The MEU is capable of planning and executing a number of combat related missions to include non-combatant evacuations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. In order to rapidly deploy and support these operations, the MEU requires a strong and experienced embarkation team capable of embarking and disembarking hundreds of tons of equipment and vehicles, according to SSgt. Christopher Oliver, the MEU’s embarkation Staff Non-commissioned Officer in Charge.
Meanwhile, for this deployment, the logisticians worked arduously to load the ships to meet operation requirements in support of Amphibious Landing Exercise 2008. Approximately 6,500 U.S. and Philippine military service members will participate in a variety of bilateral training exercises to include jungle environment survival training, martial arts, live-fire drills, close air support, civil-military operations, and community outreach efforts near their training areas in Luzon.
The exercise maintains the readiness and sustains the long-term security assistance relationship shared between the Philippines and the United States.