United States Transportation Command

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- Over a year ago U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) identified four significant surface movement gaps limiting the effective movement of forces and material from inter-theater sources to intra-theater destinations. The bottom line is USCENTCOM did not have one single organizational entity in theater synchronizing operational surface transportation to support the Commander's priorities. USTRANSCOM's initial analysis showed these gaps were universal in all Combatant Commanders' (COCOM) theaters. As a result, USTRANSCOM initiated the Director of Mobility Forces Surface (DIRMOBFOR-S) concept. The DIRMOBFOR-S, working with the Joint Deployment and Distribution Operations Center (JDDOC), was created to provide a single entity integrating total force and material flow from the port of debarkation to a designated intra-theater destination.

The DIRMOBFOR-S is not a stand alone concept. Instead it is part of four USTRANSCOM Deployable Distribution Command and Control (D2C2) initiatives which support deployment execution and distribution operations in the global distribution pipeline. The DIRMOBFOR-S provides a scalable and flexible joint solution to employing theater surface mobility forces. As interlocking D2C2 entities, the DIRMOBFOR-S, DIRMOBFORAir and the JDDOC bring a complete air and surface movement integration capability to support the Combatant Commander.

Given the high operational tempo of USCENTCOM it was not realistic to test the new concept in their theater. Thus USTRANSCOM worked with U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to demonstrate and further develop the concept during their two premier exercises (RSOI '06 and Ulchi Focus Lens '06) as well as the Air Force's wargame (Global Mobility GLOM06). The lessons learned from these exercises and wargame were provided to USCENTCOM as a base for their creation of a USCENTCOM DIRMOBFOR-S.

In June 2006, Lt. Gen. Whitcomb, the Combined Forces Land Component Commander (CFLCC) approved DIRMOBFOR-S implementation. Over the next five months this pilot program will incrementally build a DIRMOBFOR-S for the theater. The DIRMOBFOR-S and its supporting staff element the Deployment and Distribution Operations Integration Center working under the CFLCC Director of Logistics will integrate surface deployment and distribution priorities set by the commander.

While the concept continues the development and refinement process in both USCENTCOM and USFK the gaps identified are addressed to ensure continued quality support to the warfighter.

Director of Mobility Forces-Surface approved for USCENTCOM

Follow Us On: