Biggest since Bayonne closure: MTMC transships Kosovo force in New York harbor.

A mid the bustle of Greater New York Harbor, a peacekeeping task force of the 10th Mountain Division (Light) has been routed back to its home station.

MTMC's 956th Transportation Co. discharged the equipment of a Kosovo peacekeeping task force and transshipped the equipment by rail to Fort Drum, N.Y., and 12 other military installations.

The 956th port team and its partners--who proudly call themselves "Team Yankee"--handled the largest military equipment move in the Northeast since the 1999 closure of MTMC's Bayonne Military Ocean Terminal.

Two vessels--the Saudi Diriyah and the Merlin--loaded at the Black Sea port of Constanza, Romania, were discharged by Team Yankee in late June and the first days of July. In all, some 900 pieces of cargo were transshipped to home stations. The cargo included 450 wheeled and tracked vehicles, 400 containers and 36 helicopters.

"This mission presented us with many challenges," said Maj. Michael Cashner, Commander, of the Fort Monmouth, N.J., unit.

"First, we needed to find a port facility with enough available space to stage all the equipment, as well as an open area to reassemble and fly the helicopters," said Cashner. "Second, the port had to be in close proximity to a rail facility, with the capacity to stage and load nearly 400 vehicles. Finally, the security of both facilities was also a huge concern."

The discharge site selected was Global Marine Terminal, Jersey City, N.J., with over 35 acres of available hardstand, and a work force that included many Bayonne terminal veterans.

"The open storage area provided ample space for staging vehicles, as well as helicopter reassembly, landing and take-off areas," said Cashner.

The terminal staff provided considerable assistance with safety, security and force protection, said Capt. David Hartwell, Security Officer, 1176th Transportation Brigade, of Baltimore, Md. Additional help came from a team of the Army Reserve's 4249th Port Security Co., of Pocahontas, Iowa.

The New York/New Jersey Port Authority provided MTMC assistance in locating a rail loading facility. The usually used Newark, N.J., facility lacked enough room for the huge cargo volume, said David Kottka, 956th Operations Officer. At no charge, CONRAIL made available to MTMC its Portside Rail Yard, in Elizabeth, N.J., which it leases from the authority.

The Portside yard, with two 2,500-foot rail lines, an empty office building, and over 30 acres of staging area was a perfect solution--but only after two challenges were overcome:

* There were no rail ramps for loading wheeled vehicles onto railroad cars, and

* Labor costs to move the vehicles the eight miles between the Global Marine Terminal and the Portside rail yard were substantial.

"Solving these problems took some innovative thinking," said Cashner.

To provide railroad ramps, transporters added the need to the railroad car contract. An economical solution came from industry.

A solution came from Taylor Transfer Services Inc., of Biglerville, Pa., which was contracted to provide temporary rail ramps on behalf of CSX.

"Taylor Services is an amazing company," said Cashner. "We couldn't have done this without them."

Employees of the firm improved upon an idea they found in a Korean War-era Army technical manual. They built six temporary ramps using 60-foot wooden-deck rail cars. Using heavy-duty inflatable bags, Taylor Services technicians raised one end of a rail car high enough to remove the trucks and road wheels. Next, they deflated the bags. This lowered the car to the ground and produced a temporary ramp. Four-inch oak planks were used to span the gap between the ground and the low end of the rail car.

"This is really an amazing idea," said Tom Mingolla, CONRAIL's Port Newark Trainmaster.

"I've never seen anything like this in all my years on the railroad--but it works like a charm."

Cashner agreed.

"This is an outstanding example of MTMC's partnership with industry," said Cashner.

"We've had outstanding support from Taylor Transfer Services--they truly bring customer service to a whole new level," Cashner continued. "They taught our troops so much about rail loading, and they were fully involved in this mission from the beginning."

In addition, the firm furnished all blocking and bracing materials, supplied and emplaced all bridge plates and spanners between rail cars, and provided critical technical guidance on rail loading and safety

To reduce driving and loading costs associated with the transshipment, the 956th asked for assistance from the 11th Transportation Battalion, Fort Story, Va.

The 7th Transportation Group transporters agreed to provide 49 Army stevedores from the 119th Transportation Company's 4th Platoon. The stevedores moved, loaded and secured nearly 400 vehicles between the two transshipment sites.

The stevedore platoon leader, 2nd Lt. John Hospodar, had full responsibility for the transshipment, said Cashner.

"Those troops were amazing," said Cashner. "They loaded more than 100 rail cars, in 95 F.-plus-degree temperatures in less than 30 hours, and I never heard a single complaint. I'd ask soldiers, `Are you tired?' and I would always receive an energetic `No, Sir!'"

To save more expenses, the Fort Story transporters rode a bus to Red Bank, N.J., and stayed in a National Guard armory at no charge. Labor costs were limited to temporary travel charges for the soldiers and the rental cost of seven vans.

"You add it all up," said Cashner, "and we easily saved the government over $300,000."

Additional support came from the Directorate of Logistics, Fort Dix, N.J., which provided medical and maintenance support. Medics voluntarily distributed 70 gallons of water and used 140 pounds of ice daily and ensured soldiers were taking care of themselves.

Mechanics had to jump start, repair or tow more than one-third of the vehicles off the ship.

"There were a lot of moving pieces and players involved with this mission," said Cashner.

"We've got a great team up here in New York and New Jersey. Everyone always pulls together and does his or her share to ensure a successful mission--I had no doubts that this mission would be any different."

The mission was bittersweet for Lt. Col. Fred Stribling, Deputy Commander, of the 1176th. It was Stribling's last mission before retirement.

"It's funny that the Global Terminal is right across the channel from Military Ocean Terminal Bayonne," said Stribling. "I was assigned there as a lieutenant--my career is finishing where it began."

Stribling and his detail of 15 soldiers from the 1176th played a critical part in the mission.

"We couldn't have completed this mission without the 1176th," said Tim O'Sullivan, the senior Marine Cargo Specialist with the 956th. "They did everything from running port security to planning the discharge and operating the staging area."

O'Sullivan, a former Bayonne terminal employee, echoed many of Stribling's sentiments.

"It was great to see so many familiar faces--it felt like a homecoming" said O'Sullivan, referring to the 1588th local International Longshoreman Association, of Bayonne. The same union members formerly worked for MTMC at the Bayonne terminal docks.

"Seeing those folks again definitely gave me a sense of comfort," said O'Sullivan.

Lisa Bandur
Administrative Assistant
956th Transportation Co.