House committee hears MTMC port security views.

A number of upgrades have been implemented at the nation's strategic seaports used by the Military Traffic Management Command to improve security.

That was the message of Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, Commander, to members of the National Security, Veterans Affairs and International Relations on Homeland Security Subcommittee, of the House Committee on Government Reform.

Privratsky testified July 23, at the Rayburn House Office Building, in Washington, D.C., on behalf of Gen. John W. Handy, Commander, U.S. Transportation Command.

The Congressional hearing was held following the release of a General Accounting Report, which cited security concerns at the nation's strategic seaports in the event of a military mobilization.

"Security is one of the most critical concerns of mobilization and deployment missions," said Privratsky, in a prepared statement. "Our ability to address threats to the national defense transportation network must be sufficient to meet the needs of agencies with federal port responsibilities to deploy our nation's military forces swiftly and sustain them to meet national objectives."

All Transportation Command operations get a full review from a Joint Risk Assessment Working Group, said Privratsky.

"The Joint Risk Assessment Working Group makes risk mitigation recommendations to the Transportation Command operations division and command group when risk exceeds the operational need for mission support and/or force protection is assessed as inadequate," he said.

Additional security support comes from coordination with MTMC's Navy partner--the Military Sealift Command, he said.

"We also benefit directly from risk assessments conducted during mobilizations," said Privratsky. "Certainly, the vulnerability assessments that Congress has recently requested the U.S. Coast Guard to perform will enhance our ability to do risk assessments of port operations.

"We will also couple those with specific intelligence reports we gather daily from our internal resources and commercial industry sources."

The creation of a single MTMC worldwide operations center Nov. 7, 2001, has enhanced port security and provides better coordination with deploying units and industry partners, he said.

Privratsky called for greater security emphasis on shipping containers that enter the country.

"We support measures that improve cargo identification and screening," said Privratsky. "While we move limited amounts of container cargo as part of unit deployments, we operate adjacent to commercial container operations at the seaports, and we annually ship, primarily as exports, more than 100,000 containers in commercial liner service to sustain our forces around the world.

"`What's in the box?' is certainly one of the toughest challenges with which we all must deal in deterring terrorist acts."

Key security emphasis is placed on 17 strategic seaports located across the country, said Privratsky. MTMC and the U.S. Maritime Administration jointly select the ports.

"These ports are chosen based on an evaluation of port capabilities compared to the military's deployment requirements," said Privratsky. "A team comprised of the Maritime Administration and MTMC selects the ports and establishes the number of vessel berths, staging areas and other assets required."

The ports include 13 commercial ports and four military ports. The commercial ports include: New York/New Jersey port complex; Hampton Roads area ports, Va.; Morehead City, N.C.; Wilmington, N.C.; Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Beaumont, Texas; Corpus Christi, Texas; San Diego, Calif.; Long Beach, Calif.; Oakland, Calif.; and Tacoma, Wash. The military ports include: Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, N.C.; Military Ocean Terminal Concord, Calif.; Indian Island Naval Magazine, Wash.; and Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, Calif.