Five Sailors from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 13, one of Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) reserve battalions, had the unique opportunity to participate in Operation Deep Freeze 2015 (ODF'15), a peacetime mission in support of the National Science Foundation (NCF).

The reserve Sailors were selected to augment critical requirements with the Navy's only active duty cargo handling battalion, NCHB-1, in order to support NCF's research mission at the South Pole.

Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Tomas Gonzalez, from Pelham, Alabama, a tele service representative with the Social Security Administration, and Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Andrew Hill, from Houston, Texas, and recent graduate from Texas A&M University, shared their experiences from ODF'15.

Gonzalez, Hill and the rest of the team arrived at Ross Island, Antarctica, on Jan. 23. The cargo handlers set up shop at McMurdo Station, the southern-most navigable harbor in the world.

For many, it may be surprising to know that the Navy has had a rich history in Antarctica for more than half a century.

Beginning in 1955, Seabees began deploying yearly to the continent. As participants in Operation Deep Freeze, their mission was to build and expand scientific bases located on the frozen continent. The first group included 200 Seabees who distinguished themselves by constructing a 6,000-foot ice runway on McMurdo Sound. Over the years, the mission remains, and the personnel who support it has grown beyond the Seabees to the Navy reserve and multiple branches of the military.

"I am glad the Navy is involved in Operation Deep Freeze, not just because of our history with it," said Gonzalez. "We are a very important part of a complicated logistics mission, our work directly impacts multinational scientific research."

Operation Deep Freeze is unlike any other U.S. military operation. It is one of the military's most difficult peacetime missions due to the harsh Antarctic environment. The U.S. military is uniquely equipped and trained to operate in such an austere environment.

"Antarctica has a huge impact on comfort," said Hill. "Only time I was actually cold was when there would be a work stoppage or mechanical issue and we stopped moving."

Once on station, the Navy cargo handlers met the Military Sealift Command (MSC) chartered container ship MV Ocean Giant, to offload 20 million pounds of fresh supplies to support the scientists and researchers living year-round in the brutal environment. The cargo handlers worked around the clock for 10 days in the continuous sunlight of the Antarctic summer.

"I hate the cold, but 15 degrees Fahrenheit felt warmer than 40 degrees back home," said Hill. There is a complete lack of humidity.

The weather held between 10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit during their 14-day stay, despite high winds and cold temperatures, the same operational targets were expected of the mission.

"The ability to safely move cargo in any climate including extreme weather is a very important skill to maintain." said Gonzalez.

Reserve Sailors have been a rich part of the U.S. Navy history, working and sacrificing alongside their active duty counterparts accomplishing missions around the globe in varying conditions and climates.

"We were expected to show up qualified and integrate on day one," said Hill. "We had lots of interagency contact, as well, and we worked daily with the New Zealand and Australian stevedore's and truck drivers."
And while this mission may not have all the comforts of home, reservists jump at the chance to work 12-hour shifts in the harshest living conditions.

"This was my first time on ODF, and, overall it was a great experience," said Hill."

For Gonzalez, this marked his second trip in support of ODF, taking part in 2010 as a stevedore, the initial qualification level. Much has changed yet remained the same since his last visit, working on his ship supervisor qualification while serving as a hatch captain.

"It takes a long time to qualify in the different hatch team positions," said Gonzalez. "It creates a special challenge for the active duty battalions due to frequent personnel changes; our reserve battalions have Sailors with many years of cargo handling experience with the same battalions."

As the select few to visit Antarctica, the highest, driest, windiest, emptiest, coldest place on earth, for this one-of-a-kind mission, these Sailors are simply grateful for the experience.

"How many people in the world can say they have seen penguins in their natural habitat or witness steam coming off an active volcano on Antarctica?," said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez and Hill both shared the same sentiments for any Sailor or civilian having the opportunity to travel as far south as one can.

"The navy reserves have now put me on five of seven continents," said Hill, "I consider this the most exclusive operation and really the only way I'd ever get to see Antarctica."

NAVELSG is homeported in Williamsburg, Virginia, with an active battalion located at Cheatham Annex; with forward-deployed detachments around the world and reserve battalions located across the United States. NAVELSG provides Sailors with the knowledge and skills needed to support the fleet in a variety of logistics missions. 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 components'.

For more news from Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group, visit www.navy.mil/.