Joint information bureau (June 8, 2006): JLOTS '06 demonstrates huge joint military capability.

FORT STORY. Va. -- About 1,800 active and Reserve military personnel from all four military services will pull their expertise together in the upcoming Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) 2006 exercise here June 11-21.

JLOTS is a critical capability that allows the military to move forces and supplies without the benefit of a port. Cargo is discharged from ships anchored in a harbor onto smaller vessels or barges for movement to shore. JLOTS '06 is a multi-Service cargo distribution exercise incorporating the Off-Shore Petroleum Discharge System (OPDS), an all-weather facility for bulk transfer of petroleum, oils, and lubricants directly from an offshore tanker to a beach termination unit.

JLOTS 06 will exercise the Department of Defense's ability to deploy, discharge, and conduct reception, staging, and deployment of unit equipment and sustainment in a scenario that requires ships to offload while still offshore. The events are designed to improve military readiness, increase interoperability among participating agencies, and test new concepts. About 120 active, Reserve, and civilian personnel from the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) will provide overall command and control for the exercise as the Joint Task Force commander.

"Our goal is to train and ready an expeditionary joint force with this exercise in support of military deployments, sustainment, and disaster relief operations," said Army Col. Robert Oliveras, commander of SDDC's 597th Transportation Group and Joint Task Force commander for JLOTS. "Combining events within JLOTS '06 means gaining efficiencies and synergies while minimizing the environmental and operational impact on Fort Story," he added.

About 150 containers and 30 pieces of rolling stock will be moved ashore as part of the exercise. Most recently, the U.S. military conducted similar operations to increase discharge capability in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and to deliver humanitarian supplies following the December tsunami in Indonesia. In this case, containers from USNS Red Cloud (a large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ship) will be discharged onto Navy barges using ship-based cranes. Navy tugs will push the barges to shore where the containers will be lifted by crane onto trucks for onward movement.

The command will also be documenting cargo and testing new ways to employ Radio Frequency Identification, the primary method used by the Department of Defense to track cargo with in-transit visibility. In addition, the command is looking for implications as it develops a rapid-deployment surface distribution force in coordination with the United States Transportation Command.