Air Force Airmen perform Combat Convoy Duty with Army Soldiers in Kuwait and Iraq.

1. Combat Truckers: Shining Bright “Blue”
in a Sea of “Green”
By Lt Col Derek Oliver CONVOY TRAINING
Training begins with the Basic Combat Convoy Course (BC3) at
As the United States Armed Forces continue to transform to meet
Camp Bullis, Texas. All Airmen tasked to fill combat convoy duty
the challenges of the Global War on Terror, Airmen find themselves
“in lieu of” soldiers attend this mandatory five-week training course.
frequently deployed to accomplish a wide variety of missions. One
Many of them, led by a captain and a chief master sergeant, are on
such mission is executed by the 320 “Combat Truckers” of the 70th
their second, third or fourth rotation for the six month line-haul
and the 424th Medium Truck Detachments among nearly 8,000 sol-
deployment. The unique training environment at BC3 gives
diers in the Persian Gulf region, in the U.S. Central Command
Airmen the opportunity to transition through the “Forming-
Area of Responsibility. The Detachments fall under the tactical
Storming-Norming-Performing” phases of group development quick-
control of the U.S. Army, and the administrative /operational con-
ly while they gain critical combat skills and build a solid foundation
trol of the U.S. Air Force’s 586th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness
in convoy fundamentals. Airmen receive a full complement of skills
Squadron.
during the physically demanding and academically rigorous five
Since September 2005, deployed Airmen have executed the line- weeks of BC3. First, they learn how to communicate with the line-
haul mission with Soldiers and continue to deliver extraordinary of-sight U.S. Army Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio
combat success with every subsequent rotation. It is no accident System used in the M915A3 tractors, and the movement tracking
that these little known combat logistics warriors inside our Air system that provides a text messaging capability, and visible route
Force epitomize “Excellence In All We Do.” Their training, prepa- tracking, between M915A3 tractors and inside tactical operations
ration, execution and assessment are beyond compare and allow centers.
them to shine bright “Blue” in a Sea of “Green.”
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2. Next, they learn navigation and combat medical techniques.
Airmen are trained to program and utilize the precision light-
weight ground receiver, a handheld global positioning system
device that provides accurate navigation to and from various
locations, along with basic map reading skills and plotting of grid
coordinates. Every Airman completes the U.S. Army’s Combat
Life Saver program and is capable of rendering intermediate level
medical care in a combat environment.
Finally, Airmen complete weapons qualification, learn vehicle
roll-over procedures, practice casualty evacuation and spend
hours behind the wheel of the M915A3 tractor. All of these
skills are brought together, and evaluated, in an end of course
student training exercise. Here, at about the four week point,
the Airmen replicate combat convoy operations as closely as pos- USAF combat trucker about to enter the cab of an M915A3 tractor.
sible for the final week on the Camp Bullis training grounds
before they graduate and head to the USCENTCOM AOR. Airman) are certified by the experienced convoy team and approved
to execute missions on their own.
C O N V O Y P R E PA R AT I O N
Upon arrival in the Persian Gulf Region, the detachment of approx- CONVOY EXECUTION
imately 160 Airmen will enter into a three week process called At D-2, the convoy team will assemble to conduct preventative
Relief-In-Place/Transfer of Authority. This RIP/TOA gives the out- maintenance checks and services, or PMCS, to ensure that each
going unit the time required to prepare the incoming unit for suc- M915A3 is mechanically sound and ready to endure the rough roads
cess through a very structured process. At this point, experienced on the main and alternate supply routes throughout Iraq.
U.S. Army truck companies and/or U.S. Air Force truck detach-
At D-1, the convoy commander, called C2, will conduct a briefing
ments will take on the responsibility to orient new “Combat
that begins with the latest intelligence for the route being traveled,
Truckers” to specific tactics, techniques and procedures in theater.
covers new threats and highlights any changes in enemy tactics.
A new Air Force detachment, divided into eight, 14-person convoy
The C2 will brief the team, including external security elements (or
teams and an S-Staff (for personnel, intelligence, operations, logis-
“gun trucks”) on the rules of engagement, communication frequen-
tics, training and communications) may receive AOR specific train-
cies, the route, escalation of force procedures, expectations for the
ing sanctioned by the U.S. Army, or move directly into “Right-
team and other pertinent details of the mission. Next, the assistant
seat/Left-seat” training rides on actual combat convoy missions
convoy commander will take the team through a set of battle drills
throughout Iraq. After two or three of these training rides, the new
with miniature wooden M915A3 models (positioned on a mock
convoy team leadership – convoy commander (typically a
highway) to reinforce proper actions to be taken in the event of an
Technical Sergeant), assistant convoy commander (typically a Staff
improved explosive device detonation, insurgent small arms fire or
Sergeant) and the lead vehicle commander (typically a Senior
other incident. Finally, the lead vehicle commander will physical-
ly walk the team through the route on an over-sized wooden map of
Iraq pointing out key locations, bridges, traffic control points and
other important elements of the chosen route.
On D-day, the C2 assembles the team approximately half an hour
before the mission is scheduled to depart and conducts a safety brief-
ing. The C2 will reiterate key aspects of the mission, assign por-
tions of the team to execute different tasks, remind everyone of per-
sonal protective equipment requirements, reinforce safety and
weapon security, and stress professional behavior at forward operat-
ing bases (FOBs). Unit leadership will also take this opportunity to
wish their Airmen well, and make mention of any essential points
to remember as their Airmen depart. The safety briefing concludes
Continued on next page...
Convoy Commander, TSgt Scott Neu, donning his Individual Body Armor.
EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE 65

3. action report (AAR)
and forwards it to the
detachment leader-
ship. After review, the
detachment sends the
“GREEN”
AAR through the
TACON chain of
command for further
OF
review and action by
the joint logistics task
SEA
force. The AAR rec-
IN A
ommendations are
taken very seriously
E R : C O M B AT T R U C K E R S : S H I N I N G B R I G H T “ B L U E ”
and often lead to
changes in tactics,
techniques and proce-
dures.
CONCLUSION
This was just a quick
Army and Air Force combat truckers praying together prior to combat convoy mission execution. glimpse into the world
of the “Combat
with a prayer by the unit Chaplain for the safety of all Soldiers Trucker.” They are in
and Airmen about to embark into ground combat. one of the most frequently deployed, highly-stressed career fields.
Before they even reach the USCENTCOM AOR, they are away
from home-station for over a month at BC3. They routinely
CONVOY ASSESSMENT
transport mission essential cargo over hostile, unimproved roads
Combat convoy missions move throughout the entirety of Iraq
brimming with insurgent activity. They overcome that insurgent
and can be as short as four days, or as long as two weeks.
activity while delivering front haul and returning back haul
Numerous contributing factors will make a mission longer or add
cargo for units deploying and redeploying in support of the
more complexity than normally expected.
Global War on Terror. Many are on their second, third or forth
The C2 is faced with the tremendous responsibility of coordi- deployment for this very same mission. For what amounts to
nating all the transportation movement request details with joint nearly eight months, these Airmen are downrange, standing
logistics task force customers. The C2 must be a master planner shoulder to shoulder with Soldiers, accomplishing a deadly mis-
and negotiator because the very nature of planning convoy mis- sion with pride each and every day. Despite the challenges, they
sions in a combat theatre requires flexibility and ingenuity. The do not complain. They have established an impenetrable bond
C2 is also challenged with overcoming language barriers, dealing amongst themselves because only they can really understand the
with time consuming upload/download issues, and working to shared experiences. They are true combat heroes within the
identify alternative routes if the environment suddenly changes. logistics community and the U.S. Air Force. They have
The C2 relies heavily on the convoy team to fulfill their various answered their nation’s call and they are shining bright “Blue” in
roles while en-route and upon arrival at FOBs. The team must a Sea of “Green.”
work together to support deploying and redeploying units await-
About the Author: Lt Col Derek Oliver is the Commander of the
ing multiple cargo containers and rolling stock. Ultimately, the
C2 must have the skill to balance information requirements and 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Altus AFB, OK. He is cur-
work issues in an always chaotic, often deadly, combat environ- rently deployed to the Persian Gulf Region as Commander of the
ment. Upon mission completion, all of the events that took 586th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. He is a gradu-
place during a convoy mission are reviewed. The C2 leads this ate of the Basic Combat Convoy Course, a Joint Specialty Officer,
session with the members of the convoy team to critique how
and has logistics experience at the tactical, operational and strate-
well they performed as a unit. The goal is to identify any train-
gic levels. Derek.oliver@altus.af.mil or Derek.m.oliver@
ing shortfalls, capture lessons learned, incorporate new ideas or
avoid mistakes on the next mission. The C2 generates an after kuwait.swa.army.mil K
66 FA L L 2008