Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG), Williamsburg, Virginia, conducted a two-week Unit Level Training exercise (ULT) with reserve Sailors assigned to Navy Cargo Handling Battalion ELEVEN (NCHB-11) and THIRTEEN (NCHB-13) on Naval Weapons Station Cheatham Annex, Virginia, August 6-28.

More than 400 Sailors assigned to NCHB-11, based in Jacksonville, Florida, in partnership with NCHB-13, based in Gulfport, Mississippi, participated in the training.

The joint exercise is an operational framework and focuses on the completion of NAVELSG unit level training requirements that include team training, unit level exercises, unit inspections, assessments and certifications. NAVELSG battalions are responsible for providing trained, manned, and equipped forces to support Commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Group (COMNAVELSG) missions.

Master Chief Boatswain's Mate Andy Gray, assigned to the Volunteer Training Unit, said, "The ULT is used by both NAVELSG and the battalions to gauge their readiness individually and as a whole. The ULT is ultimately utilized to get the additional training necessary to bring up the readiness of the battalions in preparation for their deployment."

NAVELSG is a part of Maritime Prepositioning Forces, Joint Logistics over shore operations, and maritime forces ashore providing expeditionary cargo handling services for surface, air, and terminal operations, tactical fueling, and ordnance handling/reporting in support of worldwide naval, joint, interagency, and combined forces/organization.

It is the third time that this training has happened outside of an assessment environment in which both NCHB-11 and NCHB-13 trained together in the same environment.

"Conducting this training with both battalions at the same time is absolutely beneficial and merges with real life scenarios we use right now," said NAVELSG Command Master Chief Darcy Beauchamp. "The familiarity in working with one another makes the turn over transition easier and provides a consistent line of efficiency. In other scenarios we could have the need to bring members from both battalions together to form one team and training together creates a good unit cohesion prior to deploying."

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