Operation Enduring Freedom: MTMC plays critical role in war on terrorism
By providing surface transportation solutions to the warfighter and by working closely with the command's industry partners, multiple cargoes ranging from U.S. Air Force munitions, hellfire missiles and humanitarian supplies are being managed by MTMC as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The movements, which began in early December, are continuing said Brig. Gen. Barbara Doornink, MTMC deputy commanding general and director of operations.
"Our team is leaning forward and looking to future operations for an even greater role in getting equipment, sustainment cargo and ammunition to the warfighter on the ground," said Doornink. "The support of the nation's ocean, surface and rail carriers has been superlative," said Doornink.
The moves thus far include about 20 by ocean carrier, said Valerie Foye, of the Command Operations Center.
"There is a real range in our cargoes," said Foye. "One shipment was over 870 containers while another shipment was a single container."
As a security consideration, the specifics of the moves have not been released by MTMC. However, a recent humanitarian move highlights the MTMC effort. One of the more unusual moves was a container of water in plastic bottles. The cargo moved by rail from one forward operating port to Uzbekistan and arrived safely at its destination Jan. 4.
"It was a test," said Foye. "We wanted to determine the feasibility of rail shipments to the region."
The MTMC Operations Center has also recently planned and acquired additional liner service into the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The added transportation supports the operation of Camp X-Ray, a detention area for terrorists captured in Afghanistan.
"The service is now available once a week from a stateside port," said Lori Starke, chief, Daily Operations East Team, Command Operations Center. "Our first shipment consisted of a hospital and some buses used to transport the detainees to Camp X-Ray."
MTMC links transportation assets at seaports to overland assets. MTMC provides worldwide single port management, transportation and traffic management services as well as deployment planning and engineering. The MTMC Operations Center, now centrally located at Fort Eustis, Va., has become a vital link to Department of Defense warfighters and sustainment customers such as the Defense Logistics Agency, Army-Air Force Exchange Service and Defense Commissary Agency.
"We're open for business 24/7," said Starke. "The MTMC Operations Center will continue to coordinate all surface movement requirements for Operation Enduring Freedom as well as any other contingencies that may arise worldwide."
(FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)
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