Air Force, Army, DLA conducts JTF-PO training

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robert Hicks
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
With simulated terror cells operating in the area, Airmen and Soldiers don their body armor and place their M16 rifles at the low-ready position as they exit the bus at the fictitious country of Sangala, in preparation for Exercise Turbo Distribution 16-02.

What is now a runway surrounded by dirt, shrubs and tumbleweeds, will turn into a fully operational port in a matter of hours.

Approximately 125 airmen assigned to the 821st Contingency Response Group, 621st Contingency Response Wing, along with 48 Soldiers assigned to the 688th Rapid Port Opening Element stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., and 12 personnel from the Defense Logistics Agency will test their Joint Task Force Port-Opening capabilities during Turbo Distribution.

The over-arching concept behind the mobility based exercise relates to U.S. Transportation Command's JTF-PO mission set; a robust combination of the Air Force's swift airbase opening capability and the Army's critical over-land cargo movement, tracking and distribution capability.  Additionally, JTF-PO integrates a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Deployment Support Team to provide expeditionary contracting, warehousing and sustainment equipment and services for US and Coalition Forces.
 
Exercise Turbo distribution is used to assess mobility operations and expeditionary combat support.  Unlike traditional, simulation based exercises, Turbo Distribution provides a dynamic venue with high volume airflow and large-scale surface transport operations, coupled with robust force protection scenarios.  The exercise is designed to challenge participants in a complex deployed environment.

"This training is crucial," said Lt. Col. Blaine Baker, 921st Contingency Response Squadron Operations Officer, who functions as the exercise Joint Operations Center Director. "We want to take full advantage of this opportunity to make sure our airmen, soldiers, and DLA partners are fully prepared to conduct JTF-PO operations, and to make sure USTRANSCOM has readily available forces to deploy anywhere in the world at a moment's notice."

Throughout the year, the Air Force, Army and DLA participate in three JTF-PO exercises structured for them to maintain proficiency and prepare them for alert requirements. 

"Exercise Turbo Distribution is critical," said Staff Sgt. Chavis Wright, 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron small package initial communications element supervisor. "This is by far the most realistic training we go though and it gives us the opportunity to integrate and to reconcile points of difficulties with our counterparts making it easier to complete the mission when we are called upon."

Throughout their 5-day deployment, everyone taking part in the exercise is expected to learn something Turbo Distribution officials said.

"Our goal for the exercise is to achieve all of our Mission Essential Tasks on time.  At the end of the day, we must instill confidence in every single Airman, Soldier and DLA partner so that they are ready for deployment anywhere across the globe, and at any time," Baker said.

JTF-PO specializes in rapidly establishing hubs for cargo distribution operations worldwide, to include remote or austere locations, on short notice. Previous deployments include humanitarian assistance support missions to Haiti, Pakistan and Japan, and contingency deployments in support of operations in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South America.