BAUMHOLDER, Germany -- Soldiers of the 16th Sustainment Brigade moved aggressively to "set the joint operations area" May 16-18, emplacing movement control personnel at key locations to provide freedom of movement during Anakonda 16, a U.S. Army Europe premier multinational training exercise slated for next month in Poland.
The 39th Transportation Battalion (Movement Control) deployed elements of six movement control teams to 12 different locations within Poland -- including several ports as well as training areas -- in support of Anakonda 16. The MCTs will begin reception and onward movement of personnel, vehicles, and cargo from participating organizations worldwide.
"Anakonda 16 is an excellent real-world opportunity to empower our junior leaders by sending them to execute missions on their own," said 1st Lt. Joshua Cooper, a movement officer with the 635th Transportation Detachment (Movement Control). "It's also a great chance to integrate with our allies and partners in Poland to project the dynamic presence of the U.S. Army."
One crucial role the movement control teams play is the execution of theater opening and preparation for sustainment and distribution operations. Their efforts also provide freedom of movement for follow-on forces.
Prior to the start of Anakonda 16, vehicles, cargo and allied personnel from bases within the continental U.S. as well as Europe are moving into Poland, leveraging all modes of transportation. Movement control teams are responsible for providing operational access and operational reach through coordination and supervision of personnel and cargo of supported units into, through and out of their assigned area via roads, rail, air and sea. Their mission includes the processing of diplomatic clearance paperwork, customs clearance services and working side-by-side with NATO
Allies at logistical hubs across Poland.
"We are dispersed across the country of Poland for Anakonda 16 providing movement control support to the incoming maneuver brigades," said Capt. Jacy Schmidt, commander of the 635th Transportation Detachment (Movement Control). "As a forward-deployed movement control team this allows our Soldiers to train on our company tasks while providing the knowledge and expertise needed for the deployment of units into Poland," added Schmidt, who is currently supervising port operations in the Polish port city of Szczecin.
The brigade as a whole sets the conditions for military operations for four combat brigades and a variety of other units, with more than 13,000 U.S. service members demonstrating their combat-readiness and interoperability with allied forces, according to Col. Michelle M.T. Letcher, the brigade commander. As the 39th Trans. establishes the joint area of operations, Soldiers conduct theater-opening activities, including port and terminal operations as well as reception, staging, onward movement and integration. Their efforts, Letcher noted, are essential to the integration of arriving personnel into their roles in Poland.
"Our movement controllers are essential to the freedom of movement of this operation," Letcher said. "Nothing moves in the European theater without the 39th Transportation Battalion movement controllers setting the JOA."
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