Tracking of commercial carriers evolves from military mission.

To ensure that sensitive Department of Defense cargo traverses the United States safely and efficiently, the Military Traffic Management Command established Task Force Noble Escort and clearly defined its mission.

The 257th Transportation Battalion, its subordinate truck companies and Movement Control Detachments mobilized in response to MTMC's requirement to provide security escort service to sensitive DoD shipments after September 11. Later, that mission evolved to include security escorts for DoD's commercial carriers hauling sensitive cargo as well.

Driving along our nation's highways and byways can often prove challenging. Imagine the task of managing about 133 teams of soldiers traversing these bustling roads on a daily basis. It can truly test a unit's mettle. That's exactly the challenge hundreds of Task Force Noble Escort soldiers faced when they drove our nation's highway system during the past year.

"Through four seasons throughout most of the country, the soldiers logged almost four million mission miles, without one major incident," said Maj. Glenn Blondin, MTMC Security Escort Vehicle Program Manager. "They drove 24 hours a day, seven days a week, [and did] whatever it took to get the job done."

Once the security escort mission was underway, monitoring critical DoD shipments, duty shifts carried on through weekdays, weekends and holidays as well. The nature of the assignment carried the soldiers across virtually all of the lower 48 states and on all of the nation's interstate highway system.

Driving through Georgia in the spring or Virginia in the fall might be beautiful, but through Colorado in the winter, or Arizona in the summer, can be demanding. According to Blondin, safety is really what this mission was all about, with continued diligence and emphasis on safe driving paying off with no major accidents or incidents reported.

"Safety is always a priority," said Capt. Kevin Kittrell, MTMC Operations Center, Movement Control Center Team Leader. "The soldiers took classes on risk assessment and accident prevention along with winter driving training, which was important since they were from the South."

The battalions set up their command headquarters at the MTMC Operations Center, Fort Eustis, Va., while they managed their Reserve elements in 20 different locations in 17 states. When the 257th demobilized in September, the 719th Transportation Battalion took over the evolving mission.

The mission did not end when the truck companies demobilized this past fall--it only evolved. The reservists continued the mission while it transitioned to the commercial carriers' security escorts. Now the 719th tracks their movements to ensure quality and compliance.

"They [257th] really set things up for us," said Lt. Col. Joseph McParland, 719th Movement Control Battalion commander. "I know their job was tough, especially the first few weeks, but by the time we came in September they had everything set. We didn't change a thing."

According to Blondin, Task Force Noble Escort had three elements that contributed to the operation's overall success. First, the supporting battalion headquarters provided needed services, logistical and personnel support, coordination between the commercial entities and their military escorts and maintained essential communication for security escort personnel.

The second element was the battalion's subordinate elements, located throughout the country that focused on building business relationships to support the in-transit element and control of the mission.

The third element, largely behind the scenes, consisted of a staff of seven personnel at the MTMC Operations Center. The group formulated the operations order for Task Force Nobel Escort in early October 2001 and published the final operations order one month after they began. Though the other group members' have moved on to other missions, Blondin remains in place to provide guidance as necessary, as the program evolves and is refined within the commercial sector.

According to Blondin, at the mission's peak there were over 250 soldiers on the road in support of Task Force Noble Escort. Driving up to 700 miles a day, the soldiers drove enough mission miles to go around the globe 166 times.

"The soldiers of Task Force Noble Escort drove through it all, for 3,990,614 miles, and safely accomplished their mission," said Blondin. "This is another reason for us to be very proud of our soldiers and their contributions to homeland defense."

Katherine Floyd

MTMC Operations Center