Prepositioned cargo in Honduras gets picked up and loaded onto the vessel, Ocean Atlas, last month prior to delivery supporting U.S. Southern Command’s Beyond the Horizon in Panama, Beyond the Horizon in El Salvador, and New Horizons in Belize. (U.S. Army photo)

By Mitch Chandran
Hq. SDDC Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. — Logisticians in Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command’s Operation Center put their heads together recently to manage a large cargo movement from Florida to Central America supporting three separate, but simultaneous, joint military exercises sponsored by U.S. Southern Command. After careful analysis, it became apparent one vessel could do the work of three, saving their customer, SOUTHCOM, $1.2 million in transportation costs.

SDDC accomplishes this mission by leveraging the best of U.S. commercial shipping, port, trucking and rail services delivering cargo to every corner of the globe supporting Department of Defense contingencies, exercises and humanitarian aid mission.

This year’s exercises in the region were Beyond the Horizon in Panama, Beyond the Horizon in El Salvador, and New Horizons in Belize. The three SOUTHCOM exercises were being held around the same timeframe making it easier for the planners to streamline deployment and delivery requirements.

“We started the chartering process last year for SOUTHCOM,” said Chris Clodfelter, lead for SDDC Command Operations Center’s Pacific and Southern Command Team. “We have liner service we can tap into but since the ports we are working through in Central America are not on their regularly scheduled routes, it becomes considerably more expensive to ship cargo there. So the chartering concept provided us a cost savings — especially since we’re combining cargo that would normally be divided up and deployed on three separate vessels.”

With a lot of coordination with SOUTHCOM, Military Sealift Command, Army South, Air Force South, SDDC’s 597th Transportation Brigade and the 832nd Transportation Battalion, SDDC planners were able to get their buy-in for the single charter solution.

“As we were reviewing the requirements for this, Chris and the team realized the three exercises were happening around the same timeframe and that’s when the single vessel idea started coming into play.” said Maj. Armando Valdez, chief for SDDC Command Operations Center’s Pacific and Southern Command Team.

SDDC, working with MSC, chartered the vessel, Ocean Atlas, which is a multipurpose ship able to accommodate the complex stow plan required to support the three exercises. Cargo and containers have to be stowed onto a vessel is a way to allow easy access to offload when multiple ports are involved.

In this case, 217 pieces of cargo consisting of vehicles, containers and breakbulk pallets left Cape Canaveral, Fla., with the first stop in Honduras to pick up an additional 99 pieces.

According to Valdez, prior to their final decision of a one vessel solution, they were looking at using two vessels to support the three exercises. One vessel would carry cargo from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to Panama then El Salvador via the Panama Canal. All told, SDDC would have paid about $1.9 million to include canal usage costs of around $400,000.

The second vessel would support the New Horizons exercise with cargo deploying from Cape Canaveral to Belize City at a cost of about $534,000.

Valdez said they are also looking at line hauling (trucking) of equipment between Honduras and El Salvador during the redeployment this summer to avoid the expense and time lost from shipping through the Panama Canal.

Beyond the Horizon and New Horizon exercises are a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored, U.S. Army South and U.S. Air Force South-planned and led annual humanitarian and civic assistance exercise. The exercises provide construction and medical assistance to partner nations throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean. The exercises, which generally take place in rural, underprivileged areas, is a major component of the U.S. military’s regional engagement efforts, and it affords a unique opportunity to train U.S. service members alongside partner nation personnel, while providing needed services to communities throughout the region.

SDDC, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is composed of about 2,400 active and Reserve military and civilian surface transportation experts making it possible for Warfighters to have what they need, when they need it.

CUTLINE:

Prepositioned cargo in Honduras gets picked up and loaded onto the vessel, Ocean Atlas, last month prior to delivery supporting U.S. Southern Command’s Beyond the Horizon in Panama, Beyond the Horizon in El Salvador, and New Horizons in Belize. (U.S. Army photo)

NOTE:  Higher resolution images are available on the official SDDC Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/hqsddc/sets/72157633313378344/.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. — A consolidation of Scott AFB flood photos, taken by SDDC, U.S. Transportation Command, and 375th Air Mobility Wing photographers, shows the aftermath of the April 18 storm that dumped more than five inches of rain on the base during a span of 12 hours.

Much of the base experienced flooding, including the Hq. SDDC parking lot, where dozens of vehicles were stranded or damaged by high water.  According to a 375th Air Mobility Wing news article, the April 18 storm produced more rain than the base had received in the entire months of February and March, combined.  In the news article, Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman, 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs, wrote: “By late that morning, it was clear that the rain was causing significant problems as many parking lots became full of water causing damage to vehicles, some homes in base housing began experiencing flooding in basements and streets became impassable.”

During the visit, Staff Sgt Perkins, 838th Transportation Battalion (center) looks on as Staff Sgt. Adam Wade, the shift NCOIC at the Intensive Care Unit (left) explains his work to Sgt. Maj. Chukwuemeka Uchegbu. (U.S. Army photo by Omar Robertson, 838th Transportation Battalion)

 By 838th Transportation Battalion

GERMANY — The 838th Transportation Battalion sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Chukwuemeka Uchegbu, and battalion noncommissioned officers visited wounded warriors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center March 21 as part of the unit’s Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development program.

Second Lt. Caitlin Scarborough, the head nurse at Ward 10D, answered questions from Sgt. Maj. Chukwuemaka Uchegbu during the community outreach visit. (U.S. Army photos by Omar Robertson, 838th Transportation Battalion)

During their visit to LMRC, Uchegbu, accompanied by Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Beckford and Sgt. 1st Class Omar Robertson (battalion operations NCOs) and Staff Sgt. Christopher Perkins (battalion movement control NCO) visited the LRMC Intensive Care Unit, Chaplain’s Closet, Ward 10D, and USO facility.

The SDDC Soldiers began their tour with a call to the ICU ward, where they were welcomed and escorted by Staff Sgt. Adam Wade, the shift NCOIC. Uchegbu visited with some of the families who were visiting wounded warriors at center. The Soldiers also made a brief stop at Ward 10D, which serves as a recovery bay for wounded warriors recently released from the ICU. The NCOs were welcomed and escorted by Lt. Caitlin Scarborough, the ward’s head nurse.

The community outreach was concluded with a visit to the Chaplain’s Closet and the USO wing. At the Chaplain’s Closet, the Soldiers were greeted and escorted by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. James Conner, the Chaplain’s Closet NCOIC, who explained how the Closet has been able to assist multiple Wounded Warriors who were airlifted from the theater without their personal belongings. The shelves were stocked with brand new items: clothing, shoes, bags, personal hygiene items, etc, that were donated by different agencies or purchased with the chaplain’s fund.

Sgt. Maj. Chukwuemaka Uchegbu (center) talks with Master Sgt. James Conner, NCOIC of the chaplain’s closet. (U.S. Army photo by Omar Robertson, 838th Transportation Battalion)

The SDDC NCOs also visited the USO, a new facility equipped with a movie lounge, an Internet café, an outdoor balcony, and a game room. Uchegbu said it was obvious the military is doing an outstanding job making sure the wounded warriors are well taken care of. He added that the LMRC visit provided great professional development for the battalion NCOs.

Clayton Maciorowski, 599th Transportation Brigade’s Civilian of the Year, receives his award from Col. Gust Pagonis and Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin McKeller following the unit’s monthly Iron Chef potluck at the Wheeler Army Airfield chapel fellowship hall March 28. (U.S. Army photo by Donna Klapakis, 599th Trans. Bde. Public Affairs)

By Donna Klapakis
599th Transportation Brigade
Public Affairs Officer

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii — When you hear of someone who has been an Englishman, a Wolfhound, and an ice sculptor, the next thing that comes to mind is not normally the 599th Transportation Brigade’s Civilian of the Year, but Clayton Maciorowski, an information technology specialist in the brigade’s Information Management Directorate, has now been all four.

Although Maciorowski moved with his family to the U.S. when he was just 2 years old, and graduated from high school near Roanoke, Va., he was born in England of English parents.

He joined the U.S. Army directly out of high school and became an 11B infantryman — a Wolfhound with 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks — for three and a half years.

“I consider that I still am a Wolfhound,” Maciorowski said. “When I was in, Sgt. Maj. [Hugh] O’Reilly was still here. We had one of the orphans that the regiment sponsors from Japan stay with us one year.”

According to his supervisors and colleagues, that kind of giving spirit still imbues Maciorowski’s character.

“He does a lot that is extra. Every time there is an opportunity to volunteer, he always steps forward,” said Maciorowski’s friend and colleague, Nefftaly Lugardo, a brigade IT specialist.

When he left the Army in 2002, he became an ice sculptor in Virginia.

“In high school I was a sculptor; then I continued to have an interest in it as a hobby,” Maciorowski said. “That’s how I also got into the IT field. We ran a computer numerical control machine to do the writing and logos in the ice. It uses CAD-type [computer aided design] software that got me interested in IT.”

At that time, Maciorowski was also an infantryman in the U.S. Army Reserves.

“Since I was interested in IT, the Army sent me to Fort Gordon for four months in 2004 for computer training to reclassify as a computer systems analyst. I was able to get all of my base-level diplomas from that, and have kept up with it since,” he said.

Moving to Hawaii was a big step for the Maciorowski family.

“We both had good jobs, but we wanted to try to find something here, so we took a five-week leave of absence to come try to find jobs,” he said. “Originally, I just got a six-month contract with the Navy, but we decided to move based on that. When I look back on it now, that was a big leap of faith.”

Following the Navy contract, Maciorowski was hired as a contractor and later as a civil service employee for the 599th Trans. Bde.

Maciorowski said he considers himself fortunate.

“I’ve been lucky all along the way in that I’ve worked for people that I can really learn a lot from,” he said.

Maciorowski’s supervisors and colleagues at the 599th also consider themselves lucky to work with him.

“Clayton is very enthusiastic and focused on any project that he does,” said Arnel Bautista, team leader for programs and support. “He gets passionate in trying to get every detail so that he doesn’t have to double back and redo anything.

“He’s a go-getter, and he’s always satisfied when he’s completed a task or project. He considers that his reward is the satisfaction in getting the job done,” added Bautista. “He always strives for excellence, and if he needs help, he asks for help. That’s just the kind of person you want for your team.”

Lugardo said that not only is Maciorowski considered a technical expert, but people also know that he is dependable.

“You know how there are not a lot of people that you absolutely know will have your back?” asked Lugardo. “Clayton is definitely someone that I know I can trust to have my back. He has proven that over and over.”

“Clayton has just been an exceptional performer year-in and year-out,” added William “Bret” Bartee, director of Information Management. “He really stood out when he moved to a telecommunications job. That’s entirely a different skill set, and the transition was seamless for him.”

“You hear all of those adjectives: model employee, can-do attitude, etc., but Clayton is the real deal.”

South Korean and American co-chairs for the Combined Seaport Coordination Center, Col. Jung, Byong-Kwan and Col. Sean Cannon, listen to an update briefing during Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise at Pier 8 in Pusan, South Korea, Aug. 29 Jung and Cannon were also the co-chairs for the 2013 Key Resolve exercise that completed March 21.

By Donna Klapakis and Maj. Terri Stofferan
599th Transportation Brigade

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii — The 599th Transportation Brigade took part in Key Resolve, a U.S. and Republic of Korea bilateral command post exercise, at four separate locations March 14-21.

Although most of the brigade staff were at the Combined Seaport Coordination Center at Pier 8 in Pusan, South Korea, others stood up the Japan Seaport Coordination Center at Yokohama North Dock, Japan, two acted as liaison to the Combined Transportation Movement Center in Seoul, South Korea, and Soldiers manned the brigade headquarters Command Operations Center here.

“It’s very useful for us to have a seat at the CTMC,” said Carlos Tibbetts, 599th terminals chief. “Because we know everyone at the other two centers and work transportation day-to-day, we can answer questions and resolve problems there quickly.”

Tibbetts added that this exercise was the first that anticipated a major change that will occur in 2015 when the ROK side goes from being in a supporting role to being supported.

As with most bilateral exercises, one of the by-products of the exercise was a chance to build relationships between the two countries.

“As an interpreter, this is really a terrific experience to be a part of the CSCC and participate in the Key Resolve ’13 exercise,” said Cpl. Jinwan Hyun, an ROK Port Operations Group Headquarters interpreter. “Sometimes it feels really hard to make an exact communication with each other, but coordination efforts from both sides make me overcome it. This unique experience will not be forgotten, beyond the exercise. I hope this kind of opportunity could be a chance to enhance each other’s relationship and friendship.”

That was also the hope of the U.S. side.

Col. Sean Cannon, the U.S. co-chair for the CSCC, ate at the ROK Port Operations Group mess every day during the exercise.

“I feel we are really building a close team with the ROK Port Operations Group,” Cannon said. The commander, Col. Jung, Byong-Kwan, invited me to the mess every day, and he was able to showcase his base. Each day, I’d take someone different from the U.S. side with me, so that the people from the U.S. side were able to see their base and take advantage of the great food.

“This camaraderie carried over to the exercise, and we are really building a close team. It’s important for our working relationship that we build relationships with each other,” he added.

Having participated in 15 Key Resolve and RSO&I (the predecessor of Key Resolve) exercises, James “Jim” Staege, 599th plans chief, is a bona fide “old hand.”

“The U.S. and ROK sides aren’t hand-in-hand right at the beginning of an exercise,” Staege said. “There comes a point about three days into the exercise where people cross the aisles, and there is more natural interaction between the U.S and ROK sides. “That is true not only for the different countries, but between services and different units, too. We have all different units working together in the CSCC, so it takes a while. As more people work together, things flow more naturally.”

Staege said the only problems with the KR were typical of all exercises.

“The only problems we have happen every exercise when the fog of war sets in and you have to de-conflict information. Mostly that was interpretation of RFIs — request aren’t worded so everyone understands what they want; gets the wrong information; or asks the wrong person or command,” he said.

At the JSCC, SDDC trains with Military Sealift Command Reservists in sealift operations, port services, cargo handling, communications, and reception, staging and port clearances.

Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Baum, operations officer for SDDC 320 in Alameda, Calif., has been at the JSCC for two exercises and at the CSCC for four.

“There are differences and similarities between working in the two places,” Baum said. “The last Key resolve was the first time that the JSCC was fully stood up. We are working more closely now, and we had a good discussion with MSC about the long-term priorities for the center.”

Lt. Col. Anthony Aquino, the SDDC co-chair for the JSCC said, “The center has gone past the sea-trials stage and we are able to hit the ground running within 24-hours now.”

Overall, the exercise was a great success for all 599th participants.

“The exercise refined and defined the command relationships between the 599th headquarters and sub-elements,” said Lt. Col. Anthony Manetta, exercise chief at the 599th COC. “We were able to clarify roles and exercise the interoperability required to achieve mission success.”

(Editor’s note: Donna Klapakis is the public affairs officer for the 599th Transportation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield Hawaii, and Maj. Terri Stofferan was the Combined Seaport Operations Center port operations officer during Key Resolve 2013.)

Maj. Gen. Peter Lennon (left), commanding general, 377th Theater Sustainment Command, administers the oath of office to Brig. Gen. Michael Mann, commander, Deployment Support Command, during Mann’s promotion ceremony Saturday. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Sheila Holifield)

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Sheila Holifield
Deployment Support Command

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In front of Soldiers and friends Saturday, Maj. Gen. Peter Lennon, commanding general, 377th Theater Sustainment Command, promoted Brig. Gen. Michael Mann, commander, Deployment Support Command (U.S. Army Reserve), to the rank of brigadier general.

As the future of the Army moves toward a globally responsive and regionally engaged force, it is crucial to have leaders that are prepared to train and lead Soldiers to the next level.Lennon said the newly promoted commander is a leader who does just that. “[Mann] leads from the front and he leads up, always taking his Soldiers to another level,” said Lennon.

General officers are personally approved and nominated for promotion by the commander in chief.  Approximately 1.5 percent of all officers in the Army Reserve makes it through the ranks and become eligible to pin on a star, added Lennon.

“The promotion to become a general officer is significant because it is based on merit and performance,” said Lennon.  “This promotion moves Brigadier General Mann into a different layer.”

Numerous hours of education and commitment to various positions and assignments have all led Mann to this point in his career.

“It feels good and I see it as a real privilege to be promoted by Major General Lennon,” said Mann.

The newly promoted commander took the time to thank former DSC commander, Maj. Gen. Janet Cobb, for standing up a great organization before he took command and for always being available even after he took command of the DSC.  Cobb is now assistant deputy chief of staff, G-4, mobilization and training, Washington, D.C.

“Most importantly, I would like to recognize three groups of people who helped make this day happen; the DSC Soldiers whom I listen to and respect; my mentors, especially Major General Lennon; and most importantly, my family, because without family support we cannot be effective,” said Mann.

Upon the completion of the promotion ceremony, the 313th U.S. Army Reserve Band played one Ruffles and Flourishes to honor Mann on his day.

Sgt. 1st Class Joanene Lassiter, 599th Transportation Brigade noncommissioned officer in charge of personnel, reads to Wheeler Elementary School 3rd graders March 1 as part of Read Across America Day. (U.S. Army photo by Donna Klapakis, 599th Transportation Brigade)

By Donna Klapakis
599th Transportation Brigade

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii — Ten soldiers and civilians from the 599th Transportation Brigade got in touch with their “inner child” for half an hour March 1 when they volunteered to read to students at Wheeler Elementary School for Read Across America Day.

The annual event is held on the school day closest to the birthday of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, a filmmaker, writer and illustrator of children’s books who was born March 2, 1904. Among his most famous books are “The Cat in the Hat” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

“These events are so important,” said Troy Tamura, Wheeler Elementary principal. “Read Across America Day provides students a chance to learn that reading is also for fun and enjoyment instead of just academics.”

This was the second year Charity Wampler, 599th information technology specialist, participated in the event.

“I am convinced that we get more out of it than the children do when we volunteer at the school to help out the students,” Wampler said. “We learn more from them than they do from us. Seeing their eyes light up as they learn a new word or are entertained by an interesting turn of phrase is a blessing.”

“This is like reading to my own kids,” said Clayton Maciorowski, 599th IT specialist. “When we get a chance to volunteer and reach out to the community, we have to make the most of it.”

Tamura agreed.

“Our brand here is ‘One Team – One Mission,’” he said. “It’s important to the children to understand that the team is not only the students and the teachers, but also the parents and the other members of the community. Our community on Wheeler is the soldiers and the units.”

Sgt. 1st Class Emilio Calzada, 599th first sergeant, said he hopes 599th employees can volunteer for Read Across America Day every year.

“We’re able to give back to the community by volunteering to read to the students. When we can help the kids and have fun at the same time, that makes this a perfect effort,” Calzada said.

Or as Geisel, in the guise of Dr. Seuss, wrote, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Although Geisel died in 1991, the National Education Association did not establish Read Across America Day until 1998, according its website. On that day, participating schools traditionally invite volunteers, celebrities, and community leaders to read to the children.

By Lt. Col. Delwyn Merkerson

It may be time, but sometimes it’s hard to leave the hooah behind. Military skillsets gained and deployment experience, along with the camaraderie built with fellow Soldiers, can make the prospect of transitioning to civilian life daunting. And that’s even before you factor in the struggling economy and job market.

Even if “one weekend a month, two weeks a year” isn’t what you had in mind, you can still maintain your Soldier-connection and hone your military proficiency and hard-earned skills while striving for the career of your dreams through the Individual Mobilization Augmentee program.

A unique aspect of the program is that you aren’t locked into a “drilling Reservist” schedule. You can continue Soldiering on a part-time basis – earn pay and credit towards retirement, and receive benefits and entitlements, all while maintaining the flexibility to pursue your career and family aspirations. In the IMA program, how you serve can be tailored to your work and school schedule, giving you greater flexibility to plan your service around your busy schedule.

What is the IMA Program?

The IMA program is designed to facilitate the rapid expansion of the Active Army wartime Department of Defense structure or other government departments or agencies. IMAs help the Army meet military manpower requirements in the event of military contingency, pre-mobilization, mobilization, sustainment, or demobilization operations.

These Soldiers are currently serving on a part-time basis in more than 73 Army agencies throughout the United States and overseas (Europe and Korea). IMA Soldiers serve in U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, U.S. Central Command, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, just to name a few.

IMA Soldiers are required to perform a minimum of 12 annual training days each fiscal year and may be authorized to perform up to 48 four-hour periods of inactive duty for training. The IMA Soldier coordinates directly with the agency IMA coordinator to schedule the AT and IDT periods. While serving in the IMA program, the Soldier can work with their coordinator to do all their training requirements at one time, or spread them out over the year.

For more information on the IMA program visit: https://www.hrc.army.mil/STAFF/IMA%20Program%20Overview.

Search available IMA position vacancies using the online search tool on the HRC My Record website.

• Go to this link: https://www.hrcapps.army.mil/portal/
• Log in and click on the “Tools” tab on the top right of the screen
• Choose the “VACANCY SEARCH” link
• Select “Vacancy Type: IMA” and input your desired filter criteria

Every Soldier making the transition from active duty needs to think about the value of their service. You don’t have to leave the hooah behind. The Army Reserve allows you to continue your service to the nation and derive all of the benefits that compelled you to join in the first place.

Capt. Paul Conrad, 599th HHD commander, exits the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer Simulator at the Schofield Barracks Training Audiovisual Support Center Feb. 19 during the 599th’s Warrior Week.

Story and photos by Donna Klapakis
599th Transportation Brigade Public Affairs

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii — Soldiers working their mission as transportation specialists take time for physical training daily, but Soldiers at the 599th Transportation Brigade here also have an annual Warrior Week dedicated to updating warrior tasks.

Staff Sgt. Jesus Grajales, terminal operations division NCO, arranged the training and venues during this year’s Warrior Week.

“Everyone gets all of their training in warrior tasks done at once this way, rather than spreading it out through the year,” Grajales said. “We also build a closer camaraderie working with one another on these types of tasks for a solid week.”

Distinctive, but sometimes confused with U.S. Army Best Warrior competitions, in which Soldiers and NCOs compete for bragging rights, Warrior Week is dedicated to refreshing warrior skills and did not involve a competition, per se.

The week began Feb. 19 with a road march, followed by height and weight measurements, and weapons maintenance. In the afternoon, 599th NCOs and officers reported to the Training Audiovisual Support Center on Schofield Barracks where they qualified on pistols at the range simulator and did rollover drills in the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer Simulator.

“In order to stay current on the pistol, we qualify two to four times a year,” Grajales said. “We don’t have enough manpower to support ourselves on a range. So when we can, we piggyback with another unit. Here at the range simulator we don’t need that support.”

While there is no real competition or prize for the best shooter, Soldiers in the brigade have an ongoing, unofficial competition at the pistol range, both among themselves and a good-natured inter-service rivalry to try to exceed the score of the brigade’s deputy commanding officer, Air Force Lt. Col. Todd Toman, whose consistently high scores always provide Soldiers in the unit with a target to beat.

“I think the challenge to ‘beat the Air Force guy’ is good. It makes them work harder to achieve high scores,” Toman said.

Wednesday began with combatives, the current method of hand-to-hand combat taught by the Army. The Soldiers then performed pre-combat checks and inspections, followed by warrior training tasks after lunch.

The NCOs also took advantage of their stand down from their usual transportation mission to complete classes on suicide prevention, sexual harassment, Army homosexual conduct policy, and operations security and antiterrorism awareness.

Civilians at the 599th joined the Soldiers for mandatory classes.

“We are all one team, and we have to train as we fight,” said Col. Gust Pagonis, 599th commander. “That includes all members, civilian and military.”

The final day of Warrior Week saw the first postponement. Soldiers were unable to hike up Maunawili Falls trail near Kailua because of dangerous conditions created by three days of heavy rain. At lunch the entire brigade got together for its monthly Iron Chef potluck, after which Soldiers and civilians underwent their master resiliency and equal opportunity training.

“This week was a great opportunity to step away from our desks and our normal [operations] tempo to focus on basic skills that we need to maintain as Soldiers,” said Capt. Paul Conrad, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment commander.

Two methods were employed to survey land and water for metallic debris and unexploded ordinance at Military Ocean Terminal, Concord, Calif. A boat-towed sidescan sonar to survey shallow water areas and a helicopter outfitted with a geophysical magnetometer, as seen here, for deeper water and land surveys.

By Mitch Chandran
Hq. SDDC Public Affairs

The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command’s Military Ocean Terminal, Concord, or MOTCO, Calif., is currently taking advantage of a U.S. Army-sponsored environmental program designed to locate unexploded ordnance and other metallic debris left over from decades of munitions-related military activities.

Additionally, metallic debris, and possible unexploded ordinance, are being investigated from the July 17, 1944 Port Chicago explosion at Pier 1 that involved two merchant vessels and about 5,000 tons of ammunition and explosives.

The massive investigation and remedial effort at MOTCO is being performed in tandem with the Military Munitions Response Program, managed by U.S. Army Environmental Command, or USAEC, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Army Explosive Safety Board, with the program designed to discover and cleanup old military munitions, and explosive and non-explosive debris.

The program’s Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study will hone in on three sites totaling more than 10,000 acres of land and water (Suisan Bay) at MOTCO.

“The MMRP is actively engaged in locating, identifying, and ultimately destroying any munitions found inland from their initial over flight survey,” said Lt. Col. Kenneth Sheets, 834st Transportation Battalion and MOTCO installation commander. “We are committed to protecting California’s environment and ensure it remains in pristine condition for years to come.”

The cleanup program consists of five phases which kicked off October 2010 and is expected to conclude mid-2014.

“This is the first time a comprehensive survey and cleanup has been performed in our area,” said Guy Romine, remedial program manager for SDDC. “The planning of this program has been monumental and we’re seeing a big payoff in that we’re discovering old debris — some of which are explosive – almost every day.”

MOTCO personnel are not going it alone with the MMRP. Besides the contractor performing the work, various federal, state and local agencies have a stake in this effort to include California Department of Toxic Substances Control; California Regional Water Quality Control Board; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 to name a few. Additionally Contra Costa County Health Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are also significant stakeholders.

After a lengthy planning phase, two methods were employed to survey land and water. A boat-towed sidescan sonar was used to survey shallow water areas and a helicopter outfitted with a geophysical magnetometer was used for deeper water and land surveys.

Once metal and unexploded ordinance is located and documented, the focus will shift to recovering the old metals and properly disposing them, and if appropriate or needed, performing a controlled detonation.

“From a safety perspective, this effort is a huge benefit,” said Travis Wetzler, safety officer for the 834st. “Along with a lot of metallic debris, we’ve discovered a few items requiring us to do a controlled detonation. Removing this type of safety hazard is always good for the installation.”

The progress of this MMRP is going better than I expected,” Sheets said. “We are working very well together ensuring that we get our contractor any resources they need to complete this important effort.”

According to USAEC, after decades of munitions-related activities required to maintain our military’s readiness, unexploded ordnance, discarded military munitions and munitions constituents may be present to some degree at many active and former military installations.

MOTCO is a world class ammunition ocean terminal and distribution organization that leverages 21st century business processes, industrial practices, and information technologies to expedite the safe and secure delivery of munitions to the Combatant Commander.