HONOLULU -- While most members of the 599th Transportation Brigade enjoyed their Independence Day federal holiday on July 3, two personnel basked in the concrete warmth of Honolulu Harbor piers 39-40.
Operations directorate members Jimmy Quilon, traffic management specialist, and Marco Arboleda, marine cargo specialist, spent their holiday overseeing the upload of cargo and equipment from 3rd Marine Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, onto the barge Ho Omaka Hou at Young Brothers Hawaii.
The equipment was on its way from Oahu to the Big Island of Hawaii to join the regiment for a rotation at Pohakuloa Training Area.
“It is all about building relationship and partnerships,” said 599th deputy to the commander, Casey Carr. “This is one of the great things about working for SDDC. Our mission is not only global, it is local as well. We work with our sister services on a daily basis, working with each other, understanding the little things we do different. The more we work with each other, the better we both get. “
The 599th had little advanced warning for the operation, but the brigade’s flexibility and rapid response exceeded expectations in supporting this short-notice mission.
“We knew a week out,” said Quilon. “The operation had been planned and then cancelled. Then at the last minute it was put back on.”
Quilon said arranging transport, even at such short notice, was not a big problem.
“The Young Brothers barge was going anyway, and they had room on it, so everything worked out,” he said.
Arboleda provided oversight onto the vessel loadout itself, making sure that everything fit.
“We were just observing to make sure that everything went OK with the upload,” he said. “I had worked with Marines and stevedores many times before, but I had never worked with Young Brothers officials. Once we got used to each other and everyone felt comfortable, though, it was easy to communicate what we needed.”
“Most of the cargo was vehicles with about 50 quadcons [a type of container],” said Arboleda.
Quilon provided contracting oversight.
“I was there to make sure Young Brothers did what the contract specified,” Quilon said. “I had to ensure that no one from the Marines or any
other government employee was handling any equipment except for special equipment like the howitzers. Everything else was to be loaded by the contracted stevedores.”
While the 599th personnel worked contacts and the upload, Naval Supply Systems Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor employees Elizabeth Jimenez, Mark Hashiro and Francis Maedonochi provided a tally count.
Jimenez said she saw some changes Young Brothers had made for safer practice during the load out, and she was happy to see that all of the cargo fit, which was questionable at the start.
Although the count was less than the estimate by several items, FLC was able to square the tally. Because the barge was full, no extra charges were levied.
“We arrived at the port at 6:15 a.m., the loading started at 7:30, and it was completed at 3:30 p.m. the same day,” Arboleda said.
“It arrived safely and with no damage at the port of Kawaihae on the Big Island about 6 a.m. on July 5,” he added.
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