CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- The U.S. Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization motto, "Training the World One Soldier at a Time," is never truer than when it deploys an individual in support of a global security assistance mission.
One USASATMO Soldier, a logistician, is serving as a subject matter expert adviser to a USASATMO-managed mobile training team provided by the 1st Theater Sustainment Command for the Jordan Armed Forces in Amman. The MTT has conducted an executive seminar with the JAF as the first phase of a three phase tactical logistics training program for the partner nation.
The USASATMO officer, who has had extensive experience as both a logistics staff officer in combat and as a USASATMO security assistance training manager, provided both logistical and security assistance expertise in advising and assisting the MTT in getting the training program off to an excellent start.
1st Theater Sustainment Command with the JAF-Arab Army Logistics MTT, met with senior JAF leaders March 6 at the Joint Training Center, Jordan for a weeklong course aimed at strengthening military-to-military partnership through logistics training.
Comprised of senior logisticians from the 1st TSC, an active duty unit from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as well as the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), a Reserve unit from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, the MTT was assembled to provide three separate phases of logistics training to the JAF.
The goal of the MTT is to build an understanding as to how the Army provides the essential supplies, personnel and equipment required to sustain the Central Command area of operations.
"Whenever you work with another country it's important to understand how they perform their operations so that we can plan accordingly and work with them more efficiently. This will be a great step to our interoperability and teambuilding with the JAF," Lt. Col. Timothy Reed, the Theater Security Cooperation Program chief with the 1st TSC, said.
Phase 1, the executive phase of the training, was developed in a coordinated effort between JAF and Army logisticians to build a shared understanding of Army sustainment operations among the JAF logistics community and senior leaders.
"This training was developed to enhance the capacity of the Jordan Armed Forces and assist in the development of their capabilities in the region. The executive stage of the training is where we go over our principles, or the wave tops, of what we are trying to explain to the JAF leadership. It is how we showcase our logistics principles to the JAF soldiers," Reed said.
Phase 2 of the logistics training is scheduled for July. This will be a classroom environment where up to 40 JAF staff planners chosen by their senior leaders who completed the Phase 1 course receive two weeks of direct instruction on the principles of Army logistics. "We were invited by the JAF to do this training," Reed said. "At this time, we are learning from them how they perform logistics operations so we can help provide them with a streamlined more efficient manner to support and sustain their logistics to their forward troops."
In Phase 3 of the training, the 40 JAF logistics staff planners who participated in the Phase 2 portion will execute the skills they have developed in a proof of principle exercise. Under observation from up to 100 observers, the staff planners will implement the tasks necessary to maintain sustaining operations in response to carefully chosen obstacles and problem sets commanders may face during operations.
"Through our continued evolution of support to the JAF our goal is to share our principles of logistics versus technology and allow them to incorporate what works for the JAF," Reed said.
In closing comments at the Phase 1 training, Brig. Gen. Robert Harter, commander of the 316th ESC and deputy commander of the 1st TSC, told the group that "amateurs talk tactics and professionals talk logistics."
Harter thanked the group and expressed his continued support in the military-to-military relationship.
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U.S. Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization
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