Conducting Port Operations

As a new Infantry lieutenant, I thought I knew what the first few years of my career would look like. I would spend a few months in the operations and training staff section (S-3), get a platoon, and become an executive officer (XO) or even a specialty platoon leader. But on my first day at the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, my battalion XO took me into the logistics and sustainment staff section (S-4). What was initially supposed to be “a couple of weeks to help them catch up on some work” very quickly turned into a couple of months. Before I knew it, I was the S-4 officer in charge (OIC).

The battalion was about to partake in Orient Shield 2023, a yearly joint exercise between the U.S. and our Japanese allies. We were going to Japan, and this exercise was a trial by fire in my new role. Between sustaining the battalion and managing life-support contracts and purchases abroad, I gained tons of experience and learned daily. Port operations are the most critical, costly, and high-risk part of deploying a unit across the Pacific. If a unit cannot successfully deploy its equipment, it doesn’t matter how well it can plan operations or sustainment. It’s a critical mission; we must know how to do it well. And somehow, with no experience in this subject, I found myself responsible for the success or failure of this small part of our bigger mission. Ensuring success at a port cannot be guaranteed. Still, with proper planning and preparation, you can safely get your unit’s equipment where it needs to be on time.

The first step to ensuring success at the port is assembling the correct team to execute and manage operations. The OIC and NCO in charge (NCOIC) will be responsible for the operations. You need at least one unit movement officer (UMO), preferably an officer or senior NCO. Several UMO-qualified Soldiers are a must for larger operations. A designated UMO representative from each subordinate unit is the best way to manage large battalion or brigade movements. The team needs hazardous material (HAZMAT) certifiers; the number depends on how many HAZMAT containers you have. Vehicle crews will be the bulk of your workforce. Having the correct number of crews to drive vehicles (and ground guide) around the port and on/off ships is necessary to ensure your load rate is high enough. Everything at the port costs money. It costs money to keep the ship docked, to keep vehicles parked on the docks, and to pay the countless workers around the clock. This money is not coming directly out of your pocket, but for every minute wasted, the Army is paying a bill and someone will want answers.

The second step is having the correct paperwork at the port. Whether you are embarking or debarking, your paperwork should look very similar. You must have several copies of your unit deployment list (UDL). This complete UDL should include transportation control numbers (TCNs), bumper numbers, models, nomenclature, dimensions, and serial numbers. Out of all this information, the one that matters the most is the TCN. The TCN controls everything; it is a unique code that each piece of equipment gets, and that is how load plans are built.

In addition to the UDL, you or someone on your team needs to have access to the Transportation Coordinators’ Automated Information for Movements System (TC-AIMS) website. TC-AIMS is the unclassified system where units will provide their inputs for movements and deployments. The battalion S-4 or UMO can help get you this access. TC-AIMS is how UDLs are constructed; every piece of equipment is built into this system and added to the UDL. Nothing should be changing during port operations on the UDL, but it will be a helpful tool to pull data if needed. A designated HAZMAT-certified Soldier needs to have the required paperwork for every HAZMAT container. At a minimum, this paperwork needs to include a Department of Defense (DD) Form 2890, a safety data sheet (SDS), and an Emergency Response Guide (ERG). HAZMAT on rail or linehaul also needs to have a DD Form 626. The HAZMAT representative at the port needs to have at least five copies of each. Every sensitive item container will have a corresponding DD Form 1907, which shows a chain of responsibility for the containers. A member of the port team needs copies of this form as well. The DD Form 1750 records the contents of each container. Again, you need copies of these. While it is essential to have hard copies, it is incredibly beneficial to utilize a shared drive or another Army system to digitally store these files. Everyone at the port will want copies of this paperwork, so the team needs to know where to pull the paperwork from in case you run out.

Similar to waiting at an airport, ships have delays. Sometimes they will arrive early and sometimes they will arrive late. Unlike an airport, no monitors and signs show you exactly when and where your ship will arrive. It is essential to remain flexible. There is too much out of your control to stay exactly on the timeline. With that said, there is plenty within your control. Working at a port, similar to a railhead, is not exciting for most, especially for your young Soldiers executing the mission. They will be spending long days driving, walking, and dealing with countless inconvenient problems. Many of these young Soldiers will not always see the immediate importance of what you are doing. As with any Army operation, it is crucial to provide priorities, task, purpose, and the why. Setting these conditions early, with good NCO support, will significantly alleviate many headaches.

While you can scramble to get another driver to the port or fix some paperwork on the spot, the one thing you cannot fix is lost equipment. You must track everything; you need to know where each container and vehicle is parked. You need to know when and where they are being loaded. On the back end, you need to know what vehicles are convoying, what vehicles are getting loaded on rail, and what vehicles are being moved by commercial line haul. Everything must be tracked and recorded. For larger moves, it is inevitable that, at one point, someone will lose contact with a piece of equipment. When this happens, the port OIC will probably be the first to receive a phone call. Just like during tactical operations, it is imperative just you have a cell responsible for battle tracking 24/7. Depending on the scale of your move, your battalion S-3 shop may have some young lieutenants and captains perfect for this job.

The OIC and NCOIC need to stay very closely tied with their point of contact (POC) at the port. In Japan, there was a Japanese civilian who saved me many times. Having a good relationship with your POC should not start when you get there. You need to get in contact early as this will set you up for success. At most ports, the civilians rule all. It does not matter how squared away you think your paperwork is; if they say “no-go,” it’s a no-go. This is another essential thing to emphasize to your entire team at the port. The last thing you need is a Soldier and a port employee arguing about a DD 1750.

Your POC may not always be a civilian; it could be a Soldier. Regardless, there will be one person upon arrival who will have the answers to all your questions. They will know the vessel timeline, and you must get this timeline quickly to do your backwards planning. As previously mentioned, this timeline can change often, so it is essential to ask daily about any changes. I recommend having at least one daily touchpoint with your POC. They will be able to answer your questions, provide guidance, and help prioritize the next day’s tasks. More importantly, they will tell you if you are on or off track.

Port operations are not difficult to conduct. If the correct team is assembled, with the right paperwork, you will be able to fix any problem that arises. Manage your equipment, prioritize safety and control, and the rest will fall into place.

1LT Ryan Bobbitt is currently serving as a platoon leader in the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. He commissioned after graduating from the University of New Hampshire. He spent eight months as the battalion S-4, deploying his unit to multiple training exercises including Orient Shield 2023 and the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA.

This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Infantry. Read more articles from the professional bulletin of the U.S. Army Infantry at https://www.benning.army.mil/Infantry/Magazine/ or https://www.lineofdeparture.army.mil/Journals/Infantry/.

As with all Infantry articles, the views herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Department of Defense or any element of it.