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Military

APPENDIX D

Port Support Activity

The PSA is a temporary military augmentation organization consisting of personnel with specific skills. It aids the port commander in receiving, processing, and clearing cargo at both the SPOE and the SPOD. Stateside installations are delegated specific ports to which they must provide support. These include the PSA and associated logistics support for deploying personnel. The deploying force provides the PSA that augments the port commander's terminal operations force overseas, in an AO, in undeveloped or developing theaters, or where assigned theater forces are inadequate.

COMMAND STRUCTURE

The success of terminal operations depends on a well-organized PSA augmenting and supplementing the port commander's SPOE/SPOD mission. A general numeric sizing rule of thumb for this PSA task force is a company for a deploying brigade, a battalion for a deploying division, and a brigade for a deploying corps. This relates to size only, not organizational structure.

Where practical, commanders responsible for deployments should not allocate deploying units to man the PSA. The JPEC should allocate separate elements to perform this function, to include troop-listing these elements for the express purpose of employment. Supporting commanders responsible for providing PSA organizations should maintain the same core personnel for the duration of the command's deployment, augmenting, as required, with unique deploying unit skills. The supporting commander should consider the type of unit and equipment being deployed and select personnel with the qualifications and skills to-

  • Physically secure classified equipment and cargo.
  • Operate unique equipment.
  • Correct primary weapon system and deploying equipment deficiencies.

The PSA must establish a strong command structure that can be tailored to assist in almost any situation and provide trained personnel to accomplish its mission. The unique equipment assigned to engineer units and personnel who operate this equipment make this one of the most desirable units to perform PSA missions.

The PSA is under OPCON of the port commander. Supporting installations and contract labor establish the PSA (through agreement with the appropriate MACOM). The support installation and the terminal commander, who identifies the PSA support requirements, develop a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The port commander requests unexpected PSA support requirements not originally identified in the MOU.

ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONS

The PSA organizational functions depend on the port commander's SPOE/SPOD mission, available contract and HNS support, and the TOE and/or TDA organizations performing the terminal operations mission. As a result, PSAs are tailored to perform terminal operations duties that cannot be performed by assigned or attached, contract, or HNS elements. See Table D-1 for a description of tasks performed by the PSA.

COLLECTIVE TASKS

SUPPORTING TASKS

1. Report to the port commander, who provides command and control for this task organization.

In conjunction with the port commander, develop an MOU that identifies all support and installation requirements.

Tailor PSA to the type, size, and mode of transportation of units passing through the port.

2. Receive and stage unit equipment in SPOE/SPOD staging area.

Implement and refine the traffic flow and the staging area to be used for each ship.

Implement and plan for the handling and storage of hazardous, controlled, sensitive cargo.

Supervise the staging and movement of all cargo.

Stage equipment to execute stow plan.

3. Correct configured equipment and cargo POM deficiencies not resolved in the marshalling area.

Check to ensure hazardous cargo is labeled properly with hazardous material documentation and stored according to CFR 49.

Check to ensure secondary loads are properly blocked, braced, and secured.

Ensure equipment is properly documented.

Adjust fuel to the proper level in vehicles and equipment being shipped.

Correct cargo lashings and equipment height limitations.

4. Serve as operators for all types of equipment, to move vehicles in staging area and, if necessary, assist in loading and unloading vessels.

Ensure properly licensed vehicle operators are available for the types of unit equipment being staged.

Implement training program to develop skills necessary to maneuver vehicles in tight spots found on vessels.

Operate all vehicles with applicable safety procedures, to include sufficient ground guides and safety equipment.

5. Assist in servicing self-deploying aircraft, to include air traffic control, fire protection, fueling/defueling, and disassembly.

Assist the aircraft maintenance teams in preparing, storing, and moving aircraft to be loaded.

Supervise designated staging area landing zones and serviceability of both for aircraft support operations.

6. Provide necessary direct support maintenance to ensure vehicles are able to move under their own power or retain them in the SPOE/SPOD staging area for return to USAMC control.

Perform emergency repairs (direct maintenance) on equipment in SPOE/SPOD staging area.

Provide sufficient assets (drivers and mechanics) to expeditiously load and unload deadlined equipment.

Provide vehicle recovery in SPOE/SPOD staging area during loading and unloading.

7. Assist the port commander with cargo accountability in the SPOE/SPOD staging area.

Document each movement of cargo as required by the port commander.

Provide processed equipment information list to appropriate agency at the times requested.

Train documentation personnel on documentation being used.

8. Provide for security of sensitive (protected) and classified cargo.

Enforce hazardous and sensitive cargo procedures established by the port commander.

Establish control procedures that deny unauthorized access to hazardous and sensitive cargo.

Establish procedures to protect classified and OPSEC information.

Table D-1. Mission-Essential Task List

The PSA establishes the necessary communications between the port operator and the receiving unit to ensure the proper flow of cargo. It reports cargo received, maintenance performed, and operational problems to the port commander daily. In areas designated by the port commander, the PSA ensures equipment is staged according to the stow plan and call-forward schedules for loading and unloading units. Vehicles are manifested by like type if a prestow plan is not available. The PSA's day-to-day contact with the port commander is through the S3 of the respective transportation port command. Duties include-

  • Receiving, inspecting, and documenting deploying cargo.
  • Correcting cargo POM deficiencies that preclude sea movement.
  • Operating unique equipment (frequently neither contract nor military). Stevedores can operate tracked vehicles and other atypical military cargo.
  • Providing backup organizational and limited DS maintenance for deploying units.
  • Providing a physical security guard force for staged military cargo.
  • Providing blocking/bracing personnel and tools to secure secondary loads.
  • Providing recovery vehicles, buses, carryall vans, administrative vehicles, maintenance trucks, ambulances, and equipment to wash equipment upon redeployment.
  • Providing workers with safety equipment such as lights, gloves, goggles, and vests.
  • Moving deploying unit equipment according to the port traffic plan.
  • Providing messing/billeting and medical support to transiting units.
  • Providing miscellaneous materials and services-administrative, communications, and so forth.



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