SDDC Experts Gather for Training and Mission Support Summit

By Mr. Johnathon Orrell (SDDC)May 19, 2017

SDDC Experts Gather for Training and Mission Support Summit
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The objective of the summit was to further improve SDDC's already strong Total Force partnership with its U.S. Army Reserve force, the Deployment Support Command (DSC), by using collaborative planning to support specific lines of effort from SDDC commanding general Maj. Gen. Kurt Ryan's "READY 2017-2020" Campaign Plan.

To accomplish this goal, the group focused on two major tasks. First, to develop competency in planning, mission command and execution of large scale contingency ammunition and large joint force movements to and through strategic seaports. Second, to align SDDC's total force brigades and battalions with training partners, strategic ports, power projection platforms and Combatant Commands.

"We need to focus on who has mission control and who has mission command, balancing capability versus capacity, and we must get beyond discussion and put those thoughts into action," said Navy Capt. John Duenas, SDDC's Operations director.

Following Ryan's intent to "identify all 'real-world' and exercise terminal operation missions that afford the DSC opportunities to train (with our active forces) and forecast force allocation," the team of expert planners discussed, formulated, and then determined how SDDC and DSC could continue improving their gold standard Total Force partnership to accomplish the mission.

Navy Cmdr. Jason Brianas, SDDC's chief of Exercises, Readiness and Training, noted "As a total force we need to keep driving forward as hard and constant as possible," said. "If we can do this as a total force, nothing or no one can beat us."

While the summit's initial discussions were informative and promising, participants cautioned about the important distinction between planning and implementation.

"We can sit here all day, all night, and all year long and talk, but if we do not make good on our promises, then we will waste this strong mission so many have worked to create," said Army Reserve Col. Michael Beane, the DSC's director of Operations.

And that is exactly what the concept of operations portion of the summit focused on.

During this part of the TMSS, planners developed a two-phase Total Force implementation plan for SDDC that mapped out reserve support for everything from future exercises and missions to continuity of operations and brigade updates for positioning.

At the conclusion of the planning summit, Duenas was very satisfied with the results.

"We set out to develop a comprehensive list of the exercises and terminal operation missions where our active and Reserve forces could partner," said Duenas. "By fully synchronizing our mission training opportunities and increasing deployment readiness across the command, SDDC will deliver readiness as a Total Force team."