Sailors assigned to Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 1(NCHB 1) are preparing to deploy to Antarctica in support of the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), the nation's research program on the southernmost continent, which is managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

NCHB 1 deploys to NSF's McMurdo Station, where less than one percent of the world's population has ever visited, as part of Operation Deep Freeze the military's logistical support component of the USAP.

McMurdo Station, the main U.S. station in Antarctica, is a coastal station at the southern tip of Ross Island, the primary logistics facility for supply of inland stations and remote field camps and is also the waste management center for much of the USAP.

As the USAP manager, NSF has a presidential mandate to manage three year-round research stations in Antarctica. McMurdo is the largest of the three stations and the globe's southernmost seaport.

More than 50 Sailors from NCHB 1 will deploy to McMurdo station during Antarctica's summer to offload containers of supplies to be used by scientists and support personnel. Cargo handlers will be working around the clock for nearly a month in below-freezing temperatures to transport more than 1,000 containers on and off the transport ship.

Military Sealift Command (MSC) chartered container ship MV Ocean Giant provides ocean cargo transport in support of Operation Deep Freeze. An MSC-chartered cargo ship and tanker have made the challenging voyage to Antarctica, which includes passage through a 15-mile ice channel, in places more than 13 feet thick, every year since the station was established in 1955.

Chief Boatswain's Mate (EXW/SW) Radcliffe Brown, from Leander, Texas, will be participating in Operation Deep Freeze for a second time and will bring with him his experience to ensure the mission is accomplished safely and efficiently.

"To me it is an honor to be able to go down there with a bunch of Sailors who have never experienced this type of mission before," said Brown, who added for someone visiting Antarctica for the first time it takes some getting used to. "During our time supporting Operation Deep Freeze we will never see night time and that can kind of mess some folks up when they first arrive because if you were to walk outside at two in the
morning, for example, it is extremely bright outside."

Brown added that his personnel will apply their cargo handling know-how to transport six to ten containers on average an hour, which equates to roughly 100 to 120 containers a day.

Brown said it is an honor for his command to participate in this yearly operation. Navy Expeditionary Support Logistics Group (NAVELSG), which oversees NCHB 1, has provided support to Operation Deep Freeze for more than 60 years.

"We are good stewards of their cargo because we know that many of these scientists have spent their lives working on their projects and hopefully their research will make our overall lives better," said Brown.

Chief Equipment Operator (EXW/SCW) Samuel Acosta, who hails from Brooklyn, New York, is one of 40 Seabees assigned to his command and reflected on the skillsets he has learned in both the construction force and in cargo handling that he will apply when carrying out his mission in support of Operation Deep Freeze.

"I have seven years of cargo-handling experience," said Acosta, who added Seabees bring that can-do attitude to every mission. "The last time I was stationed at NCHB 1, I worked all the way from a stevedore to ship's supervisor where I gained a lot of experience handling cargo from containers to vehicles and look forward to assisting with this upcoming mission."

With 17 years in the Navy, Acosta is the only Sailor at the command to return to Antarctica for a fifth time.
Bringing senior-level experience provides that quality mentorship to push forward when operating in a cold weather operating area.

"The conditions that we are working in are extremely dangerous and people are not used to working in the cold so it is important that to have someone with experience and understands the unique factors and watch out for everyone's safety while still tackling the mission," said Brown.

Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Angelina Colon, of Del Rio, Texas, will be participating in Operation Deep Freeze for the first time and said she appreciates the variety of duty assignments she has been assigned to during her first eight years on active duty.

"I like that I have an opportunity to serve on a variety of platforms and see a different side of the Navy," said Colon, who is the first person in her family to serve in the military.

Colon, a mother of three, ages 3, 6 and 8, will also participate in an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity during her deployment when she is reenlisted for another four years of naval service.

Like Colon, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class (EXW) Allen Hamilton, of Bradenton, Florida, will be visiting Antarctica for the first time. He added that he will ensure to bring all of the required cold weather gear to keep him warm.

"I have never been around cold climates and will definitely bring a lot of socks, gloves, and hand warmers," said Hamilton, who added that his younger brother and sister, ages 8 and 10, didn't know where their older brother was heading and turned his upcoming deployment into a geography lesson.

While Hamilton is an experienced cargo handler and looks forward to learning new skillsets other Sailors like Electrician's Mate 1st Class (EXW/SW) Jeremy Bivens, from Butler, Alabama, are heading to support Operation Deep Freeze for one last time.

Bivens, who has served more than 19 years in the Navy, and has deployed previously in support of Operation Deep Freeze, is expected to retire in the very near future. He plans to bring a U.S. flag and will fly it during his deployment to Antarctica.

Bivens said he has a strong family network and they have enjoyed his naval career and support him on his varied deployments during his career.

"They are very supportive of me, and they are pretty excited about my retirement and taking advantage of all of the opportunities that come my way," said Bivens.

For all of the Sailors participating in Operation Deep Freeze they can expect to operate in 20 degree weather and will be required to wear three to four layers of clothing to carry out their cargo-handling mission.

During the Sailors' off time they will have an opportunity to meet with their partner-nation counterparts while supporting the annual operation.

"Experiencing and participating in Operation Deep Freeze is definitely not an opportunity a lot of people get to do during their life," said Bivens, who looks forward to interacting with Australian and New Zealand Army counterparts.

Acosta added that during his crew's off time they plan on visiting some of the historic sites at McMurdo Station, such as Scott's Discovery Hut ("Scott's Hut"), which was created in January 1902 and later used by famed explorer Ernest Shackleton in 1909.

"To see some of the original stuff on display really takes you back in time," said Acosta, who added that remnants of a Chief's Mess from when McMurdo Station was an active U.S. naval base are still present. "It's really amazing to share in that history."

NAVELSG, a component of NECC, is a Navy Reserve command organized and staffed to provide a wide range of supply and transportation support critical for peacetime support, crisis response, humanitarian and combat service missions. NAVELSG consists of a full-time, selective reserve support staff and five Navy expeditionary logistics regiments and 11 cargo handling battalions.

For more news from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, visit www.navy.mil/.