Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016

By Staff Sgt. Michelle Patten, OCSJX-16 Public Affairs CellMarch 23, 2016

Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 kicks off at Fort Bliss
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Thaddeus Faxon, 374th Contracting Squadron contract specialist, prepares to shoot an M4 Carbine during the Engagement Skills Trainer, March 21, 2016, at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 provides trai... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 kicks off at Fort Bliss
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 participants go through the HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer, March 21, 2016, at Fort Bliss, Texas. This exercise provides training across the spectrum of OCS readiness from requirements and developmen... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 kicks off at Fort Bliss
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Thomas Zinkle, 917th Contingency Contracting Battalion contract specialist, helps Staff Sgt. Dustin Forrey, 944th Contingency Contracting Team contract specialist, out of the HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer, March 21, 2016, at Fort Bliss, ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 kicks off at Fort Bliss
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Warrior task trainers of the Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 receive training to instruct students during the exercise, March 18, 2016, at Fort Bliss, Texas. The OCSJX-16 provides operational training in requirements development, war... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 kicks off at Fort Bliss
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 participants arrive to the El Paso International airport in preparation for the OCSJX-16 at Fort Bliss, March 18, 2016. OCSJX-16 provides operational training in requirements development, warfighter st... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BLISS, Texas (March 22, 2016) -- More than 500 service members and civilians from across the Department of Defense and allied nations arrived, March 21, at Fort Bliss to participate in Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016.

The director for Logistics, Joint Staff J4, sponsors the three-week exercise to train operational contracting personnel and to improve strategic and operational relationships.

OCSJX-16 brings together service members and civilians from all branches of the DOD and across the total force spectrum, as well as coalition partner nations and agencies from outside the DOD. This marks the first year that an allied country, the United Kingdom, will be actively participating in the exercise to test contracting coordination capabilities. Other partner nations, including Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Panama and Peru, will serve as guest observers to learn about OCS.

The exercise has three phases. Participants begin with warrior task training, which builds teamwork and valuable deployment readiness skills. Next, more than 225 trainees transition to a week dedicated to academics. Finally, the trainees will test their knowledge in a week set aside for OCS scenario execution.

"The purpose of OCSJX-16 is to help the warfighter better understand the significance of OCS and the establishment of an operational contract support integration cell and their operational footprint," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert Mathews, OCSJX-16 officer in charge.

"I'm most looking forward to academics week because I recently reclassed into this MOS [military occupational specialty] and I want to get to know more about it so I can be a stronger part of the team," said Army Spc. Garrett Small, a member of the OCSJX-16 finance cell. Small is assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.

Beginning in 2010, the OCS community gathered for an annual joint exercise to sharpen skills from the tactical to the strategic level and share lessons learned. OCSJX-16 integrates planning and processes for contract support integration, contracting support and contractor management.

Another change for this year's exercise is the integration of finance and judge advocate participants into the training program. In addition, the exercise incorporates a major maneuver warfare command. The 1st Armored Division and the 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade will increase the level of realism in the exercise and boost their members' logistical training. With the scenario of this year's exercise designed to defend the Panama Canal while providing humanitarian assistance to the region, members of Army South are key players in OCSJX-16.

According to Army Lt. Col. Mike Conroy, OCSJX-16 joint exercise control group officer in charge, extensive preparations for this year's exercise began last June, including development of the scenarios to test OCS capabilities.

Operational Contract Support is the process of planning for and obtaining supplies, services, and construction from commercial sources in support of joint operations, according to Joint Publication 4-10.

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