RPOE plays critical role with CRW in JTF-PO success in Liberia

Published Nov. 8, 2014
By Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez
621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs

ROBERTS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Republic of Liberia -- Although members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., comprise the majority of Joint Task Force-Port Opening personnel, the mission required partnering with a U.S. Army Rapid Port Opening Element. For Operation UNITED ASSISTANCE, that alignment is with members of the 688th RPOE from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

Along with approximately 80 members of the 621st CRW, the 688th RPOE deployed 10 soldiers. Together, they form the JTF-PO, and have been operating from Roberts International Airport since Sept. 20.

The JTF-PO specializes in rapidly establishing hubs for cargo distribution operations worldwide, to include remote or damaged locations, on short notice. In Liberia, the CRW's and RPOE's work begins when an aircraft carrying cargo lands on the airfield. The Air Force unloads the aircraft and places the cargo in the cargo yard. The RPOE then loads the cargo onto host nation trucks managed by the Defense Logistics Agency. The RPOE and DLA collaborate with various local military entities to ensure proper segregation and distribution of cargo assets to its intended destinations.

"The RPOE provides the onward movement of all the cargo and supplies coming out of the aircraft in support of OUA," said Chief Warrant Officer Robert Smith, 688th RPOE mobility transportation officer.

According to Sgt. Charlie Blanchfield, 688 RPOE cargo specialist, the RPOE's role in this joint mission is critical because without the force enabling capacity of the RPOE, the Air Force aerial porters would require substantial augmentation in order to achieve a comparable level of throughput.

"It's too much for the Air Force or the Army to do it on their own," Blanchfield said. "It wouldn't work otherwise. For example, in one 11 hr day, we moved 172,000 lbs of cargo. That gives you an idea of how much equipment and supplies we're pushing out."

"If it wasn't for the RPOE, things would be more complex in the transportation process," said Staff Sgt. Lexington Ellis, an air transportation supervisor of the CRW. "They play a pivotal role in the JTF-PO mission."

According to Smith, their success can be attributed to Eagle Flag, an exercise designed to critique and validate the abilities of the JTF-PO, preparing them for any mission, anywhere, with any aircraft and any type of cargo.

"We train up to four times per year rotating between three different RPOEs with units from the CRW," Smith said. "It definitely helps tremendously when you participate in a mission like this. It also gives us the opportunity to get familiar with each other and it helps us become ready for a humanitarian mission like this."

According to Smith, the mission is an outstanding opportunity to help others in need.

"This is part of what you sign up for," he said. "You come in the military to help people, not just to help your country, but to help other countries as well. I think this is a great mission for all of us."

"I believe that with the joint efforts with the Army, teamwork, and communication, the mission has been a success," Ellis said. "I believe we all accomplished what we intended to in our efforts in support of OUA. I look forward to working with the RPOE again in the near future."