SAN JOAQUIN, California –
DLA Distribution Expeditionary team members at DLA Distribution San Joaquin, Calif., hosted a two-day Expeditionary Academy for the Distribution Operations Team San Joaquin Navy Reserve unit June 6 to provide hands-on training in assembling and building a deployable campus.
The training consisted of assembling the team’s air beam tent, tactical communications trailer, office structure and temporary tents. The final assembly gave the reserve team a first-hand look at what a deployable distribution center would represent in the field.
According to San Joaquin’s deployable chief, Jason Middleton, the goal of the academy was two-fold. First, enhancing the reserve unit’s skill sets by providing the group with training in the assembly and building the deployable campus which consisted of various materiel handling equipment, tent structures and power equipment. Secondly, with equal importance, the training allowed the expeditionary team to demonstrate their deployable capabilities.
Middleton stressed the importance of training with San Joaquin reserve unit, saying “The key word is cohesion! One of the reserve unit’s roles is to provide contributory support to the expeditionary team. Training events like this facilitate a cohesion and camaraderie between us that, when called upon to work together, compels everyone to quickly join forces to support the warfighter or a humanitarian relief effort.”
He also adds that the Expeditionary Academy was a ‘win-win’ event for the deployable team, the reserve team and DLA as a whole, allowing for the expeditionary team and the reserve team to maintain a high level of interoperability and affording the deployable team the opportunity to assess and perfect its capabilities.