599th contingency deployment support team deploys for desert focus mission: training: mission rehearsal exercise validates team's readiness.

A timely mission rehearsal exercise provided a 599th Transportation Group deployment support team a tremendous readiness advantage when called upon to support the Global War Against Terrorism.

With the continuous flow of combat power pouring into the Central Command area of operations, Col. Peter J. Gitto, commander of the 599th, assessed that it was only a matter of time before support from Military Traffic Management Command's Group in the Pacific would be required.

A stalwart 599th contingency deployment support team, or DST, answered that call. A DST is a task-organized group of transportation specialists who perform port operations and single port manager functions in support of deploying forces.

Gitto made certain that the team was prepared for success by creating a training opportunity to deploy and activate the 599th's contingency DST, which was right on target with MTMC's training guidance.

"Key to the deployed team's ability to execute its mission is to be trained and ready," said Gitto.

Just two days prior to the end of the evaluation exercise, the contingency DST, known as Task Force 599, received its real-world wartime mission--deploy to the opposite side of the world and conduct port operations.

Receipt of the movement order arrived just as Task Force 599 successfully completed Mission Rehearsal Exercise Desert Focus that validated the team's Mission Essential Task List proficiency.

The 599th commander's intent for Mission Rehearsal Exercise Desert Focus tied in three elements, including soldier readiness processing, and validation of individual and collective training.

"Specifically, I want to validate the Task Force Soldier and Emergency Essential Civilian Readiness Processing," said Gitto. "I want to evaluate Task Force 599's proficiency on single port management, port operations functions, force protection and the deployment/ redeployment capabilities of Task Force 599 personnel," he added.

Unlike members of a team who work side-by-side on a daily basis, the contingency DST was task organized from Headquarters 599th in Hawaii, as well as all three subordinate battalions in Japan, Okinawa and Korea.

"This contingency DST will deploy from multiple locations, come together on very short notice, and we will then evaluate their ability to accomplish our mission as one team," said Gitto.

Lt. Col. Darrell Jenkins, Commander of the 836th Transportation Battalion in Japan, led the 15-member team of Soldiers and Emergency Essential Civilians whose selection to Task Force 599 was based on their demonstrated ability to execute MTMC's global mission.

Separated by time and distance, members of the DST from Hawaii, Japan and Okinawa deployed to Camp Hialeah in Korea to join forces with their team members in Pusan for the three-day exercise early February.

In addition to exercising and evaluating their port operations core competency proficiencies in a simulated discharge and upload of USNS Shughart, a Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off vessel, the DST also evaluated a myriad of supporting individual and collective tasks, that included:

* Supervising NBC defense operations,

* Performing risk management,

* Weapons qualification,

* Supervising cargo documentation,

* Establishing and maintaining secure radio and data communication, and

* Command and control.

At the end of the exercise, DST leaders were confident in the team's ability to execute its mission.

"Task Force 599 is trained and ready to deploy to any location and prepared to conduct terminal operations anywhere, worldwide," said Jenkins, in his final assessment and proficiency validation report.

Sgt. Maj. Gonzalo Rivera-Rivera, the 599th Group and Task Force Sergeant Major, who was [he primary trainer for the team, was in agreement.

"Sir [group commander], you can consider Task Force 599 your ready reaction force," said Rivera-Rivera.

The exercise tested the transporters' skills and provided a critical teambuilding opportunity for many members who were working together for the first time.

"This is a great task force--well trained and with lots of experience," said Capt. Courtney Brooks, the team's operations officer from the 835th Transportation Battalion in Japan.

Task force members were in total agreement on the value added from the training.

"This [exercise] was extremely helpful because it gave us an opportunity to develop trust and confidence in each other," said Staff Sgt. Clayton Reeves, from the 837th Transportation Battalion in Korea.

"It was very valuable to get to know each member of the team before going into harm's way," added emergency essential civilian Jim Staege, who deployed from the 599th in Hawaii.

Staff Sgt. Victoria Williams, who had been with the 599th group for a little over a month before being deployed, agreed.

"We have become a team, and I know I can trust any member of our task force with my life" said Williams.

In line with MTMC's training guidance, Task Force 599 was trained, properly equipped, planned and rehearsed. The soldiers and civilians were trained to survive in a hostile environment, ready to support the Global War on Terrorism.

On the eve of the team's deployment to Pusan from Hawaii, the 599th Group Commander charged the contingency DST members to keep their focus on three factors: force protection, in-transit visibility and teamwork.

"Train as if your life depends upon it--safety is paramount. You don't bring a weapons system--you bring in-transit visibility that is critical to the warfighter. And, finally, ensure that you are taking care of each other--teamwork brings it all together," said Gitto.

Knowing the team's ultimate mission, the 599th Commander said, "You will deploy our fighting forces to where they are needed."

Task Force 599 understood the charge and complied.

Today, Task Force 599 is executing its port operations mission in the European Command area of operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Maj. Gonzalo Rivera-Rivera, Group Sergeant Major, and Terri Kojima, Command Affairs Officer, 599th Transportation Group