MOVEMENT
OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT
The
brigade determined early that it did not have the resources to simultaneously
conduct the necessary training and plan its deployment. The LA STARC was brought
in to assist in movement planning and deployment of the brigade. The 256th
and the STARC worked closely with the Fort Polk staff since a large number
of 5th Infantry Division (Mech) personnel and equipment would deploy with the
brigade.
A
total of 2017 Reserve Component and 1814 Active Component soldiers participated
in the training rotation to the NTC. The majority deployed by air from four
airfields. (See Troop
List
for
the brigade's complement of CBT/CS/CSS units.)
The
256th Bde deployed 977 wheeled vehicles, 129 tracks, and 62 milvans from six
rail sites: New Orleans, Lafayette, Alexandria, Fort Polk, Shreveport, and
Lake Charles. Multiple sites were selected in proximity to home stations to
avoid excessive travel time to one or two rail sites. In addition, 31 helicopters
were transported by military airlift.
Personnel
Accounting
Initially,
the brigade's SIDPERS transactions were as much as three or four months behind.
Alone, the data could never effectively account for the soldiers in the 256th
Bde. Initial data was used, however, as a starting point for developing alpha
rosters and subsequent deployment manifests. Rosters were sanitized by reconciling
the SIDPERS file with the soldiers actually undergoing preparations for oversea
replacement (POR) throughout the brigade.
Personnel
Accounting Lesson Learned
SIDPERS
and PQR Audits
Units
that properly execute their SIDPERS actions throughout the year will accomplish
their required personnel qualification record (PQR) audits in a timely and
effective manner. In addition, effective battle rosters can also be developed
and serve as significant leader tools. Command,
Control, and Communications
Deploying
troops and equipment from multiple air and rail sites presented a significant
challenge to the brigade. The use of DIALCOM proved to be critical to personnel
accounting and controlling the deployment of brigade units. DIALCOM is a National
Guard Bureau computer network service used for transmission of data between
state headquarters and units. DIALCOM link-up was established between the NTC
at Fort Irwin, 5ID at Fort Polk, and LA STARC at Jackson Barracks, New Orleans.
The circuit permitted expeditions transmittal of personnel and equipment data.
C3
Lessons Learned
Lack
of Long-Range Commo
Organic
communications equipment did not provide the long-range capability needed to
control all deployment activities. DIALCOM
Expedites
DIALCOM
permitted the brigade to document processing of personnel for oversea replacement
(POR) from multiple sites and to develop troop manifests and load plans for
movement management. This was done using personal computers at each battalion.
As flights departed, manifests were transmitted to the state movement control
center (MCC) via DIALCOM. Air
Movements
Movement
of troops by air was conducted from multiple locations: England AFB, New Orleans,
Lafayette, and Shreveport. The initial airflow package was received 45 days
prior to deployment. However, aircraft changes still occurred on the day of
departure.
Air
Movements Lessons Learned
STARC
Assists
Departure
airfield control groups (DACG) were established by LA STARC at each site. This
was not a STARC responsibility IAW AR 5-9 and FR55-1. However, supporting installation
transportation officers needed assistance because multiple sites were used.
DACG
Functions
DACGs
were supervised by field grade officers and manned by POR teams. The functions
of the DACG were: - Recheck
for ID tags, ID cards, and panographic x-rays.
- Process
personnel through amnesty stations.
- Fill
organizational clothing and individual equipment (OCIE) shortages.
- Issue
meals-ready-to-eat (MRE).
- Control
baggage from the DACG site to the aircraft.
- Prepare
final personnel manifests.
Build
in Flexibility
The
brigade preplanned adequate ground transportation to gain flexibility in dealing
with airflow changes. Commercial bus transportation was posted at key locations
to move personnel and equipment on short notice. Payday
After
the rotation, National Guard soldiers received their Annual Training pay at
arrival airfields in Louisiana. Troop manifests for each aircraft were transmitted
via DIALCOM back to the LA STARC. Paychecks were delivered to Class A agents
at the appropriate arrival airfield who paid the troops before they proceeded
on to their armories. Rail
Loading
The
brigade anticipated tight rail load windows at Yermo, CA on both ends of the
exercise. LA STARC assumed the responsibility for staffing and operating each
rail loading site IAW FR 55-1.
Rail
Site Team Functions
Rail
site team requirements included: - Officer
and NCO leadership
- Clerical
and administrative support
- Holding
area operations
- Traffic
control
- Safety
- Medical
support (with ambulance)
- Rail
site security
Unit
Rail Load Team Functions
Deploying
unit rail load teams were responsible for: - Transporting
equipment to the rail site
- Configuring
equipment for shipment
- Loading/securing
vehicles and equipment
Rail
Load Lessons Learned
Equipment
Preparation
Unit
vehicles were prepared for shipment 30 days out. This was sufficient lead time.
The only problem encountered was the late arrival of milvans/commercial vans
for packing other equipment. This would not normally be a problem to AC units,
but RC units have limited windows of opportunity in which to integrate human
and equipment resources with transportation services. Late
Equipment Packing
During
rail load planning, RC units must take into consideration the possibility of
late arrival of vans and have adequate load teams available for last minute
load out. Recon
Sites
A
good reconnaissance of each rail site was necessary. Sites should be sufficient
to accommodate oversized equipment and various turning radii and overhead clearance.
Unit
Rail Load Teams
The
brigade learned that unit rail load teams needed to be organized with drivers
qualified to operate all types of equipment. It was also important to identify
which functions were the most time consuming so they could be adequately manned.
Essential
Equipment
Unit
rail load teams had to be properly equipped for the tasks at each rail site.
It was essential to have sufficient ratchets, extensions, spanners, tie downs,
and banding equipment based on the loads planned at each rail site. MHE
Material
Handling Equipment (MHE) was needed at home station to ease the loading/unloading
of vehicles, milvans and commercial vans. Rail
Load Safety
Safety
briefing and NCO supervision were key factors in preventing accidents during
rail load operations. Rail
Load Realities
Units
were asked to develop a rail load list which included number of vehicles by
type, coupled with a predetermined rail car size and sequence. This did not
work because the rail cars were not received in the size and sequence planned.
Vehicles had to be staged separately by size and length to facilitate loading
on different size rail cars. Preplan
with AUEL/COMPASS
AUEL/COMPASS
should have been used for the NTC move. The automated unit equipment list (AUEL)
is a report generated by FORSCOM's Computerized Movement Planning and Status
System (COMPASS) prepared at the unit level. The AUEL reflects unit movement
characteristics (in summary and detail listings) and is the source document
(and manifest) for managing a unit move. It provides the data base to determine:
- Rail
car requirements (number by type, and blocking/bracing)
- Staging
area requirements
- Outsize/oversize
equipment requirements by mode
- Equipment/cargo
labeling
- Commercial
transportation requirements
- Convoy
organization and call-forward plans
Units
should refer to FR 55-2 for details on AUEL and FR 55-1 for unit movement planning.
Early
Start with Guards
During
off load, units helped themselves by using train guards as much as possible
to position trains, unchain vehicles, and establish the brigade's operation
before the advance party arrived to move the equipment on to the NTC. Redeployment
Planning
Redeployment
should also be planned in detail before the exercise. There is no time available
to do it during the rotation. Preposition
Equipment
On
redeployment, the load team and vehicles arrived on site the day before rail
movement. Loading then began at first light so that valuable time was not lost.
This was especially helpful when redeploying to multiple sites. Mandays
for Recovery
Arrival
at home station does not end activity. Units have to begin cleaning and stowing
organizational equipment before the mission is complete. These mandays have
to be anticipated during the initial planning phase.
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