Logistics Readiness Squadron demonstrates joint basing success

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jack Sanders
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Troops and civilians of the 773d Logistics Readiness Squadron have led the deployment show, displaying how teamwork and dedication run joint-basing functions.
The LRS is responsible for processing all equipment for deployment movements.
"Everything that they're going to take to (Joint Readiness Training Center) and then onward into (country) is being processed by this combined team we have here, and then, later on in the month, we'll then be putting them on aircraft going out of the (Joint Mobility Center) down to Louisiana and then back again," said Stephen Dewan, 773rd LRS, LGRX deployment lead.

Dewan said moving equipment is a complex process, but his team works together to ensure the job is done right.

It's the LRS's responsibility to move all equipment for all deploying units from here regardless of service, and its Dewan's crew of civilians, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard that gets the mission done.

"We're the processors and that's why you're seeing Army, Air Force and Coast Guard, because when we do a ship mission, the Coast Guard leads," Dewan said. "Those Coast Guard guys I've got with me are going up or down whether who get on the boat and they're the last guys to see it."

Dewan said his team stays busy sending company-size units twice a month around the world. His team sends people and equipment to places like Afghanistan or Iraq, but also included in their workflow are groups of Soldiers who travel to Fort Greely and Fort Wainwright by convoy weekly.

While the LRS's main focus is shipping equipment, they also have the capability to send service members as well.

"That's my flight also," Dewan said. "Everything that happens deployment wise, whether it's the (individual deployments) in the Air Force that happens over in the JMC, or the bulk deployments that the Army does here. We also move the Army through the JMC when we do an Air mission or individual replacement deployments," he said.

Dewan said his team is split into two groups with half at the JMC and the other half at the processing facility on JBER-Richardson. He has to adjust his teams depending on their weekly workflow.

"When we have an Air Force deployment, I'll take people from here and move over there," Dewan said.

He said there are certain movement requirements, which need to be finished before the processing can begin, and his team sets up practice runs for units so they can be better prepared when it's time to move.

"Those kinds of things help you make sure that you're equipment gets from here to your destination and you can find it again," Dewan said. "You don't want to be on a deployment and not have what you need, and that's what we're making sure doesn't happen."

In the processing yard on the JBER-Richardson side, large shipping containers hold equipment for all of the deploying units.

"(The containers) are set up one at a time," Dewan said. "We'll buckle them together in threes and that makes them 20 foot equivalent and that's how they load them on the ships, when they put them in the holds. We'll pick these up set them down and organize them the way they're supposed to be shipped by units."

Each platoon is assigned a container to put all their equipment in and then the LRS team marks it so the unit knows which is theirs. Because they can't put their unit markers on them, for security reasons, the LRS team color codes them so certain units get certain colors.

"We've got a color code and you'll see green and blue and yellow and that represents each battalion," Dewan said. "That way they can find their stuff. If you see a similar color you know that that is artillery and help them find their stuff. After that it goes by numbers."
The entire process is a complex system of checks and balances.

"When the Army moves, it starts here," Dewan said. "Even when we go to the JMC and go through an Air move they'll start here first. They'll build their pallets here, we'll load them on trucks and then go to the JMC.

Starting the moves is the largest part of the process, but the LRS also has to keep track of all the equipment shipped too.

"On the corner of the crates, we have what's called an (radio frequency identification device) tag and that's kind of a locator tag that we put on these containers," Dewan said."
It pings it by satellite and you can find these containers anywhere in the world. You can tell the unit's latitude and longitude on the ship where it's at. It's amazing. Or, if you're in theater and you're looking in a huge area with all these container you can at least know which yard yours is in."

The LRS' latest project was aiding the 4th Brigade (Airborne) 25th Infantry Division's equipment and personnel moves.

Naomi Morrow, logistics management specialist, said getting the job done can be stressful, but it can be emotional at times too.

"Being a Soldier myself in the past, I know that you're doing a service for them, helping them to get their stuff out of here, helping them to prep," Morrow said. "I believe in working and getting the job done efficiently and in the shortest possible time that you can."

Morrow said she understands Soldiers spend precious little time with their families and preparing for deployment can extend already long days.

She said she considers Soldiers' and families' time when she works.

"I know the Soldiers want to get out of here and get back home and spend time with their families," Morrow said. "I really enjoy that aspect of providing a timely customer service."