FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
"We've got a 14-day, open water sail from San Juan (Puerto Rico) to Morocco," said Chief Warrant Officer Tom Hall, vessel master, Large Tug-805, 73rd Transportation Company, 10th Transportation Battalion, 7th Sustainment Brigade, Fort Eustis.
Chief Warrant Officer Hall and his crew of 25 Army sailors are on their way to Morocco in support of Transportation Command's annual Joint Logistics Over the Shore training exercise. The LT-805 is towing two Army Landing Craft Utility watercraft; the LCUs play a vital role in the Roll-On/Roll-Off, Discharge Facility portion of JLOTS. The crew will first sail to San Juan for refueling and from there sail across the Atlantic to the coast of western Africa.
"That's a long sail under any conditions," said Chief Warrant Officer Hall, "but with two LCUs in tow it becomes even more taxing because of the constant watch on the tow. We've trained and practiced for this and I've got confidence that we're ready to pull it off."
Company commander Capt. Adam Araujo, 73rd TC, 10th Trans. Bn., 7th Sust. Bde. couldn't agree more.
"I'm confident this will be a successful mission," said Captain Araujo while standing on the dock at Yorktown, watching as the vessel made its way out to sea. "Our crews are well trained; we've got the right people working in the right positions."
JLOTS is the ability to discharge a vessel without benefit of a pier in a tactical or humanitarian situation (several of the brigade's watercraft deployed to Haiti last January in support of Operation Unified Response. The vessels were critical in moving vital supplies such as food, shelter and cooking utensils to the displaced people of Haiti who were affected by the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake.)
A training exercise such as JLOTS contributes significantly in the brigade's ability to perform this type of mission anywhere in the world. At times, a ship may have to be downloaded farther away from a port or berth based on the location or, perhaps due to an austere environment.
The 7th Sustainment Brigade provides logistical support anywhere, at any time, in any environment. Elements of the brigade's six battalions and their companies are deployed at any given time supporting a number of global missions to include Southwest Asia, U.S. Army South, Iraq and Afghanistan.