Updated: 13th SC(E) wraps up Unified Endeavor ‘15 exercise with 1st TSC

By Staff Sgt. Jason Thompson

13th SC(E) PAO

FORT HOOD, Texas – Soldiers from the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)’s command staff completed their final training exercise, Unified Endeavor ’15, in preparation for their upcoming deployment to Kuwait in December.

The 10-day exercise, which concluded Oct. 24, consisted of several simulated scenarios that challenged the staff’s ability to work through different situations that they may encounter during their upcoming deployment. 

The 13th SC(E) is providing operational support for the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater)-Operational Command Post, the forward command headquarters of the senior logistics command for the Central Command’s area of responsibility.

The 1st TSC-OCP executes operational sustainment support, conducts Coalition/Joint Reception, Staging, and Onward Movement, redeployment, retrograde, and re-posture of forces, materiel, and sustainment infrastructure in order to support ongoing operations throughout the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility.

During the deployment, the 13th SC(E) will augment organic 1st TSC Soldiers, making up an estimated 25 percent of the man-power for the forward deployed command.

During the exercise, several Soldiers from 1st TSC traveled to Fort Hood from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to participate in the training event alongside their future counterparts.

“This exercise proved a valuable opportunity for our Soldiers from both 1st TSC and 13th SC(E) to work together and generate a bond that will benefit us once we arrive in Kuwait,” said Col. James Hooper, the distribution management chief for 1st TSC who will serve as the 1st TSC-OCP chief of staff in Kuwait. “It will benefit the whole staff to integrate together in a garrison environment prior to our Soldiers arriving in theater.”

Lt. Col. James Morgan, the officer in charge of the 13th SC(E)’s personnel management section, said that it has been a great experience with integrating the 1st TSC personnel into his section.

“This is our future team,” said Morgan. “We were able to blend together flawlessly and learn each other’s traits and personalities, which will enable us to hit the ground running in Kuwait, avoiding much of the initial team building process while we’re learning our new roles in the 1st TSC.”

Hooper said he looks forward to the deployment and working together with the combined team.

“I think we all gelled together well,” said Hooper. “It will be an exciting mission integrating all the pieces together and creating one cohesive team between the 13th SC(E) and the 1st TSC, both in Kuwait and back in Fort Bragg.”