JLOTS 06 demonstrates huge joint military capability
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.
The main exercise will be conducted 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 will exercise the Department of Defense's (DOD) 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." Oliveras said.
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.
"JLOTS is a unique mission which is critical to successful operations ashore. The importance of the Navy and Army partnership can't go understated," said Navy Capt. Douglas Keiler, commander of Naval Beach Group TWO and the JLOTS '06 commander.
"There are multiple ways to move cargo ashore without berthing a vessel at a pier," Keiler said. "Depending on location, JLOTS presents a challenging mission and our job is to devise the safest and most efficient way to accomplish this."
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.
Preparation and buildup for the exercise started earlier this year. Exercise activities will officially begin June 11 and finish June 21.
The base camp here will boast more than 100 tents for personnel with power and running water and include a dining facility, "office" space, as well as laundry, shower and latrine facilities to support more than 1,300 personnel.
Community members can expect increased road traffic early in the exercise as personnel arrive and, late in the exercise, as they depart. In addition, they will notice an increase in maritime activity here.
"Planning and executing this exercise involves tremendous teamwork among a myriad of agencies," Oliveras said. "In today's environment, the fact that the services work jointly, for this or any mission, advances the capabilities of our nation for military and humanitarian missions."
The command also will be documenting cargo and testing new ways to employ Radio Frequency Identification, the primary method used by the DOD to track cargo with in-transit visibility (ITV). 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.
Other participating active and reserve units include Naval Beach Groups ONE and TWO, Military Sealift Command (MSC), the 597th Transportation Group and the 11th Transportation Battalion headquartered here to name a few. The 11th Transportation Battalion, will have command and control for a diverse combat service support capability in order to execute this year's JLOTS exercise to include cargo reception and distribution, ITV and Army cargo barge operations.
"We bring a real-world capability to the fight," said Army Lt. Col. Mike Martin, commander of the 11th Transportation Battalion and theatre distribution commander for JLOTS '06. "Our mission will be to offload commodities to the beach and distribute commodities forward."
Naval Beach Group TWO, an active-duty unit from Norfolk, Va., will command the JLOTS events. The Naval Beach Group provides the Navy personnel and equipment to support an amphibious operation or exercise. An exercise can include evacuation of American citizens from a hostile territory, delivery of food and medical supplies after a natural disaster, the bulk delivery of fuel or fresh water from a ship anchored off the coast through a pipeline to a shore facility, and nearly any other task that involves moving cargo and rolling stock from ships off-shore to the beach.
SS Chesapeake will be part of the JLOTS '06 scenario and will perform the OPDS. The vessel is designed to incline and launch a Single Anchor Leg Moor (SALM). The vessel delivers petroleum products within 48 hours of arriving on station discharging at a rate of 1.4 million gallons per day up to four miles offshore and at a water depth as shallow as 200 feet. The vessel is capable of carrying more than 10.7 million gallons of jet or other fuels as required.
The Navy's MSC will have operational control of SS Chesapeake which is crewed by merchant mariners employed by private ship operating companies under contract to the U.S. Maritime Administration.
For more information, contact Mitch Chandran, JLOTS Joint Information Bureau director, Voice (703) 428-3456, Cell: (703) 732-4666
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