Posted:
June 20, 2016
The large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships USNS Bob Hope and USNS Brittin served central roles in Joint Logistics Over the Shore 2016, an annual military exercise that this year was conducted in Washington State's Puget Sound region in conjunction with multi-agency disaster response and recovery exercises Cascadia Rising 2016 and Ardent Sentry 2016.
Working with the Navy's Beach Group ONE and reservists from Expeditionary Port Unit 116, the LMSRs delivered containerized cargo, military lighterage, utility boats and vehicles for operations conducted off of Tacoma and Indian Island.
The exercises conducted in conjunction with JLOTS focused on simulated emergency field response operations following a major earthquake and tsunami affecting the Puget Sound region. A primary objective was training and testing a community approach to complex disaster relief and recovery operations by utilizing federal, state, tribal and local military and civilian emergency management teams.
In the event of a large-scale natural disaster, port facilities, roads, bridges and airports could be heavily damaged or destroyed, and in coastal areas, delivery of needed supplies may need to be conducted by water and over the shore. The JLOTS technology, typically a wartime cargo delivery system, was used this year to deliver relief cargo to the beach where fixed port facilities are unavailable.
The ships carried food and water, medical supplies, lighting and generators, bedding and shelter sufficient to erect tent cities. The cargo was transferred to lighterage with each ship's deck cranes and transported ashore.
"Participating in JLOTS 2016 allows for any unforeseen challenges to be discovered and overcome within a training environment," said Captain Tom Gately, master on the USNS Brittin. "The exercise has promoted a greater understanding and appreciation between the personnel of all participating services and organizations. Civilian contracted merchant mariners, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy personnel may use terminology or have practices that differ from one another, so ensuring we are using effective communication between all of us has been critical to operational effectiveness."
"During these exercises, we worked with our military partners in executing every element of the JLOTS system - loading, transporting and deploying lighterage and all of the various categories of cargo needed for an effective response," said Captain Robert Silva, master on the USNS Bob Hope. "Thanks to excellent teamwork, the operation was very successful in preparing the ship and the crew, and the military and civilian responders involved, to mount a recovery in the aftermath of an extreme natural disaster."
"The USNS Bob Hope and her crew have done a fantastic job providing support to JLOTS 2016 in Washington State," said Captain Greg Vinci, commanding officer of U.S. Navy Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, whose unit was working aboard the ship on June 14. "The objectives of this exercise, simulating humanitarian support to the State of Washington, could not have been achieved without the USNS Bob Hope."
Both the USNS Brittin and the USNS Bob Hope are operated for Military Sealift Command by General Dynamics American Overseas Marine Corp. and are manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
"JLOTS 2016 is a great opportunity for MSC, not only for us to train with other agencies outside of the Navy, but to show our mission flexibility," said Deputy Commander of Military Sealift Command Pacific Tim McCully. "Our motto is 'We Deliver,' but exercises like JLOTS and Cascadia Rising also demonstrate that MSC is prepared and able to protect and assist our local and worldwide communities in time of great need."
USNS Bob Hope, USNS Brittin serve central roles in JLOTS 2016, Cascadia Rising, Ardent Sentry
The large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships USNS Bob Hope and USNS Brittin served central roles in Joint Logistics Over the Shore 2016, an annual military exercise that this year was conducted in Washington State's Puget Sound region in conjunction with multi-agency disaster response and recovery exercises Cascadia Rising 2016 and Ardent Sentry 2016.
Working with the Navy's Beach Group ONE and reservists from Expeditionary Port Unit 116, the LMSRs delivered containerized cargo, military lighterage, utility boats and vehicles for operations conducted off of Tacoma and Indian Island.
The exercises conducted in conjunction with JLOTS focused on simulated emergency field response operations following a major earthquake and tsunami affecting the Puget Sound region. A primary objective was training and testing a community approach to complex disaster relief and recovery operations by utilizing federal, state, tribal and local military and civilian emergency management teams.
In the event of a large-scale natural disaster, port facilities, roads, bridges and airports could be heavily damaged or destroyed, and in coastal areas, delivery of needed supplies may need to be conducted by water and over the shore. The JLOTS technology, typically a wartime cargo delivery system, was used this year to deliver relief cargo to the beach where fixed port facilities are unavailable.
The ships carried food and water, medical supplies, lighting and generators, bedding and shelter sufficient to erect tent cities. The cargo was transferred to lighterage with each ship's deck cranes and transported ashore.
"Participating in JLOTS 2016 allows for any unforeseen challenges to be discovered and overcome within a training environment," said Captain Tom Gately, master on the USNS Brittin. "The exercise has promoted a greater understanding and appreciation between the personnel of all participating services and organizations. Civilian contracted merchant mariners, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy personnel may use terminology or have practices that differ from one another, so ensuring we are using effective communication between all of us has been critical to operational effectiveness."
"During these exercises, we worked with our military partners in executing every element of the JLOTS system - loading, transporting and deploying lighterage and all of the various categories of cargo needed for an effective response," said Captain Robert Silva, master on the USNS Bob Hope. "Thanks to excellent teamwork, the operation was very successful in preparing the ship and the crew, and the military and civilian responders involved, to mount a recovery in the aftermath of an extreme natural disaster."
"The USNS Bob Hope and her crew have done a fantastic job providing support to JLOTS 2016 in Washington State," said Captain Greg Vinci, commanding officer of U.S. Navy Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, whose unit was working aboard the ship on June 14. "The objectives of this exercise, simulating humanitarian support to the State of Washington, could not have been achieved without the USNS Bob Hope."
Both the USNS Brittin and the USNS Bob Hope are operated for Military Sealift Command by General Dynamics American Overseas Marine Corp. and are manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
"JLOTS 2016 is a great opportunity for MSC, not only for us to train with other agencies outside of the Navy, but to show our mission flexibility," said Deputy Commander of Military Sealift Command Pacific Tim McCully. "Our motto is 'We Deliver,' but exercises like JLOTS and Cascadia Rising also demonstrate that MSC is prepared and able to protect and assist our local and worldwide communities in time of great need."