Movement control is an essential subordinate function of transportation, one that ensures that the right equipment arrives at the right location at the right time. Effective movement control has operational and even strategic implications for the Army’s ability to rapidly deploy and sustain formations using systems that are unclassified and inelastic. In Japan where operations are inherently reliant on service integration, movement control is part of a vast network of supply and transportation chains that, when optimized, enables commanders to assess technology and innovation to synchronize movements for the deployment, redeployment, and distribution of equipment and personnel without disruption.
Understanding Army movement control challenges in Japan in general and, specifically, for 623rd Movement Control Team (MCT), 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB)—the only MCT in Japan—offers a method of analysis that lays out how a particular geographic region’s requirements drive this MCT’s mission inputs and outputs that support our customer base. For example, long, multi-country military convoys in the European theater create unique movement control challenges such as managing multiple countries’ diplomatic clearances and regulations regarding oversized loads for green assets, as discussed in other articles within Army Sustainment Professional Bulletin (i.e. “Moving Across Europe for Operation Atlantic Resolve” by Capt. Alex Brubaker and Sgt. 1st Class Lucas W. Pedigo, in the July-August 2016 issue; “Expanding the NATO Movement Control Network” by Capt. Robert R. Yauger in the Nov.-Dec. 2015 issue). On the other hand, in Japan, the lack of
U.S. military transportation assets creates different and unique transport and logistics policy coordinations that often rely on our strong military relationship with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF).
The following discussion outlines how the 623rd MCT, through its five MCT doctrinal mission sets, looks to achieve theater-wide agile and resilient transportation logistics support with its higher headquarters, 35th CSSB, and the 10th Support Group (10th SG). Acknowledging the many ways in which Army movement control organizations nest themselves into a joint theater sustainment environment is important. Movement control capabilities and specific customer outputs vary greatly depending on the particular area of responsibility (AOR) and transportation organizational structure. This context-based analysis will inform new perspectives from which other movement control professionals and commanders can draw to more effectively employ their theater’s MCTs.
The execution of movement control support is generally carried out by MCTs, the interface between operational-level transportation organizations and the supported customers. MCTs are 21-Soldier organizations, consisting of a logistics captain, two transportation lieutenants, a sergeant first class, and four staff sergeants, who each lead a branch movement control team (BMCT). Each enlisted Soldier in the MCT has a military occupational specialty of 88N, transportation management coordinator. All MCTs are capable of performing five-movement control missions: intermodal, area, movement regulation, documentation, and division support, per Army Techniques Publication 4-16. The extent to which an MCT focuses on one or more of these missions and the nature of the specific services an MCT offers customer organizations depends on mission conditions, circumstances, and operational environment (OE) influences that inform a commander’s information and decision cycle.
Intermodal
MCTs achieve intermodal movement control support by filling gaps and fostering organizational overlap. Either directly or via their higher headquarters, MCTs liaise and coordinate between joint transportation organizations to ensure seamless movement of Army personnel and equipment from port to fort, or vice versa. Such organizations include the Army Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) at seaports, Army transportation units and/or civilian common user land transportation (CULT) assets on the roads and railways, and the U.S. Air Force at airports, among others. Essential to effective intermodal movement control is the provision of in-transit visibility (ITV) for the aforementioned organizations and the supported customer Army units. Accurate ITV enables commanders at all echelons to make better-informed decisions regarding the movement and, ultimately, employment of their equipment.
In Japan, 623rd MCT provides ITV for equipment when it arrives at the sea port of debarkation (SPOD) and/or the air port of debarkation (APOD) and then on to the final destination within Japan. While 623rd’s ITV consisted of analog methods in the past, the MCT recently implemented the use of its portable deployment kit (PDK) lite capabilities, which enable the MCT to portably burn and read radio frequency identification (RFID) tags onto the web-based RF-ITV tracking portal.
The MCT also deploys its BMCTs to SPODs/APODs and final destinations, where they use the PDK’s iridium modem technology to establish mobile choke points that feed data from the RFID tags onto the ITV server. This allows anyone with a common access card and access to basic equipment data (i.e. transportation control numbers, interrogator IDs, and so forth) to log onto the web-based server and view the equipment’s location in near real-time.
In practice, the 623rd recently supported a rotational area support company’s (ASC) equipment for U.S. Army-Japan (USAR-J). A BMCT deployed to the APOD, Yokota air base, to receive and track the personnel that arrived by air. Simultaneously, a second BMCT met the vessels at the SPOD, Yokohama north dock, and assisted the SDDC and USAR-J G4 Transportation with the staging and onward movement of the equipment via civilian CULT assets. Since the rotational unit did not use RFID tags, 623rd provided its own, filling a gap in its intermodal movement control support. The MCT validated the ASC’s unit deployment list at the SPOD, burned and affixed RFID tags to the equipment, and established PDK mobile choke points to track the equipment as it moved from the port to the final destination within Japan, providing the ASC, USAR-J, and associated joint support organizations with intermodal connectivity.
Area
MCTs are often tasked to provide movement control support of Army personnel, equipment, and cargo that moves into, through, and out of an assigned area. The specific movement control missions vary considerably depending on the area’s specific requirements; however, they generally involve some piece of the coordination of onward movement with the appropriate agencies, execution of ITV, and provision of unit movement coordinator services, which include assisting supported units with documentation, deployment automation management, and movement control support at hubs. As the only MCT in Japan, 623rd MCT spends the majority of its efforts providing movement control support to area-specific rotational unit deployments and USAR-J exercises; however, being the sole organization with a specific, unique capability within the Japan AOR drives 623rd MCT to provide its technical assistance to a host of different mission sets.
For instance, the Army Field Support Battalion (AFSBn) at Sagami Depot, Japan, which manages the ground Army pre-positioned stock-4 (APS-4) in Japan, requested 623rd’s assistance in processing its unit set movement data. Since the AFSBn is a small, mostly civilian organization that lacks the command deployment discipline program assets of most Army units, the battalion asked the MCT to validate the organizational equipment lists (OELs) for the APS-4 equipment on Transportation Coordinators’ Auto-mated Information for Movements System II (TC-AIMS II). The MCT validated APS-4’s OELs on TC-AIMS II by cross-referencing each unit set’s OEL with its associated Army War Reserve Deployment System record. This technical MCT support to the area increases the speed of issue should the unit sets be issued and transported, improving the AFSBn’s quality of support within the theater.
Movement Regulation
MCTs or BMCTs are capable of deploying to multiple locations to regulate movement on main or alternate supply routes, generally through the execution of convoy support centers (CSCs). This capability is particularly important in theaters like Europe, where movements are typically long and involve multiple countries, necessitating the management of convoy rest cycles, diplomatic clearances, and tight control over scheduling. Japan is slightly larger than Germany, but only a quarter of its area is habitable. Most peacetime ground movements are short and are conducted by civilian CULT assets, obviating the need for military CSCs on commercial routes. In a contingency operation, however, this capability would be essential. The 623rd MCT is equipped and trained to provide tactical CSCs in austere and contested environments. Each BMCT is capable of deploying movement regulation capabilities throughout the theater, establishing frequency modulation (FM), joint capabilities release (JCR), and high frequency (HF) communications with higher headquarters, and defending themselves against enemy attacks.
Last year, 623rd MCT established a tactical CSC during the 35th CSSB Samurai Rising field training exercise (FTX) at Camp Fuji, Japan. During this FTX, the MCT validated its ability to tactically convoy, establish a CSC at a remote site, conduct tactical movement regulation, communicate with the CSSB via FM, JCR, and HF, and defend against opposing forces. While commanders place necessary emphasis on improving movement control during peacetime, it is important to emphasize that MCTs are tactical and deployable organizations that stand ready to train and employ their tactical mission essential tasks in support of national objectives during contingency operations.
Documentation
Although deploying units are generally required to produce their own cargo and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) documentation, MCTs have the capability and know-how to augment cargo documentation support at distribution nodes and central receiving and shipping point yards. Documentation support is generally inherent in the other four MCT mission sets, but can be a standalone MCT function depending on the specific operational environment. While units that draw APS-4 are typically responsible for completing the appropriate documentation, during operations in which units lack appropriate personnel, the MCT can play a crucial role in augmenting the cargo documentation responsibilities inherent in the successful issue and movement of APS.
The 623rd MCT has HAZMAT certifiers and portable scales used for documentation purposes on an as-needed basis within Japan. Most recently, the MCT provided documentation augmentation to the small, mostly civilian, AFSBn at Sagami Depot that lacks the HAZMAT certifiers typically available in other Army battalions. Last fall, the AFSBn executed a small-scale deployment readiness exercise (DRE) of its APS-4 consisting of the movement of four containers, which included HAZMAT. In support of this DRE, 623rd deployed a BMCT to Sagami Depot that certified the HAZMAT and weighed the containers on site using its portable scales. Additionally, the BMCT established a PDK mobile choke point to burn and track the movement of the four containers around the depot as part of the DRE.
Division Support
In addition to area support, MCTs can be tasked to provide movement control for a division area of operations, including any divisional movements or exercises. USAR-J is the Army’s two-star command in Japan and its theater-wide exercises keep the 623rd MCT decidedly engaged. Last winter, 623rd MCT deployed a BMCT to support the 10th SG Logistics Task Force (LTF) operation in support of the bilateral Yama Sakura-79 (YS-79) exercise at Camp Kengun, Kumamoto. Due to the bilateral nature of the exercise, movement control support required the MCT to work alongside the USAR-J G4 Transportation to coordinate equipment movements with the JGSDF transportation section and Japanese civilian CULT assets. This type of coordination strengthened our bilateral military relations and enabled strategic effects while providing the MCT Soldiers the opportunity to promote a mutual understanding of the OE and strengthening cooperative relationships across-the-board.
Additionally, the BMCT deployed its PDK to Camp Kengun to provide USAR-J accurate ITV of the exercise equipment arriving from within Japan. The BMCT served as the on-the-ground liaison at Camp Kengun to confront transportation-related friction points, which included the reception, appropriate emplacement, and load out of equipment and deconfliction of U.S. and JGSDF base access requirements for civilian line hauls. Lastly, the team met exercise participants at the civilian APOD and ensured they were tracked and loaded onto JGSDF-controlled buses, a capability that was particularly important during the protective COVID-19 environment. YS-79 is just one example of the many theater exercises in which the MCT provides USAR-J level support via its CSSB headquarters or LTF.
Conclusion
Considering the challenges of operating in a contested future environment that will be required of our sustainment formations, the MCT is clearly a force multiplier and strategic enabler, part of the contemporary sustainment enterprise faced with a volatile OE. While many of our Army sustainment professionals regularly engage with MCTs and rely on their expertise and support to control the movement of equipment and personnel into, through, and out of theaters, creating a thorough understanding of an MCT’s capabilities and processes executed by a tiered network of organizations will ensure the seamless transition from the strategic through tactical levels of operation. While the specific execution of MCT missions are dependent on the situation or environment and is based on the demand signals of the supported forces, successfully balancing requirements against capabilities, integrating military and host nation modes of transportation, building relationships, training Soldiers, and incorporating MCTs into the deployment process in any OE build capacity and endurance in support of the future fight.
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Col. Chris Paone serves as the commander of the 10th Support Group at Torii Station, Japan. Paone has more than 22 years of service that includes a variety of troop leadership, staff assignments, and operational/strategic experiences. He completed his undergraduate studies at Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island. He has earned graduate degrees in Business Administration (University of Maryland Global Campus), Logistics Management (Florida Institute of Technology), and Strategic Studies (U.S. Army War College).
Capt. Michael Westrom serves as the commander of the 623rd Movement Control Team at Camp Zama, Japan. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Science in Anthropology from Durham University, United Kingdom. He is a graduate of the Quartermaster Basic Officer Leader Course, the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, and the Support Operations Phase II Course.
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This article was published in the April-June 2021 issue of Army Sustainment.
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