As thousands of troops prepare for Balikatan 25, the largest-ever iteration of the U.S.-Philippines bilateral exercise, Blount Island Command arrived in mid-March as a critical partner in combined joint logistics and maritime deployment. The command, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, ensures combat-ready equipment and supplies are readily available, serving as a logistical backbone for the exercise and demonstrating the U.S. commitment to its allies in the region. Some 16 nations will participate, including Australia and, for the first time, Japan.
As thousands of troops prepare for Balikatan 25, the largest-ever iteration of the U.S.-Philippines bilateral exercise, Blount Island Command arrived in mid-March as a critical partner in combined joint logistics and maritime deployment.
The command, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, ensures combat-ready equipment and supplies are readily available, serving as a logistical backbone for the exercise and demonstrating the U.S. commitment to its allies in the region. Some 16 nations will participate, including Australia and, for the first time, Japan.
Ahead of Balikatan 25, which begins April 21, a 13-member technical assistance and advisory team from Florida arrived in the Philippines to help distribute more than 600 pieces of warfighting equipment and supplies.
Command supports Marine expeditionary forces by stocking a global network of ashore sites and afloat squadrons. Service members, government civilians and defense contractors manage inventories and inspections, replenishments and replacements, corrosion control, maintenance tasks and service life screenings, as well as fueling, marking, weighing, packaging, preservation and embarkation data entry.
A key aspect of the Marine Corps’ high state of readiness is the deployment of technical advisory and assistance teams. The experts from Blount Island provide specialized technical guidance and support, responding swiftly to operationalize equipment, troubleshoot issues, enhance capabilities and optimize performance. Deployed in complex and high-stakes environments, they help Marine expeditionary forces achieve their strategic objectives.
“We’re showing our ability to deliver and sustain forces operating from the sea,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Luke Watson, commanding officer of Blount Island Command, after meeting April 7 with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. The Marines were inspecting equipment in a joint theater distribution center west of Manila.
Watson had boarded the USNS Sisler at Dingalan Bay, northeast of Manila. The cargo ship, operated by Military Sealift Command, conducted a complex joint logistics over-the-shore activity involving more than 160 major pieces of equipment from Blount Island, each critical to operational readiness.
The Blount Island-based team assisted in the development of the in-stream offload plan, then the movement of equipment aboard the ship and its offload. Maj. James Fazica, officer in charge, said it was the first time that an RFID reader was used for asset tracking aboard a roll-on, roll-off discharge facility.
equipment immediately upon coming off of the ship,” said Fazica, referring to the Marine Corps Platform Integration Center, which Blount Island Command developed to integrate digital tagging, sensors and real-time location tracking. It was named a finalist in this year’s 19th Annual RFID Journal Awards.
“This demonstrated the versatility of the system for use in any location,” said Fazica, emphasizing the team’s focus on integrating technology to optimize inventory management and asset visibility, as on-site experts of maritime prepositioning force operations.
Operating a crane, U.S. Navy cargo handlers lowered the discharge facility into the bay waters, then an improved Navy lighterage system for transferring gear ashore. Showing the combined-joint interoperability, the U.S. Army Vessel SSGT Robert T. Kuroda and Philippine heavy landing craft BRP Waray also transported gear.
It was a showcase of integrated theater logistics leveraging a wide range of equipment, from light tactical vehicles and 7-ton trucks to engineering and communications systems.
“This combination of logistical expertise, advanced technology and unwavering commitment makes Blount Island Command a critical contributor to the success of Exercise Balikatan 25,” said Watson, “and a vital asset in ensuring the readiness of U.S. forces and their allies in the Indo-Pacific region.”
