TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. -- An industrial engineer from the AMC Logistics Support Activity (LOGSA) Packaging, Storage, and Containerization Center (PSCC) here recently took part in a logistics standardization and interoperability field training exercise at the Military Training Area Lešť, Slovakia.
Tom Kozlowski traveled to Slovakia in June for Capable Logistician 2013 (CL 13), an exercise designed to assess the interoperability of logistics systems and the effective use of common procedures between nations during a crisis response operation.
Kozlowski serves as the U.S. representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Combat Service Support Supply Panel and said the experience was both beneficial and rewarding.
"CL 13 provided a great opportunity to exercise multinational logistics as well as to train and prepare forces for future coalition operations," said Kozlowski. "It was a privilege being selected as a field evaluator and was a tremendous opportunity to work side-by-side with Soldiers and equipment from numerous nations."
More than 35 countries and 1,500 personnel participated in the exercise. PSCC was the primary evaluator for the functional area on materials handling, where interoperability trials were conducted in a selected test area. During CL 13, Kozlowski conducted nearly 50 field interoperability trials between nations' materials handling and transportation systems.
As subject matter experts on NATO materials handling and supply, PSCC personnel were part of the U.S. Army G-4 team, which participated in the Evaluation, Analysis and Reporting Cell (EARC) at CL 13. The EARC was the focal point for all information collection and analysis during the exercise.
Instrumental in the development of the reporting cell, PSCC personnel assessed and evaluated the interoperability of nations' logistics systems and equipment for compatibility issues, lessons-learned, and best practices. Some of the lessons-learned proposed by Kozlowski included requirements to address the storage of intermodal containers in field operations, improved safety practices for slinging and tying down military equipment, and the handling and transport of non-government organization supplies.
"The experience has reinforced my commitment to partner with Department of Defense and NATO nations to improve logistics interoperability and further LOGSA PSCC's leadership role in the NATO Combat Service Support Supply Panel," Kozlowski said. "Knowing you can make a difference by taking the right steps to enhance U.S. and NATO logistics interoperability is self-rewarding."
Tobyhanna Army Depot is the Defense Department's largest center for the repair, overhaul and fabrication of a wide variety of electronics systems and components, from tactical field radios to the ground terminals for the defense satellite communications network. Tobyhanna's missions support all branches of the Armed Forces.
About 3,700 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the command's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the Armed Forces.
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