Soldiers and leaders of 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, tour a sea vessel June 25, 2015. The unit conducted a Sealift Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise and gained a better of understanding of port operations. (Photo by Spc. Gregory T. Summers)
By Spc. Gregory T. Summers
3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait — Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, conducted a Sealift Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (SEDRE), June 24-25, 2015, moving from Camp Buehring to their port of departure.
To enhance overall mission readiness, the “Silver Lions,” with support from the 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, gathered their personnel, equipment and vehicles to embark upon their SEDRE.
“The purpose of the SEDRE is to validate our deployment capabilities, in particular our sealift capabilities,” said 1st Lt. Adam M. Campbell, battalion unit movement officer, 1st Bn., 68th Armor Reg., 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. “We have conducted numerous deployment exercises in the past, but this is our first SEDRE and it is a great training event for our unit.”
The company assembled following the alert and quickly began loading some of the battalion vehicles onto 541st CSSB’s trucks for movement. Assembly and vehicle movement were the exercise’s first phase.
Together, Soldiers successfully loaded a variety of tactical vehicles including an M88 “Hercules” Heavy Equipment Recovery Vehicle, M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Humvees and a Shop Set Contact Maintenance Truck for convoy movement to the port.
“There is a lot of moving parts in an operation of this magnitude,” said Lt. Col. Jeremy Wilson, commander, 1st Bn., 68th Armor Reg. “(The SEDRE) is building expeditionary readiness capacity and developing our Soldiers and leaders for the future.”
Upon their arrival at the port, the exercise focus shifted onto the processes involved with staging equipment for movement and properly using all of the resources available at the port to rapidly deploy the Soldiers and equipment where needed.
“The training incorporates not just the loading but also the unloading of our Abrams and Bradleys,” Campbell said. “Our Soldiers have a better understanding of what it takes to deploy via sea and were able to get eyes-on and hands-on with the processes and equipment at the port.”
Soldiers of the 840th Transportation Battalion, 595th Transportation Brigade, oversaw the inspections and off-loading procedures of the equipment being shipped out. They also guided Soldiers and leaders of Company A on a tour of the port’s operations, a sea vessel and the port itself.
“Throughout each phase of this operation we worked with numerous external units, agencies and sister services,” said Wilson. “It was a great opportunity to create shared understanding with regards to roles and responsibilities, increase mission readiness across the force, and strengthen relationships.”
While testing and strengthening the company’s ability to rapidly deploy was the emphasis of the exercise, building and strengthening relationships with other units proved to be beneficial as well.
“The process for coordinating this training was very smooth,” Campbell said. “It was great to work with these other units, because they were very responsive with our timelines and requests. We’ve continued to build on that great partnership.”
Upon completion of the Sealift Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise, the Silver Lions moved their personnel and equipment back to prepare for the next mission.
“Completing this exercise is just an example of the expeditionary capability of this battalion and brigade combat team,” said Wilson. “We are a cohesive team and very fortunate to have this opportunity.”