Planning conference a step forward in power projection.

Military Traffic Management Command's WARTRACED Contract Supervision, Cargo Documentation, and Automated Cargo Documentation units gathered recently to coordinate peacetime unit training management and go-to-war mobilization.

Upon mobilization, these units serve as the added power to operate the MTMC Seaports of Debarkation around the world.

Recently, the Reserve Affairs function for MTMC was consolidated at DSC under Col. Gary Engel, Deputy Chief of Staff for Readiness, Mobilization, and Reserve Affairs. This consolidation represents 79 Reserve units home-stationed throughout the continental United States.

Upon mobilization, reservists make up 68 percent of DSC's total strength and more than 50 percent of MTMC's global strength.

In the past, the DSC supported seven Transportation Terminal Brigades, six Transportation Terminal Battalions, three Deployment Support Brigades, a Transportation Railway Operating Battalion, two Port Security Companies and one Naval Reserve Unit.

The consolidation brings an additional Naval Reserve Unit, 20 Contract Supervision Detachments, 11 Automated Cargo Documentation Detachments, and 26 Cargo Documentation Detachments under the DSC Reserve Affairs umbrella. In addition, DSC has 291 Individual Mobilization Augmentees and Individual Ready Reservists.

"The conference is a means of bringing newly added elements together to discuss in forums, and individually, the wide range of exciting challenges and issues we will face in the future," said Col. Engel.

"All the units attending the conference are WARTRACED to MTMC," said Brig. Gen. Donald D. Parker, DSC Commander. "Our role at DSC is to be the training manager for these units and serve as a facilitator devoted to improving individual and unit readiness.

"The synergy gained by collapsing the units under DSC is remarkable. The Army is transforming into a force that is lighter, more lethal, and highly versatile to meet a full spectrum of operations. Our WARTRACED units are key to the success of this transformation," Parker said.

Parker said the Chief of Staff of the Army has mandated more compressed timeliness for the deployment of a brigade combat team, and multiple divisions. In order to achieve that goal, DSC must maintain a high level of readiness.

"It always boils down to readiness and training. We are focused on our customers, the warfighters, and they deserve nothing less than the best," Parker said.

"Opportunities like this are tremendous," said Master Sgt. Tom Curran, 334th Transportation Battalion. "Given that we are new to the DSC family, this allows us that critical face-to-face interaction that is so important. I expect to leave here with a clear understanding of the support DSC will be able to provide both in peacetime and in war."

Conference attendees received briefings from DSC as well as MTMC Headquarters personnel, personnel from the U. S Transportation Center, and from the U.S. Army Reserve Command.

"We're happy to attend this meeting because it provides us with the chance to get the word out on our programs," said Robin Osborn, USARC Overseas Deployment Training Manager.

"Because this is a new relationship, units can learn how to perform overseas deployments together and eliminate much of the confusion that can and does occur."

The units received overseas deployment training before, but the CONUS element of the training was missing," said Denise Sommers, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Mobilization and Reserve Affairs.

"In the past there was some confusion about the structure of units. Now with the consolidation here at DSC, the new units can be assured that they will receive all the help they need to ensure they are deployment ready."

Sommers said two of her office staff, John Minford and Bobby Tyler, will personally serve as Unit Readiness Managers for the 55 new units aligned to the command. Minford will support the units in the Pacific and Tyler will support those in the European and Southwest Asian theaters.

"We understand the amount of coordination needed to provide them with the right support," Sommers said. "We've crossed all our T's and dotted all our I's to ensure they get what they need, when and where they need it."

The overarching message of the conference was that Reserve component readiness remains key to power projection.

Larry D. McCaskill
DSC Public Affairs