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8th TSC contracts cargo ship to complete engineering projects during Operation Pathways

By Staff Sgt. Tristan MooreMay 15, 2024

Balikatan 24: U.S. Army Divers Unload Equipment from Cargo Ship
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Carpenter Son, a general cargo ship, pulls into port during Exercise Balikatan 24 at the Basco Port in Basco, Batanes, Philippines, May 4, 2024. The vessel was carrying equipment assigned to the U.S. Army 7th Dive Detachment, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) VIEW ORIGINAL
Balikatan 24: U.S. Army Divers Unload Equipment from Cargo Ship
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Capt. Ander Thompson, the commander of the 7th Dive Detachment, and Staff Sgt. Zachariah Haines, a first-class diver both assigned to the 7th Dive Detachment, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command assists crew members from the Carpenter Son, a general cargo ship, inlowering a container unit during Exercise Balikatan 24 at the Basco Port in Basco, Batanes, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) VIEW ORIGINAL

BATANES, Philippines – In an effort to improve the movement of equipment across the Philippines during Exercises Salaknib and Balikatan 24, the 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command contracted a local barge for multiple engineering projects during the back-to-back Operation Pathways exercises from February to May 2024.

Through the approval from the local government in the Batanes, the 130th Engineer Brigade planned two separate engineering projects throughout the duration of the exercises that required a vessel that could maneuver in shallow waters, known as a low-draft vessel.

Balikatan 24: U.S. Army Divers Unload Equipment from Cargo Ship
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Christopher Kratsas, the first sergeant for the 7th Dive Detachment, assigned to 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, assists crew members from the Carpenter Son, a general cargo ship, inlowering a container unit during Exercise Balikatan 24 at the Basco Port in Basco, Batanes, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) VIEW ORIGINAL

“In order for us to succeed in the Pacific, we need to leverage all the resources available,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jered Helwig, commanding general, 8th TSC. “There is no better innovation lab than Pacific Pathways. With every iteration, we are constantly looking for ways to improve, and by contracting a barge, we were able to find an efficient solution to meet our operational needs.”

Although the 8th TSC maintains organic logistics support vessels capable of navigating shallow littoral waters, the busy Pacific Pathways season limits the fleet’s capacity. Contracting a local vessel, ensured the planned projects could move forward.

The barge carried equipment to U.S. and Philippine divers in Basco so they could clear major rock obstacles to improve port accessibility and deliver supplies to Itabayat for the construction of a warehouse.

“We identified this problem pretty early in the planning process and started to explore our options,” said U.S. Army Maj. Nicholas Yager, executive officer, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th TSC. “We were forced to think outside the box a little and it worked. We got a lot of help from our contracting team, and we have more options now when looking for intra-theater movement.”

According to Yager, over the next few weeks, U.S. Army Soldiers from the 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, and 513th Engineer Construction Company, 51st Engineer Brigade will work together to construct a 10-meter by 8-meter logistics warehouse.

Balikatan 24: U.S. Army Divers Unload Equipment from Cargo Ship
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 7th Dive Detachment, assigned to 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, assists crew members from the Carpenter Son, a general cargo ship, in lowering a U.S. Army Allen Aircraft Radio internal airlift/ helicopter sling able container unit during Exercise Balikatan 24 at the Basco Port in Basco, Batanes, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) VIEW ORIGINAL
Balikatan 24: U.S. Army Divers Unload Equipment from Cargo Ship
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Crew members from the Carpenter Son, a general cargo ship, assist U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 7th Dive Detachment, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command at lowering a U.S. Army rigid hull inflatable boat during Exercise Balikatan 24 at the Basco Port in Basco, Batanes, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) VIEW ORIGINAL

Another benefit of using host nation resources is that it indicates a demand for the type of equipment the U.S. could potentially need during future Pacific Pathways iterations.

“This barge contract provided a great lesson learned for 8th TSC, 413th Contracting Support Brigade, and the vendor base,” said U.S. Army Maj. Petter Hamill, contracting officer, assigned to the 413th CSB, Army Contracting Command. “These lessons can be used to effectively implement the use of commercial barges and offshore vessels in the Philippines and the Pacific in the future.”

The 8th TSC coordinates and integrates operational-level sustainment to support joint operations within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility to prepare the theater during competition.

Balikatan 24: U.S. Army Divers Unload Equipment from Cargo Ship
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew McDonald a first-class diver assigned to the 7th Dive Detachment, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command and Philippine Army Staff Sgt. Delvaris Berto, a rescue diver assigned to 525 Combat Engineer Battalion, Combat Engineer Regiment, assists crew members from the Carpenter Son, a general cargo ship, inlowering a container unit during Exercise Balikatan 24 at the Basco Port in Basco, Batanes, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) VIEW ORIGINAL

Exercise Balikatan directly supports the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty by ensuring our forces are tactically proficient, capabilities and modernization efforts are mutually compatible, and military-to-military coordination is strengthened. “Balikatan” is a Tagalog term that means “shoulder-to-shoulder,” which characterizes the spirit of the exercise and represents the Alliance between the Philippines and the United States.