MTMC initiates big surface redeployment from Afghanistan.When military equipment rolled off the Motor Vessel Maersk Arizona at Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point--it was a pivotal event. The equipment of the 1/187th Infantry Battalion was the first to be returned via surface transportation from warfighters in Afghanistan. "It's a good news story," said Brig. Gen. Barbara Doornink, Deputy Commanding General and Director of Operations, Military Traffic Management Command A major command of the US Army, and the US Transportation Command's component command responsible for designated continental United States land transportation as well as common-user water terminal and traffic management service to deploy, employ, sustain, and redeploy US forces on a . "It's been a lot of work. This is the first. Our 831st Transportation Terminal Battalion in Kuwait and our 597th Transportation Group made this happen. "We need to continue to use surface where it makes sense. It frees up aircraft for other missions and saves tax dollars." The equipment that arrived July 5 was returned to the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) soldiers at Fort Campbell, Ky., at one-tenth the military aviation transportation cost. "The equipment was originally scheduled to redeploy re·de·ploy tr.v. re·de·ployed, re·de·ploy·ing, re·de·ploys 1. To move (military forces) from one combat zone to another. 2. via air channels but the availability of the Maersk Arizona, under charter to the Military Sealift Command A major command of the US Navy, and the US Transportation Command's component command responsible for designated common-user sealift transportation services to deploy, employ, sustain, and redeploy US forces on a global basis. Also called MSC. See also transportation component command. , provided an opportunity to save transportation dollars," said Dave Waers, an operations specialist at the MTMC MTMC Military Traffic Management Command (US DoD) MTMC Mount Marty College MTMC Micros-to-Mainframes, Inc. (stock symbol) MTMC Middle Tennessee Medical Center (Murfreesboro, TN) Operations Center, Fort Eustis, Va. The total load consisted of 78 vehicles and 18 20-foot containers of unit equipment. It was loaded at Ash Shuaybah, Kuwait. When discharge was complete July 8, the equipment and containers were transshipped to Fort Campbell aboard 19 railroad cars and six commercial trucks. "Movement via surface is a trend we hope the transportation community will follow in the future in both deployment and redeployment re·de·ploy tr.v. re·de·ployed, re·de·ploy·ing, re·de·ploys 1. To move (military forces) from one combat zone to another. 2. operations," said Waers. Soldiers of the 1/187th were real heroes in the fighting in Afghanistan. The battalion was part of Task Force Rakkasan which fought in Operation Anaconda from March 3-14. Col. Frank Weircinski, Commander of the task force, related the fight in an interview with www.StrategyPage.com and author Austin Bay. "We proved to them that they have no safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. anywhere," said Weircinski. "They can't hide. We came in right on top of them. Of the 1,411 soldiers brought in, we brought out 1,411. That's my task force. We fought for 11 days at 9,000 feet, had no cold weather injuries, one case of altitude sickness altitude sickness: see decompression sickness. altitude sickness or mountain sickness Acute reaction to a change from low altitudes to altitudes above 8,000 ft (2,400 m). . "We owned Shahi Khot to this day. We haven't seen a single pocket of Al Qaeda or Taliban of that size since." |
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