MTMC moves prepositioned unit in Southwest Asia - Threat Condition: Delta - Military Traffic Management Command oversees Qatar-Kuwait operation - Brief Article

Translog: Journal of Military Transportation Management, March-April, 2001 by Martin Weteling

There are numerous challenges to moving a military unit in Southwest Asia.

It is even more difficult when both the loading and discharge ports are under the most severe security restriction: Threat Condition Delta.

But that was the mission recently conducted by the Qatar and Kuwait Detachments of the 831st Transportation Battalion.

Members of the battalion moved one mechanized M-2 Bradley company from Army prepositioned stock in Qatar to Kuwait by the Gen. Frank S. Besson, Jr., a logistics support vessel.

"It has been a challenging mission for the 831st Transportation Battalion, since both Qatar and Kuwait were in Threat Condition Delta," said Capt. John Kotzman, Commander, Qatar Detachment.

"This required implementing pier-side and waterside security measures to ensure the cargo could be moved safely."

The movement, called Operation Lucky Besson, took place from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.

"This was a great way to test the logistics support vessel and MTMC's capability to support the warfighters, if we ever need to move this prepositioned cargo quickly and with the Army's vessels in the event of war," said Kotzman.

In all, the shipment consisted of 26 pieces of cargo and one container.

Among challenges to the transporters was shallow water. The ramp available at the port could not be used, because the water was too shallow for the vessel to get close to the ramp. To overcome the obstacle, cargo was loaded by crane in four hours. The vessel left Qatar the same day.

Threat conditions added challenge to the move, said Capt. Jeffrey McVey, Commander, Kuwait Detachment.

"This mission was even more challenging. Threat Condition Delta requires the highest level of force protection measures because hostile enemy actions are seen as imminent."

Once the cargo arrived at Ash Shuwayk, the Kuwaiti seaport of debarkation, it was transferred onto commercial flatbeds and moved to Camp Doha, Kuwait, a key Allied staging installation.

"This was a very important mission for the logisticians in this theater," said McVey.

"Operation Lucky Besson allows us to identify problem areas and estimate what timelines are involved in moving Army equipment from Qatar to Kuwait."

The threat condition was raised in the Southwest Asia area after the Oct. 12 attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen.

Martin Weteling
Assistant Command Affairs Officer
598th Transportation Group