KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- There was hurried back-and-forth on data verification via phones and messengers June 9 in the small metal trailer serving as the transient Administrative and Logistical Operations Center (ALOC) at Rhine Ordnance Barracks for the multinational exercise Swift Response 16.
"How many PAX on that bird?" "Checking PAX!" "What's ETA?" "Checking!" "I need numbers!" "72 PAX sir!" "Also carrying one howitzer, one truck, and 72 confirmed PAX" "Roger, head over to Ramstein and get set up!"
The Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division are used to the pace of operations here since setting up the ALOC last month for the staging, reception and processing of all coalition partners transiting the U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz installation.
ROB serves as the Intermediate Staging Base (ISB) in support of Swift Response, which ties into the larger exercise Anakonda 16 currently under way in Poland.
Thousands of Soldiers from several different nations converged on ROB in recent weeks for final preparations and training designed to test the ability, readiness and interoperability of the Polish Armed Forces with Allies and partners, while conducting a joint defensive operation on a large scale.
ROB saw its own large-scale operation as the ISB supported the through-put of troops with the logistics of bed down, feeding, transportation and training.
"There's a perfect balance here of training areas and logistical support," said Capt. Marshal Pearson, the officer-in-charge of the ALOC. "Everything we need is right here, to include after the training is accomplished and Soldiers have access to the fitness center, (Army and Air Force Exchange Service) shoppette, a Java Café, free wi-fi, game systems and TV."
Taking a first-hand look at the logistical support ROB provides the rotational forces on June 6 was the Installation Management Command-Europe's Region Director, Michael Formica, who walked through the deployment processing areas and the equipment staging yard.
"What you do here is provide a critical power projection platform for downrange operations," Formica told the USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Commander, Col. G. Shawn Wells Jr. "These airborne troops that are going to be jumping in for this (multinational exercise) are training up right here."
But it wasn't just senior leaders and U.S. troops impressed with the training capabilities and amenities offered at the temporary encampment.
"The logistical support here is a huge undertaking compared to our logistics and it works very, very well," said Staff Sgt. Carlos Basilio, a pathfinder in the Portugese Army. Similar to their U.S. Army counterparts, Basilio specializes in navigating through foreign terrain and establishing safe landing zones for airborne and air assault soldiers or Army aircraft.
At the ROB deployment processing area, Basilio was deftly navigating through foreign Soldiers to find a path to the USO food and snacks zone for one of his favorite perks of the transient support facility -- coffee.
"We Portugese like our coffee a lot," he said with a smile, "and we are not used to having this kind of logistical support in the field."
Others also took advantage of the drinks, snacks and daily hot lunches provided by USO deployed operations specialist Alicia Green and her team of 14 volunteers that have kept the temporary USO facility open seven days a week from 9 a.m. -- 5 p.m. since May 9 and will staff it through the duration of this summer's exercises.
"The British troops were so excited that we had hot tea and they couldn't comprehend how it was all free," Green said. "And the Italian soldiers really like the hot dogs."
"I just can't stop praising the USO," said Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Gatewood, with the 82nd Airborne. "Their volunteers that come here and cook for everyone really help keep the Soldiers' morale high. When a couple of our Soldiers mentioned they couldn't eat the lunches because they were vegans, the USO staff went above and beyond and brought in special meals for them."
It's all part of the garrison's team effort to provide the best support possible, said Colonel Wells.
"From our partners with the USO and AAFES, to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command to our own garrison staff, especially Family and MWR services, we absolutely do all we can to support the Soldiers in transit here on their way to these training exercises," said Wells.
Swift Response 16 includes more than 5,000 Soldiers and Airmen from Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United States and takes place in Poland and Germany, through June 26, 2016.
Anakonda 16 runs through June 17 with training events that include multinational air assault and airborne operations, air defense operations, bridging operations and numerous other training activities. In all, more than 31,000 service members from 24 NATO and partner nations are participating.
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