Operations Patriot Press showcases readiness, asset realignment mission

McALESTER ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT, Okla. — Sizzling summer heat and high humidity combined to simulate an outdoor sauna amidst a flurry of activity during the month of June here on MCAAP’s outload pads, where munitions were prepared for transport and redistribution.

Select Army National Guard units have partnered with MCAAP and other ammo storage locations around the country, for the Army Materiel Command (AMC) initiative called Operation Patriot Press 2022 (OPP-22).

MCAAP Depot Operations team members, including more than 30 certified ammunition inspectors and 15 quality assurance specialists (ammunition surveillance), synchronized their movements to ensure safety and readiness during final inspections and subsequent loading of Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) filled with munitions onto U.S. Army M915 long-haul tractor trailers.

MCAAP Shipping and Storage team members loaded long-haul tractor trailers with munitions at MCAAP for transport by Kentucky National Guard Soldiers with the 2113th Transportation Company, and Illinois National Guard Soldiers with the 1644th Transportation Company.

MCAAP surveilled, loaded and issued 42 TEUs to Kentucky's 2113th Transportation Company for redistribution to Anniston Munitions Center (ANMC) in Alabama; 53 containers were also issued to the 1644th Transportation Company from Illinois, for redistribution to Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) in Indiana.

The Kentucky and Illinois National Guard Soldiers combined to transport more than 2 million pounds of explosive ordnance more than 2,200 miles through five states as part their asset realignment mission for Operation Patriot Press.

Missions like Patriot Press support Army readiness through asset realignment, storage reform, field maintenance, local and long-haul freight transportation, receiving, configuring, inspecting, managing, issuing, shipping and retrograding ammunition stock.

MCAAP is capable of meeting its maximum outload capabilities of 435 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) per day. MCAAP demonstrates the capability to meet ramp-up numbers by conducting outload exercises and truck and rail surge exercises.

MCAAP stores more than 460,000 short-tons of Class V munitions (ammunition of all types), valued at approximately $15 billion.

Operation Patriot Press 2022 enhances military logistical readiness and at the same time, integrates U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard units for real-world missions during their annual training.

The U.S. Army Materiel Command initiated OPP-22 to support Joint Munitions Command, headquartered at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.

OPP-22 provides units real-world mission work throughout AMC subordinate commands to realign assets and improve Army strategic objectives in readiness and total force integration.