KALUNDBORG, Denmark - Helping to spearhead exercise Immediate Response 24, a team of Soldiers from the 793rd Movement Control Team (MCT), 510th Regional Support Group (RSG), perform reception, staging and onward movement (RSOM) operations in Kalundborg, Denmark. This is the first time the U.S. Army has utilized the port in Kalundborg for port operations, as well as partaking in the motor vessel GREEN OCEAN's maiden voyage.
Part of U.S. Army Europe and Africa's DEFENDER 24 series, Immediate Response 24 is being conducted in NATO's High North and eastern flank countries and involves approximately 10,400 U.S. and 12,750 multinational Allied and partner participants from Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Working together and in partnership with Danish counterparts, the 793rd MCT's mission in Denmark is a "proof of concept" to show that Kalundborg is a viable port, explains U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Russell Cole, 1177th MCT commander attached to the 793rd. “The port of Kalundborg area is only about three years old and this is the first time doing any movement for the United States Army”.
“The port of Kalundborg provides the Army a strategic advantage for expedited reception, staging, and onward movement of equipment,” said U.S. Army Reserve 1st Lt. Stephen Pursley, 446th MCT Battalion movement control officer. “With the port’s close proximity to Germany, the Army Reserve and 793rd MCT can rapidly deploy forward to provide professional and efficient military operations, ensuring mission success throughout the theater.”
The 793rd MCT arrived in Kalundborg and began preliminary coordination for port operations in early April and will continue its RSOM operations through May.
"As the equipment comes off of the new motor vessel GREEN OCEAN, our main role is to receive it," said U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Adrian White, commander of the 793rd MCT, explaining the reception and staging portions of RSOM. “Once we unlock and un-brace all of the equipment, we do agricultural checks and safety briefs, then we offload all kinds of equipment here for DEFENDER-Europe 24.”
According to White, approximately 80 pieces of equipment can be offloaded per hour, with more than 950 pieces of equipment offloaded at the port so far.
After all equipment is received and staged, the final - and arguably most complex - portion of RSOM begins: delivery of the equipment throughout the European theater. These long-haul movements across borders are a key element to the RSOM process, according to Cole, but would not be possible without coordinated support from NATO Allies and partners.
“We’ve heavily integrated with the Danish military," said Cole. "Their assets have been fantastic, and they have been a major reason for the success of this movement so far.”
Col. Daniel J. Meyers, commander of the 510th RSG, reiterates the mission of the brigade - which is forward stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany - and the critical nature of integrated exercises with NATO Allies and partners.
"The 510th's mission in Europe is to set the theater," states Meyers, "and this exercise will further enhance interoperability and U.S. and NATO military mobility capabilities."
“We’ve downloaded the equipment from the ship," said Meyers. "It’s all here in the port and it's going to be loaded and moved to the locations where more exercises will be occurring [during DEFENDER 24]." With that, the 7th Mission Support Command, along with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, have confirmed their capability to deliver Soldiers and equipment to the High North in order to deter aggression and defend NATO Allies.
The 7th Mission Support Command is the U.S. Army Reserve presence in Europe. Comprised of 26 units across Germany and Italy, the 7th MSC provides logistical and sustainment resources in support of U.S. Army Europe missions across the theater. For more stories and information on the 7th Mission Support Command, connect on Facebook @7thMSC.
Date Taken: | 04.23.2024 |
Date Posted: | 04.24.2024 07:32 |
Story ID: | 469150 |
Location: | KALUNDBORG, DK |
Web Views: | 234 |
Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Setting the theater for DEFENDER 24: U.S. Army Reserve and Danish military open Kalundborg port for Immediate Response, by Thomas Mort, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.