Navy Cargo Handling Alumni

05/10/2025

Breaking news regarding Navy Cargo Handling…

Recent Activities:
* Vertical Launching System (VLS) Reloads in Europe (December 2024):
Naval Cargo Handling Battalions (NCHB) 10 and 1 successfully completed Vertical Launching System (VLS) reloads for U.S. Navy surface combatants USS Gettysburg (CG 64) in Denmark and USS Stout (DDG 55) in France. This operation, under Commander, Task Force (CTF) 68, highlights the interoperability between NATO allies and the U.S. Navy in critical at-sea logistics.

* Support for Operation Deep Freeze (January 2024):
The Military Sealift Command (MSC) chartered ship MV Ocean Gladiator arrived at the ice pier in McMurdo Station, Antarctica, to offload cargo for Operation Deep Freeze 2024. This annual resupply mission for the U.S. Antarctic Program relies on Navy Cargo Handling personnel to move essential supplies in challenging conditions.

* Humanitarian Aid Mission in Gaza (June 2024):
Sailors from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 1 were deployed aboard the USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez in the Eastern Mediterranean. They supported the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) operation to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, supervising the rigging of essential supplies.

* Exercise Golden Steamboat at Joint Base Charleston (No Specific Date):
Navy Cargo Handling Battalion THIRTEEN, a reserve unit, participated in Exercise Golden Steamboat hosted by the 437th Aerial Port Squadron. This training provided hands-on experience with air cargo operations, pallet building, ramp operations, and load planning, preparing them for future large-scale exercises.

* Exercise Freedom Banner 25 in South Korea (February/March 2025):
Sailors with Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 13 maneuvered equipment from the USNS Dahl onto an Improved Navy Lighterage System causeway ferry during Exercise Freedom Banner 25 in Pohang, South Korea. This showcased the rapid deployment capabilities of maritime prepositioning force operations.”

//End Notes//

05/01/2025

Considering the evolution of technology from your time in service to the present, what is the most significant technological advancement you've seen impact cargo handling operations, and how do you believe it has fundamentally changed the core challenges and efficiencies of the job, for better or worse?

04/23/2025

Based on the latest search results, here's the Hump-Day summary of news related to U.S. Naval Cargo Handling and Logistics this week (around April 23, 2025):

1. **Military Sealift Command (MSC) Shipboard Wi-Fi Rollout:**
* News released April 21st highlights that Military Sealift Command is installing shipboard Wi-Fi (dubbed CivMar WiN) across its fleet of 56 government-owned, government-operated (GO/GO) ships.
* The installation aboard the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Joshua Humphreys (T-AO 188) was completed around April 16th.
* This initiative aims to provide Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARs) with internet access for personal use (email, banking, family contact) and professional tasks (HR access, training, virtual pool functions), improving morale and retention.

2. **Operation Deep Freeze 2025 Concludes:**
* The MSC-chartered cargo ship MV Ocean Gladiator arrived back at Port Hueneme, California, around April 15th-16th, marking the completion of MSC's support for the annual Operation Deep Freeze resupply mission to McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
* Cargo offload operations involved handling retrograde materials (waste, recyclables) and important ice-core samples brought back from Antarctica for scientific study.
* Around April 15th, it was reported that a new $5.2 million warehouse was delivered in Souda Bay, Greece, enhancing the mission capabilities of the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella detachment there. While overseas, this supports the naval logistics infrastructure.
3. **Related Logistics Infrastructure:**
* Around April 15th, it was reported that a new $5.2 million warehouse was delivered in Souda Bay, Greece, enhancing the mission capabilities of the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella detachment there. While overseas, this supports naval logistics infrastructure.

**Ongoing Developments Affecting Future Capabilities:**

* **Shipbuilding Focus:** Discussions continue around the Navy's goal of a 381-ship fleet and the associated shipbuilding plans (FY25 budget). This includes programs like the Landing Ship Medium (LSM), potentially involving orders for designs used by the Army, aimed at enhancing amphibious lift capabilities. President Trump also signed an executive order focused on increasing U.S. shipbuilding capacity.
* **Logistics Over the Shore (LOTS):** While the news is from mid-March, the establishment of Program Management Office (PMO) 314 under Program Executive Office Industrial Infrastructure (PEO II) to oversee the Navy's LOTS program is a significant recent development aimed at enhancing readiness for operations in contested environments.
* **Used Cargo Ship Acquisition:** U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) leadership has recently (early March) reiterated the need for authority to purchase additional used cargo vessels to bolster sealift capacity quickly, given the aging government-owned fleet.

* News released April 21st highlights that the Military Sealift Command is installing shipboard Wi-Fi (dubbed CivMar WiN) across its fleet of 56 government-owned, government-operated (GO/GO) ships.n forces globally.

That's all for this week.

Anchors Away...

04/12/2025

Balikatan/Salaknib 25: Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) Operations in the Philippines

Event Summary: Around April 6-7, 2025, U.S. and Philippine service members conducted significant Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) operations in Dingalan Bay, Philippines. These operations were integral components of the annual bilateral exercises Balikatan 25 and Salaknib 25.

Activities: The exercises involved the critical task of moving vehicles and equipment from ship to shore in an environment lacking traditional port facilities. This was achieved using specialized JLOTS equipment, including floating causeway systems (piers) and Logistics Support Vessels (LSVs), specifically the USAV SSGT Robert T. Kuroda (LSV 7). Reports suggest the testing of various offloading methods and the development of automated cargo tracking systems to enhance efficiency during such operations. Video documentation captured the complex maneuvers involved in these ship-to-shore movements.

Involved Units (Inferred NCHB/NAVELSG Role): While official reports specifically mentioned "U.S. service members" and "Philippine service members" performing cargo upload tasks , JLOTS operations are a core competency of the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) and its subordinate Navy Cargo Handling Battalions (NCHBs). These units are specifically trained and equipped for expeditionary cargo handling, including the deployment and operation of causeway systems and interfacing with sealift vessels. Past exercises, such as Turbo Distribution involving NCHB-1 and Freedom Banner 25 featuring instream offloads supported by Beachmaster Unit 1 , confirm the central role of these naval expeditionary logistics units in executing JLOTS. Therefore, the involvement of NCHB personnel in the Balikatan/Salaknib 25 CJLOTS events is highly probable, even if not explicitly named in the initial April 2025 media releases.

Significance: Successfully demonstrating CJLOTS capability alongside Philippine forces in the Indo-Pacific holds considerable strategic weight. It showcases the ability to project and sustain forces in austere environments or where established infrastructure is damaged or unavailable, a crucial requirement for contingency operations in the region. Furthermore, these exercises directly contribute to strengthening the U.S.-Philippines alliance and enhancing military interoperability between the two nations. This aligns directly with the broader NECC mission to secure critical maritime terrain and enable fleet operations, particularly in contested littoral environments. The concentration of such complex logistics exercises in the Indo-Pacific signals a deliberate emphasis on honing expeditionary capabilities within this key strategic theater, reflecting broader defense priorities. However, the demanding nature and specialized equipment required for JLOTS mean that the units capable of performing these missions, like NCHBs within the relatively small NAVELSG force of approximately 3,300 personnel , could face operational strain due to a high tempo of exercises and real-world deployments across multiple theaters.

//AP News//

07/05/2024

04/06/2024

The Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving will use the barges to surface and remove portions of the bridge.

04/04/2024

Massive derrick and crane barges are among the Navy assets being used to clear the Patapsco River and reopen the Baltimore Harbor following last week's bridge collapse.

04/03/2024

The Navy is leading salvage efforts to clear and re-open the channel leading to the Port of Baltimore following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, service officials told USNI News on Thursday. Naval Sea Systems Command supervisor of salvage and diving is supporting the U.S. Army Corps of....

03/20/2024

The NCHB Command Coin!
Did you receive one at departing?