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Stronger together: U.S., Eastern European nations partner to discuss future of military logistics

US Marine Corps News

7/13/2010 By Staff Sgt. Christopher Flurry, Black Sea Rotational Force

CONSTANTA, Romania — U.S. Marines deployed to Eastern Europe for Black Sea Rotational Force partnered with Romanian Land, Air and Naval forces to host a 3-day military logistics symposium in Constanta, Romania, attended by military officials from Bosnia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine and the United States, July 7-9.

“When nations work together, everybody comes out smarter and better,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Stephen Rose, the deputy division chief of NATO coalition support for the U.S. European Command, who presented at the symposium. “The big goal is building partnerships. When people come together, you see it – people are learning, and people are working, together.”

Military logistics is the skill of moving and maintaining military forces, and over the course of the three-day conference representatives from each nation provided insight on how their military forces utilizes this discipline.

“We we were fortunate to have the attendees from partner nations give briefs about their logistics capabilities,” said Capt. Chris Carter, the logistics officer for Black Sea Rotational Force. “I hope they had the opportunity to learn new ideas from each other, to stimulate thoughts for the future of partnership training.”

Carter said in addition to having partner nations discuss their logistics capabilities, U.S. staff provided insight on where America’s military logistics currently stand, and where they plan to be, with presentations on concepts like strategic movement and sea basing, an integral part of the Marine Corps’ plan to support ‘over-the-horizon’ military operations.

“We had a lot of good support from Marine Corps Forces Europe, the Defense Logistics Agency and other commands in the European theater,” said Carter. “We had presenters with years of experience, some with more than two decades supporting the war fighter logistically.”

Attendees from partner nations who attended the symposium said the event was a good opportunity to learn more about how the U.S. military operates, and to work together for a more fluid relationship in the Black Sea region.

“The better we understand these concepts, the better we can pass this knowledge on to our military members,” said Romanian Land Forces Lt. Col. Paul Moglan, the battalion commander for the 341st Infantry Battalion. “It’s extremely important to create these kinds of relationships and understand our capabilities. It’s a bilateral effort, and we have to work shoulder to shoulder.”

The symposium marked the final major event in Romania for the Black Sea Rotational Force 2010 deployment. Many of the force’s Marines have traveled to Ukraine for Exercise Sea Breeze, while others will soon be returning to friends and families at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

A Security Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force, the first of its kind in the Black Sea region, Black Sea Rotational Force Marines and Sailors completed more than 40 percent of Marine Corps Forces Europe theater security cooperation requirements, while promoting regional stability, bolstering partner nations’ military capabilities and building enduring partnerships in the region.

“In the future, I can foresee a transformation,” said Moglan, whose soldiers had previously worked side-by-side with Black Sea Rotational Force’s ground combat element during a peacekeeping operations course. “We are increasingly developing the capability to adapt for ourselves, and passing that experience to our young officers, noncommissioned officers and enlisted. They are the most valuable asset of any military force.”