Managing major movements: following these major troop movements, U.S. troop strength in the two campaigns was to drop from 130,000 to 105,000

THE new Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, formerly the Military Traffic Management Command, in Alexandria, Va., has been busy over the past few months planning and implementing the largest movement of American military equipment since World War II.

In all, elements of eight of 10 Army divisions were moved to or from Iraq and Afghanistan. Large shipments of Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps equipment were moved as well, SDDC officials said.

The move is a "daunting" challenge, said SDDC commander MG Ann Dunwoody. "We have to synchronize deploying and redeploying units. We have our work cut out for us. We know where the challenges lie. And we have the people to do the job."

Dunwoody stressed the importance of industry partners and their knowledge and contacts to meet the military mission requirements.

"Our focus is to support the men and women still deployed. That's our number-one priority," she said.

The movements, primarily involving shipments from East Coast and Gulf Coast ports to and from Kuwait, were to involve as many as 300 vessel movements, said SDDC director of operations BG Mark Scheid.

Scheid said military and industry synchronization of the movements was critical. Unit equipment will primarily move aboard Military Sealift Command charter ships. Some 16,000 large cargo containers will move aboard American flag vessels.

Ash Shuayba will be the primary Kuwaiti point of entry. And SDDC's goal was to load to the maximum, said Scheid.

The main domestic shipping ports for the movements are at Corpus Christi and Beaumont. Texas; Charleston, S.C., and Philadelphia, Pa. Other ports were also being considered, Scheid said.

Many Army units have been on the move in the massive deployments and redeployments. Units that recently returned to home stations include the 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Ky.; the 4th Infantry Div. from Fort Hood, Texas; the 1st Armored Div. from Wiesbaden, Germany; the 2nd Armd. Cavalry Regiment from Fort Polk, La.; the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Div. from Fort Bragg, N.C.; and the 173rd Abn. Bde. from Vicenza, Italy.

At the same time, SDDC helped deploy elements of the 1st Inf. Div. from Wurzburg, Germany; the 1st Cav. Div. from Fort Hood; the 25th Inf. Div. from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and a Marine air-ground task force from the 1st Marine Div. at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

While most units were headed to Iraq, the 25th Inf. Div.'s 3rd Bde. Combat Team and a Marine Corps battalion were to succeed elements of the 10th Mountain Div. in Afghanistan.

Several National Guard units also deployed, including the 30th Inf. Bde. from North Carolina, the 81st Inf. Bde. from Washington and the 39th Inf. Bde. from Arkansas.

In December 2003 SDDC deployed the 2rid Inf. Div.'s 3rd Bde. from Fort Lewis, Wash., the first unit equipped with Stryker armored vehicles to deploy overseas.

Following these major troop movements. U.S. troop strength in the two campaigns was to drop from 130.000 to 105,000. Army officials said.

John Randt is the public affairs officer for the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command in Alexandria, Va.

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