KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- Soldiers from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's 39th Transportation Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade were greeted by Family, friends and fellow Soldiers after arriving home from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan at Ramstein Airbase Nov. 23.
The 39th Trans. Bn. returned home just in time for the holidays. During their deployment, they conducted retrograde, redeployment, and sustainment operations throughout Afghanistan. They were called the 39th Joint Movement Control Battalion downrange, and they commanded nineteen movement control teams throughout the country.
They also managed the largest host-nation transportation contract in Afghanistan, the National Afghan Trucking contract. Finally, they were responsible for a contracted short take-off and landing aircraft fleet, which provided intra-theater air transportation for U.S. forces, cargo, and mail.
The battalion's mission was vital to current retrograde and base closure operations as U.S. forces decrease their footprint in Afghanistan. The JMCB prioritized, allocated, and conducted live transportation tracking for over 1,200 transportation assets moving goods along dangerous and hostile roads. The JMCB faced various logistical challenges which complicated transportation during their deployment including a transition to Afghan government operated transportation security, base closures, and Afghan cultural events such as Ramadan., said Maj. Lillian Robinson, the 39th Trans. Bn. support operations officer
"A couple of days after we arrived, NAT security escorts changed from private Afghan security companies to newly indoctrinated government escorts, provided by the Afghan Public Protection Force. It was a huge change for the NAT carriers, who had provided their own security for years and now relied on protection from a new Afghan government force," said Sgt. 1st Class Harold Lucca, 39th Trans. Bn. support operations noncommissioned officer in charge.
When the APPF was implemented, the JMCB had to contend with the initial delays typical of any major transition. The transition was high-visibility at the national level, since the NAT contract is the primary means of transporting sustainment and retrograde cargo to support base closures and transitions, Robinson said.
"The most difficult aspect of the deployment was managing base closures and transfers. Every base is different in reference to size, terrain, transportation requirements, and transportation capabilities. Site surveys, working groups, and accurate reporting are vital to meeting those deadlines," said Robinson. "In the case of base transfer, the Afghan government assumes responsibility of the location, so it is imperative to posture the base for immediate their use."
The JMCB staff worked diligently to analyze the impact of holidays in previous years, in order to effectively plan for delays and implement mitigation procedures. During the Muslim observance of Ramadan, for example, Afghan drivers continued to transport cargo; however, the theater suffered a moderate reduction in transportation efficiency due to the drivers' fatigue from the physical demands of fasting from food.
Following Ramadan, Muslims observe Eid-Al-Fitr, a multi-day celebration to commemorate the completion of Ramadan. During this time, host-nation transportation operations come to a halt.
"Leading up to Ramadan we worked with NAT carriers and utilized historical data to identify the impacts of the Afghan holidays. However, when the Afghan government halted NAT security escorts during Eid-Al-Fitr, it was evident that the government's jurisdiction was evolving into a more independent and stable organization," said Lucca said.
The 330th Joint Movement Control Battalion replaced the 39th.
"Our great success during the deployment is a direct result of engaged leadership, careful planning, and our excellent partnerships with the logistics and sustainment community," said Lt. Col. Michael S. Knapp, 39th Trans. Bn. commander, following the transfer of authority ceremony in Afghanistan.
During the unit's welcome home ceremony Knapp stated, "We have a great opportunity to take the experiences we acquired in Afghanistan and apply them in the European Command and Africa Command areas of operation. Every person on the 39th team has grown exponentially during our deployment. I am proud of each one of you and I know your families are too."
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