311th ESC Brigades conduct Joint Operations

By Capt. Fernando OchoaNovember 28, 2016

311th ESC Brigades conduct Joint Operations
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from the 304th Sustainment Brigade arrive at Forward Operating Base Santa Fe's motor pool before heading to FOB Miami, during a MUTA 8 four-day battle assembly, where collective training events as well as individual readiness focused on medi... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
311th ESC Brigades conduct Joint Operations
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from the 650th Regional Support Group went to the firing range at the Fort Irwin National Training Center November 17-20, while they conducted a joint Field Training Exercise with the 304th Sustainment Brigade, during a MUTA 8 four-day battl... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
311th ESC Brigades conduct Joint Operations
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Chris Barra, 304th Sustainment Brigade commander, Brig. Gen. David Elwell, 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command commanding general, and Col. Toni Glover, 650th Regional Support Group commander, attended a joint Field Training Exercise, during... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
311th ESC Brigades conduct Joint Operations
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Ashton Sellars, Sgt. Neneth Castillo, Spc. Deondra Caruthers and Pfc. Felicia Smith of the 650th Regional Support Group trained at the Fort Irwin National Training Center November 17-20, where a joint Field Training Exercise, during a MUTA 8 fou... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Brig. Gen. David Elwell, 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command commanding general, visited Col. Toni Glover, 650th Regional Support Group commander, and Col. Chris Barra, 304th Sustainment Brigade commander, at the Fort Irwin National Training Center November 17-20, while they conducted a joint Field Training Exercise, during a MUTA 8 four-day battle assembly, where collective training events as well as individual readiness focused on medical readiness and firearms qualification.

This mission was spear headed by the 650th RSG and 304th SBDE staffs who spent months of joint planning and working closely with multiple agencies and units to make this FTX a success.

The primary focus for this FTX was to conduct individual weapons qualification and a mass medical readiness event, where examinations included eye, dental, hearing, physician interviews and an influenza vaccination.

"I'm very happy with the way this field training exercise turned out and I'm proud of the Soldiers that planned it and the Soldiers who are participating," said Elwell. "To include the Soldiers who participated at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, this has been a first rate exercise from top to bottom."

The 469th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, a 650th RSG battalion, in conjunction with the California National Guard, also conducted a FTX at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, with 322 Soldiers November 18-20.

The 650th RSG organized a multi-vehicle convoy to and from home station, Las Vegas, Nevada, to Fort Irwin, California in a multi-vehicle convoy using its organic rolling stock, which included its Mobile Kitchen Trailer, while the 304th SBDE organized a multi-vehicle convoy from Riverside, California.

The movement plan for the exercise convoy operations gave the 88Ms, Motor Transport Operators, and 92Gs, Culinary Specialists, an opportunity to work in their actual trained military occupational specialties.

The 650th RSG setup a base camp at Forward Operating Base Santa Fe, where they provided land management and space requirements for billeting, a motor pool staging area, tenant headquarters and a Reception Staging Onward-Movement Integration station. The 304th SBDE stayed at FOB Miami, where they billeted more than 1500 Soldiers.

"Completing this training supported my commander's training objectives, exercised our staff's processes and our unit's ability to plan for and execute base camp support operations," said Glover. "This FTX further served as a proof of principle for the 650th RSG in exercising joint RSOI operations in advance of next year's Big LOTS West 17. This was a real world mission executed to help us maintain our combat readiness."

More than 1600 Soldiers from the 650th RSG and 304th SBDE participated in this event. This event was a milestone in the way combat readiness is completed.

The 650th RSG obtained 100 percent medical readiness, a 99 percent proficiency on the firing range and processed over 1,421 Soldiers through the reception station without issue, during this event.

Both units utilized various firing ranges, where Soldiers received many training sessions that included range regulations, safety procedures, coaching techniques and medical procedures.

The Fort Irwin National Training Center is a major training area for the United States Military and is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California and is located 37 miles northeast of Barstow, in the Calico Mountains.

The 650th RSG is aligned under the 311th Sustainment Command and has control of three battalions: 314th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 469th CSSB and the 483rd Transportation Battalion. Its area of operation spans over three states, including California, Nevada and Arizona.