FORD ISLAND, Hawaii (Dec. 6, 2012) -- The Army received a new tool in the fight against terror, and 21 Soldiers from the 545th Harbormaster Detachment, 524th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, had the opportunity to take it on a test run.
The Harbormaster Command and Control Center is a deployable logistics center capable of knowing the contents and locations of multiple supply vessels. It can manage harbors, ports and beaches, and provides commanders the flexibility to adapt to changing missions.
"The HCCC and sea vessels are comparable to air traffic controls and airplanes," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Richard Turner, commander, 545th Harbormaster Det. "We monitor vessels coming in and out of port worldwide now. Wherever there's a mission or a beach, the HCCC and the 545th Harbormaster Det. can be there."
The worldwide capabilities of the HCCC will put the 545th Harbormaster Soldiers directly in line to deploy if a disaster occurs.
"This is a rapid deployable system," said Sgt. 1st Class Heath McManama. "We will take over the whole Pacific region if there are relief efforts that require vessel support. We support Army, Navy, anyone else that needs logistical sea support. As soon as we get the call, we will put everything on a ship and move out."
The HCCC is the latest and greatest in vessel command and control operations. It provides the ability to facilitate safe navigation of watercraft in the harbor. This system gives the 545th Harbormasters and Army logisticians, in general, the sensors and knowledge management tools to establish and maintain battle awareness and command and control of the harbor and littoral environment for all worldwide overseas contingency operations.
"This equipment gives us a variety of opportunities to track different vessels and really expand our capabilities by 100 percent," Turner added. "We can monitor joint logistics from the shore and any kind of watercraft operations."
Proud of their Soldiers and the new equipment, McManama praised his Soldiers and did a little boasting.
"We can run a variety of systems, and actually, we are more 'high-speed' than what the Navy has to offer right now," he said, with a smile.
Five other HCCC units are around the world, receiving field testing from various harbormaster detachments, but the Soldiers of the 545th Harbormaster Det. have outperformed them all.
"These Soldiers were chomping at the bit to get this training," Turned concluded. "The trainers said that out of the six harbormasters that they have trained so far, that our Soldiers are the best. I am very proud of that and them."
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