599th Transportation Group supports multi-national exercises in the Pacific.

With many unit members deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 599th Transportation Group was challenged by the 2003 annual Balikatan and Tandem Thrust training exercises.

The training value of the two U.S. Pacific Command joint combined exercises are high, therefore, the Wheeler Army Air Field, Hawaii, command stressed participation in the exercises.

Two 599th deployment support teams were task-organized and deployed to separate islands in the Pacific. In April, a three-member 599th team began port operations in Guam and later on the island of Tinian in the Northern Marianas Islands, in support of Exercise Tandem Thrust 03.

More than 8,000 military members of the United States and Australian forces trained together in the western Pacific Ocean--nine time zones west of Washington, D.C.

Two weeks later, a second three-member deployment support team landed at the heart of Southeast Asia, in support of Balikatan 2003--the 19th annual exercise involving military forces of the United States and the Philippines.

The deployment support teams may have been small in number, but they could effectively accomplish their missions, said Col. Peter Gitto, outgoing 599th commander.

"The ability of the 599th deployment support team to rapidly deploy our seaport operations anywhere in the world ensures that exercise cargo and equipment get to our forces wherever they are and whenever they need it," said Gitto.

"Whether it is a real world contingency on the opposite side of the globe or a major exercise in our Pacific area of responsibility, we are trained and ready to execute our distribution mission."

Team members at both locations experienced an increased locus in coordinating the movement of exercise cargo and equipment with commercial ocean carriers as a result of the expanded use of Universal Service Contract 04 for deployment and redeployments.

"Significant difference [between Balikatan 2002 and 2003] was the use of commercial shipping of military cargo arriving in the Philippines from Hawaii and the U.S. mainland," said John Fisher, then chief of mobilization and readiness for the 599th.

"This created new challenges and required extensive planning to meet the required delivery date for the exercise."

Fisher led the deployment support team in the Philippines.

Unlike a Military Sealift Command charter, said Fisher, the commercial liner does not typically move military cargo directly from its port of origin to final destination. As a result, planners need to consider interim port calls on the required delivery date of cargo.

The team in the Marianas worked in close cooperation with the commercial carrier to discharge and upload Horizon Lines vessels in Guam. The team subsequently loaded the Super Shuttle to transport 25th Infantry Division (Light) and Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 28 equipment between Guam and Tinian.

Gordon Lowe, chief of the 599th's Universal Service Contract Management Office, complimented the flexibility and commitment of the industry partners supporting Tandem Thrust.

"The military's distribution requirements for Tandem Thrust 03 were dynamic, but our commercial distribution managers' flexibility and commitment never wavered," said Lowe, who led the deployment support team in the Marianas.

Pete Lujan and Marjorie Perez, of Military Traffic Management Command's Field Office, Guam, augmented the Marianas team.

"As Guam natives, their familiarity with the lay of the land and working relationship with industry partners from the area contributed to the success of our mission," said Lowe.

The exercises drew praise from participants.

"Exercise Balikatan 03 provided training of Group Mission Essential Task List as well as opportunities to establish close ties with local host nation personnel for future operations," said Fisher.

Lowe praised Tandem Thrust 03.

"It provided valuable lessons that will help us streamline the distribution process involving commercial ocean carriers, as we continue to expand the use of USC 04 to execute our mission throughout the Pacific and beyond," said Lowe.

Dear Editor:

I may be working for others now, but MTMC will always hold the place in my memories closest to my heart. It is the best team atmosphere and camaraderie.

I am serving with the 90th Personnel Services Battalion and currently in Balad, Iraq. We call it Logistics Support Area Anaconda, with postal units and personnel processing centers all over. I am currently assessing the networking, computer systems and communications at various locations for possible improvements.

It could be a different form of transportation. Where MTMC transports material. we transport people and the U.S. Mail. I am doing pretty much the same thing that I did with the 839th Transportation Battalion (Livorno, Italy) with systems administration, customer support, server security and exchange e-mail.

I miss you but as always, feel great serving and applying what I know. Who knows, I might be in the right place at the right time and return to the MTMC family.

Right now I have to get my load bearing equipment, body armor, Kevlar helmet and related stuff together for a convoy down to Baghdad at 4 p.m. local time. Going to be tough getting there before dark.

Take care and keep smiling.

Robert Tilson

Editor's Note: Tilson wrote this e-mail Sept. 30 while on a two-week mission to Iraq for his Germany-based command. While with MTMC, Tilson volunteered for numerous 839th Transportation Battalion missions at Adriatic Sea ports in support of the Balkans peacekeeping efforts.

Dear Editor:

I have been closely following the development of MTMC for over 50 years now. I am 85 years old, retired since 1980 and peacefully living in "God's Waiting Room"--Florida.

I began my career in early 1950 as an I.C.C. practitioner with a MTMC predecessor organization in Pittsburgh, Pa. When the Pittsburgh office closed, I was chief of operations in the traffic management division and was transferred to the Washington, D.C. office of MTMC.

For many years after retirement my wile and I attended the MTMC retirees' annual luncheon, but in recent years we have been physically unable to be in attendance at these retirement luncheons. We really miss seeing these old friends even if only on an annual basis.

I am so happy to learn about the continuation of dedicated people that are currently employed by MTMC. My heart and interest has never left MTMC and today I rest on my laurels as one of the past deeply dedicated people that got MTMC up and running at the rapid pace that it still maintains. My time was during the Vietnam and Korean wars and we really never got to know what a 40-hour workweek would feel like.

Difficult to put it in words worthy of print ... but thanks a million for keeping me on your mailing list for "Translog." You can be assured that each issue is read page by page.

Hugh L. Pollon