LOGISTIC STRETCH -TRJE18
By CPT Williams JUNG ( GBR ) LANDCOM G4
“ I don ’ t know what the hell this ‘ logistics ’ is that Marshall is always talking about , but I want some of it ”. - Fleet Admiral E . J . King to a Staff Officer ( 1942 )
LANDCOM has developed the capability to deploy and function as a Land Component Command ( LCC ), while also conducting the Combat Readiness Evaluation ( CREVAL ) of subordinate land headquarters LANDCOM will test its ability to perform multiple capabilities concurrently during Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 18 ( TRJE18 ). When it will deploy three Deployable Land Elements ( DLEs ):
( 1 ) Land Component Command North ( LCC North ) ( 2 ) Land Operations Control ( LOPSCON ) ( 3 ) CREVAL Team
In order to deploy each of these three DLEs from LANDCOM ’ s home base in Izmir to TRJE18 , which will be held in Norway during October and November , months of preparation occurred before any individual member of LANDCOM can even contemplate packing their burgens in anticipation of deploying .
Preparation included all aspects of LAND- COM ’ s G4 division ; ranging from Movement and Transport ( M & T ) requesting Strategic Lift ( STRATLIFT ) from Nations via SHAPE ; to Logistics Operations ( LOG
16 LAND POWER
Fleet Admiral E . J . King
Ops ) acquiring tents , temporary accommodation and barracks for LANDCOM staff accommodation .
No Nation was able to provide STRATLIFT for the deployment of LANDCOM personnel due to existing heavy STRATLIFT commitments created by other aspects of the exercise . This in turn put LANDCOM G4 ’ s Contract acquisition element into play , M & T setting out a contract for tender and allowing contactors to bid for it . This process has yet to be finalized and will be completed once a suitable solution to the requested requirements can be provided at the stipulated price .
Following last year ’ s exercise , TRIDENT JAVELIN 17 ( TRJN17 ) which was also carried out on its territory , Norway has established a new system for requesting and subsequently providing Host Nation ( HN ) capabilities known as Host Nation Support Ordering and Billing System ( HOBS ). This system is created and operated by the Norwegian Defense Logistics Organization ( NDLO ) which specifically developed it for TRJE18 combining both HNs and Contract Support to Operations ( CSO ) into one entity . When each DLE is deployed during the exercise the sustainment of LANDCOM personnel will be provided by the HN , loosely coordinated by LANDCOM Base Support Group ( BSG ) representatives embedded within HNs at each DLE location . The HN will provide all sustainment requirements , ranging from subsistence and accommodation to transport and communications . Any DLE is highly dependent on a HN which is sufficiently resourced to provide the majority of sustainment and operating capabilities for the DLE to carry out its required functions that it might be . If a LCC DLE were to deploy to a location where the HN could not provide the necessary functions , Real Life Support ( RLS ) capabilities would be required to deploy with the DLE . This would result in RLS forces being force generated in order to support the DLE personnel .
Deploying three DLEs simultaneously to three separate locations creates significant logistic challenges . LANDCOM personnel will require STRATLIFT , in theatre transport and HNs to three separate locations . LANDCOM ’ s G4 will also need to communicate , liaise and work with three separate HNs elements as well as conducting the Live Exercise ( LIVEX ) aspect of the exercise . Each DLE will be required to liaise with their own allocated HNs in order to coordinate deployment , sustainment and re-deployment of LANDCOM personnel .