FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii (August 2, 2023) – The 413th Contracting Support Brigade staff is providing critical contracting support to the American warfighters joining 12 other nations participating in Talisman Sabre 23 that runs from July 22 through August 4 across Western Australia.
Soldiers and Army Civilians of the 413th CSB have thus far executed 23 joint contracts valued at more than $2 million to support I Corps from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and 8th Theater Sustainment Command from Fort Shafter, Hawaii, in the biennial exercise designed to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening partnerships and interoperability among key allies.
"Contracting support has been the backbone to the success of Talisman Sabre,” said Col. Jason Miles, the 413th CSB commander based out of Fort Shafter. “By harnessing the power of operational contracting support and partnering with the Australian Defence Force contracting counterparts, we’ve ensured contracted commercial resources were at the right place and time, enhancing overall mission success.”
The 15-day exercise with approximately 30,000 troops includes a variety of large-scale logistics and amphibious assault training operations and multinational firepower demonstrations and field training exercises. Nearly 10,000 troops from 10 nations are participating in what is the most comprehensive ground force-centered operation in Talisman Sabre history. Participating nations are together facing off against a theoretical enemy across all warfighting functions.
“The success of Talisman Saber 2023 depends not only on the prowess of maneuver units but also on the behind-the-scenes contracting support keeping operations running smoothly,” Miles added. “The 413th CSB staff demonstrated unparalleled synchronization with our mission partners – I Corps and 8th TSC – and the Australian Defence Force offering vital contracting support such as material handling equipment, construction equipment, customs brokering, non-tactical vehicles, cell phones, buses, and Wi-Fi pucks.”
The 413th CSB contract awards for material handling equipment and construction equipment have been paramount in aiding in the effective execution of a vital part of the sustainment portion of this exercise, called Joint Petroleum Over-the-Shore. In addition, the 413th CSB staff was directly involved with developing an innovative solution to procure a fabricated bow chute, a critical piece of equipment required for JPOTS to operate successfully that was mistakenly left at home station.
Members of the 413th CSB wrote the customs broker contract that was crucial in support of Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, ensuring fumigation and clearance of equipment that did not pass Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry inspections helping to mitigate delays and onward movement of equipment to required training areas.
Realizing the necessitates for a wide range of vehicles, the 413th CSB contracting professionals established a non-tactical vehicle contract for over 150 vehicles. This contract enabled units to access a diverse fleet of vehicles tailored to meet specific mission needs throughout the area of operations. The 413th CSB also supplied cell phones to key leaders while ensuring staffs stayed connected via Wi-Fi pucks in remote operational areas, contributing significantly to operational success.
A standout feature of the acquisition support was the establishment of a joint contracting cell that includes representatives from the Air Force and Marines. This collaboration fostered a united front, enabling efficient decision-making and eliminating potential redundancies in the procurement process.
The men and women of the 413th CSB plan, synchronize and execute theater support contracting across the U.S. Army Pacific region. In addition, brigade members provide expeditionary contracting support to joint forces across the Pacific.
The spelling of the name — sabre vs. saber — reflects which country is leading the exercise: Talisman Sabre when Australia leads and Talisman Saber when the U.S. leads.
About Army Contracting Command
The Army Contracting Command is headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. From food and clothing to bullets and bombs; from tanks and trucks to boats and aircraft; from Soldiers' weapons to the installations where they work and live with their families, ACC ensures Soldiers have what they need to be successful. As the Army's principal buying agent, ACC supports Army readiness and modernization by using best practices and expert-level oversight to provide warfighters with premier contracting support. The command accomplishes its global operational missions with a professional workforce of Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, foreign local nationals and contractors at more than 100 locations worldwide.
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