Over the past year, the "Cargo Handlers" of Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 11, one of six reserve component cargo handling battalions of the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG), have been supporting proof of concept exercises with the new Joint High-Speed Vessel (JHSV).

During Bold Alligator 2014, NCHB-11 assisted the Marines load vehicles via roll on/roll off (RORO) onto JHSV for stowage and transportation. They also supported outside of their normal mission requirements in small boat evolutions in support of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) exercises.

The Navy's MSC ships are manned by civilian crews, responsible for the transportation and delivery of the ship and cargo to the area of responsibility (AOR) for a particular mission. From there, the active and reserve component Sailors of NAVELSG embark to provide full-time operation cargo handling functions.

The JHSV is just one of the Military Sealift Command's (MSC) new additions to the Navy's fleet, and it will serve as a critical enabler of the sea-basing strategy. With the JHSV acting as a logistics connector, and NAVELSG's mission as a provider of global logistics capabilities, this exercise support provides mission synchronicity between the two organizations.

NAVELSG reserve component personnel are a natural and critical fit to the cargo handling mission. With only one active duty cargo handling battalion to handle the peacetime movement of cargo, having six operational reserve battalions allows the Navy the flexibility to quickly mobilize in the event of a war or humanitarian crisis at a much more cost effective rate.

"We are an 85% reserve organization," said Mark Sakowski, NAVELSG chief of staff. "Our surge capability makes us the perfect reserve mission platform."

The Spearhead-class JHSV provides intra-theater, self-deployable, and high-speed transport; delivering equipment, personnel, and supplies through both blue water and littoral environments. It can even support logistics flow in degraded port scenarios that may result from combat operations or natural disasters.

"JHSV is another way to bring quick response and scalability to the maritime prepositioning force (MPF) mission, and the related strategy of seabasing," said Cmdr. Jason Parkhouse, director of Operations for NAVELSG.

Seabasing, as a concept, is not necessarily new. The U.S. Naval War College defined sea-basing in their Autumn 2011 Review Vol. 64, No. 4; as the capability to use the sea in the same way that U.S. forces use overseas regional bases, for deterrence, alliance support, cooperative security, power projection, and other forward operations. In layman's terms, any ship, or group of ships, that can support forces ashore while sustaining itself at sea, is essentially a sea-base.

It is within this context that make the reserve component Sailors of the NAVELSG cargo handling battalions unique.

"Since our force is primarily a reserve force that needs to quickly respond, our reserve battalions are fully operational and go through the same fleet readiness training plan as our active battalion does," said Sakowski.

Operating in conjunction with the mobile landing platform (MLP) and the JHSV, NAVELSG reserve and active forces find themselves in new, yet very familiar territory.

The MLP, the other recent MSC addition to the fleet, will serve as the future cornerstone of the Navy's seabasing capability. The ships design increases the intra-theater coordination and throughput capability of the MPF. With a reconfigurable mission deck, the MLP can quickly transform into a "seagoing pier" when host nation ports are inaccessible.

The cargo handlers of NAVELSG are very familiar with traditional MPF cargo operations, having worked these platforms since the creation of the MPF program in the 1970's. Typically, one of MSC's ten large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships (LMSR) or five container, roll-on/roll-off, tanker (BOBO) class ships serve as the base for logistics movements for forces ashore. By utilizing in-stream cargo operations in conjunction with the improved Navy lighterage system (INLS), cargo handlers can off-load two vessels in eight days, or three days if pierside.

"It's about adapting our NAVELSG capabilities to emerging platforms, and showing how our core competencies fit into those future needs," said Capt. Michael Stiglitz, deputy commander of NAVELSG.
MLP brings a unique capability to the traditional MPF concept. By utilizing float on-float off technology, a MLP ship becomes the hub of activity within the MPF.

NAVELSG reserve component cargo handlers ensure cargo is received, staged and moved to the appropriate ship-to-shore connector, ensuring coordination between Military Sealift Command assets, the Naval Beach Group (NBG) support element and the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) operators, which may range in size from a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to a full Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB); scalable from small to large, or the actual scope of the crisis.

During contingency operations, NAVELSG's cargo handlers would deploy in small detachments of one or two 9-person "hatch teams," with the possible addition of an air cargo contingent. They would then adaptively form, and quickly activate on orders to embark a JHSV in support of the MPF-SE concept.

"The reserve battalions serve as component SME's to load and unload," said Chief Boatswain's Mate Eric Harris, NCHB-11 Operation's leading chief petty officer. "This vessel (JHSV) has plenty of potential to support missions."

This concept was illustrated during the exercise BOLD ALLIGATOR 2014, where reserve component personnel from NCHB-11, operating as part of an Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) Task Force, worked alongside Marines in Morehead City, N.C. to load 16 Humvees; Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR), or "seven-tons;" and Logistics Vehicle System Replacements (LVSR).

"As an operational force, our reserves are often our primary workforce in the support of vital missions, such as supporting the JHSV," said Rear Adm. Valerie Huegel, COMNAVELSG. "It is our time-tested expertise in the capabilities of cargo handling, as well as the absolute selfless dedication of our reserves, that has continuously proven we can respond rapidly to such critical mission requirements. This is a unique strength we bring to the warfighter."

It is missions such as the JHSV that provides NAVELSG reserve component personnel the benefit of having consistent and relevant opportunities to train and operate.

Sharing in evolving joint missions and the newly emerging capabilities with platforms such as JHSV, ensure a relevant response to future demand at home or abroad.

"By being part of the seabasing discussion at its beginning, we can help shape the future for cargo handlers," said NAVELSG Command Master Chief Darcy Beauchamp. "Our reserves are a large part of the seabasing concept, and reserve component manpower is the way to go."

Early engagement and dialogue with other commands involved in the seabasing concept, such as working directly with Military Sealift Command planners, has helped to further define NAVELSG's role.

"While exploring new opportunities in bringing this strategic initiative to its full operational capability, we are still at "sunrise" for the seabasing concept, and the reserve cargo handlers of NAVELSG are proud to be setting sail on the Joint High Speed Vessel team as it moves over the horizon," said Sakowski.

NAVELSG is homeported in Williamsburg, Va., with an active battalion located at Cheatham Annex; with forward-deployed detachments around the world and reserve battalions located across the United States. NCHB 11 is located at Jacksonville, Fla., one of six reserve cargo handling battalions. NAVELSG provides Sailors with the knowledge and skills needed to support the Fleet's surface and air-handling mission. More than 100 Sailors and civilians at NAVELSG HQ work hand in hand with the Fleet and are dedicated to ensuring training is current and well executed on behalf of 3,500 active duty and reserve Sailors in the administration, logistics and training of their active and reserve units'.


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