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Moving 1,000 personnel from various locations around the world to the country of Georgia for Immediate Response 2008 is no easy task,but the Soldiers from movement control flexed theirmuscles, and their hard work paid off with great success.
***image1***Soldiers from the 386th and 969th Movement Control Teams from the 39th Transportation Battalion, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, have worked tirelessly since the beginning of June as they planned, coordinated and received more than 1,200 Soldiers, Sailors,Airmen and Marines. The MCTs then transported
personnel to Vaziani Training Area for joint training with the Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian andUkrainian forces.
Twenty-one servicemembers of the 21st TSC MCTs managed the rail operations for IR08 while simultaneously managing the Aerial Port of Debarkation. An APOD is
an air terminal where troops, units, military-sponsored personnel, unit equipment and materiel are unloaded.
“The 21st Theater Sustainment Command has definitely led the way when it comes to providing support to this exercise,” said Capt. Kirk Myers from the 14th Transportation Battalion in Vicenza, Italy.
Captain Myers managed both military and civilian flight itineraries and tracked those flights until arrival at Tbilisi Airport.
“The Movement Control Team is responsible for safely maintaining accountability of passengers and cargo as they transit from the airfield to the training area,” said Capt. Lauren Gobar, 386th MCT commander.
The MCT ran into challenges that are normal with airplane flights such as delays, lost luggage and cancellations. Through hard work, the team overcame these challenges and made travel for the passengers an effortless process.
“My noncommissioned officers and Soldiers coordinated with the embassy, the ministry of defense, customs officers, Georgian Air Force and the border police in order to ensure all flights and passengers meet host nation customs requirements
and all transportation needs are met in a timely manner,” said Captain Gobar.
Captain Myers works closely with Soldiers of the Movement Control Team who are on the ground and the first people the military travelers meet.
“Our job as a movement control team is to get the Soldiers in and into the areas they need to get their jobs done,” said Staff Sgt. William Joseph Chase, 969th Movement Control Team.
With more than 50 flights arriving at various times during the deployment window, the teams had to work long hours to accomplish their mission.
“Everyone arrived here safely and that is what our No. 1 priority is here – safety,” said Sgt. Derek G. Reese, from the 386th MCT.“We coordinate, plan and we
execute,” said Sergeant Reese when asked how the MCT plays a part in IR08. “Nothing moves without our assistance either by air, sea or rail.”
“I would like to say that everyone who has a part in this mission is doing great things,” said Sergeant Reese. “There is a lot of teamwork going on here for IR08.”
Immediate Response is an annual, bilateral security cooperation exercise conducted between U.S.and coalition partners. The exercise is focused on interoperability training and is designed to promote understanding and cooperation between military forces of the United States and our allies.
