The role of a Unit Movement Officer (UMO) is both demanding and rewarding, providing crucial experience in deployment logistics. Serving as a battalion UMO during multiple deployments offered invaluable insights into the complexities of moving troops and equipment. Often, units preparing for deployment face the challenge of having newly assigned UMOs who may be well-trained but lack practical experience, or experienced officers who are departing before the deployment commences. Completing the Unit Movement Officer Deployment Planning (UMO) Course is just the first step; applying that knowledge effectively in real-world scenarios is where new UMOs truly learn and contribute. This article serves as a guide, expanding upon existing doctrines and regulations, offering essential techniques specifically tailored for battalion UMOs navigating equipment deployment preparation, especially for Army combat training center rotations.
Foundational Knowledge: Training and Resources
Effective UMOs are built upon a bedrock of comprehensive training. Several key training modules are available to equip UMOs with the necessary skills. The cornerstone is the UMO Course, a two-week intensive program, typically held at Fort Lee, Virginia, or delivered via mobile training teams at various installations. This course delivers essential instruction on critical areas such as:
- Multimodal Equipment Handling: Proper techniques for weighing and marking equipment for various modes of transport.
- Movement Planning: Developing comprehensive movement plans to ensure efficient and timely deployments.
- Convoy Operations: Understanding the principles and procedures for safe and effective convoy movements.
- Blocking and Bracing: Methods for securing equipment within containers and on transport platforms to prevent damage during transit.
- Palletization: Techniques for efficiently organizing and securing equipment on pallets for streamlined handling.
- Equipment Tie-Down Procedures: Standardized procedures for safely securing equipment to vehicles and transport platforms.
- Organizational Equipment List (OEL) and Unit Deployment List (UDL) Management: Understanding and utilizing these crucial deployment documents.
Beyond the UMO Course, specialized training further enhances a UMO’s toolkit. The Ammo-43-DL Intermodal Dry Cargo Container/Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) course is vital for certification as a CSC inspector. This certification, accessible through http://www.dactces.org, ensures compliance with container inspection standards outlined in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and International CSC/Title 46 of U.S. Code Chapter 805 requirements. Proficiency in the Transportation Coordinators-Automated Information for Movements System II (TC-AIMS II) is also essential. Local TC-AIMS II courses, offered at most Army installations and accessible via https://tcaimsii.amis.army.mil, instruct UMOs in the creation and management of OELs and UDLs.
For units involved in airlift operations, the Air Force’s Airlift Planners Course provides certification in airlift planning, joint airlift operations, load planning principles, airfield safety, and the structure of the Air Mobility Command. Furthermore, online modules such as the Container Management Module, Container Control Officer (CCO), Army Container Asset Management System, and Container Management courses, available through https://trans.ellc.learn.army.mil and https://eta/sddc.army.mil, offer in-depth knowledge for CCOs on managing Department of Defense-owned and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) containers.
While all these courses contribute to a well-rounded UMO, the UMO and Ammo-43-DL/CSC courses are paramount. They equip UMOs with the fundamental “tools” — knowledge and certifications — necessary to effectively execute unit movement operations.
Proactive Planning: Anticipation and Preparation
Anticipation is a cornerstone of successful unit movement. Deployment preparation is a time-critical process, demanding that UMOs initiate planning immediately upon deployment confirmation. Battalion UMOs must collaborate closely with the battalion S-4 to ensure all necessary appointment orders for battalion UMOs, company UMOs, CCOs, TC-AIMS II operators, and hazmat certifiers are current and valid throughout the deployment duration.
Hazmat personnel are critical resources, capable of certifying hazardous materials and containers, providing expert guidance on specialized packing procedures, and ensuring accurate hazmat documentation. Battalion UMOs or CCOs should work with company UMOs to conduct thorough container inspections according to CSC standards, utilizing the ISO container inspection checklist provided in the Ammo-43-DL/CSC course. Arranging for materials handling equipment to lift containers allows for essential visual inspection underneath, and reorganizing containers within the unit motor pool can streamline loading and inspection processes.
UMOs and CCOs must meticulously verify container serial number legibility and confirm that the company unit identification code (UIC) is clearly spray-painted in two-inch black lettering on all four sides of each container. A completed Department of the Army (DA) Form 2404, Equipment Inspection and Maintenance Worksheet, and an ISO Container Inspection Checklist for each container should be submitted to the installation transportation office (ITO) to obtain a CSC sticker. This sticker, placed next to the serial number on the container’s data plate, confirms compliance and is valid through the deployment. Contacting the brigade mobility office is essential to acquire the most up-to-date list of national stock numbers for blocking and bracing materials.
Ordering necessary shipping materials is another crucial anticipatory step. This includes:
- Plywood: 4-feet by 8-feet sheets of 3/4-inch plywood for internal bracing and under-container placement, especially vital for mitigating winter transit issues.
- Protective Materials: Bubble Wrap, zip-lock bags, document protectors, and packing list envelopes to safeguard equipment and documentation.
- Fastening and Securing Supplies: Zip ties, spray adhesive, and bolt seals for securing sensitive-item containers.
- Hazardous Material Placards: For containers carrying hazardous materials.
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags and Batteries: Required for tracking containers and rolling stock via https://national.rfitv.army.mil during transit.
- Cargo Tie-Down Chains and Straps: Types MB-1 and MB-2, as potentially required by the brigade mobility office.
Ensuring sufficient TC-AIMS II operators are available and properly appointed is critical for efficient OEL development. Company UMOs should prepare by gathering current property books and rolling stock lists, linking bumper numbers to serial numbers for TC-AIMS II accuracy. After company OEL updates, battalion UMOs should export all company OELs from TC-AIMS II into Microsoft Excel. Filtering and compiling essential data—UIC, shipping unit numbers (SUNs), bumper numbers, serial numbers, national stock numbers, line item numbers, heights, and weights—into a consolidated battalion master OEL, and distributing it to relevant personnel, is a best practice for data management and dissemination. This OEL data also forms the foundation for creating a UDL if required by the brigade mobility office.
Collaborative Execution: Integration and Synchronization
Deployment success hinges on seamless integration. Effective UMOs act as central coordinators, synchronizing efforts across various personnel, sections, and agencies to ensure safe and on-time deployment of both personnel and equipment. The brigade mobility office is a primary point of contact, providing the most current unit movement timeline encompassing UDL submission deadlines, shipping paperwork review schedules, rolling stock and ITO inspections, rail loading procedures, and cargo handling protocols. UMOs must leverage this guidance to build a detailed internal plan aligned with the battalion’s and higher echelon’s objectives and timelines.
Regular weekly meetings are vital for fostering integration and synchronization. Battalion UMOs should convene meetings with company UMOs, company executive officers, battalion S-3, battalion S-4, and the battalion executive officer. These meetings should focus on:
- Unit Movement Timeline Review: Ensuring all stakeholders are aware of key deadlines and milestones.
- Company Requirements Assessment: Identifying and addressing specific needs and challenges from each company.
- Brigade Mobility Office Due-outs Tracking: Monitoring and managing deliverables required by the brigade mobility office.
- Rail Load Team Requirements: Determining the need for and ensuring the appointment of trained rail load teams, as directed by the brigade mobility office.
Streamlined Processes: Simplicity and Efficiency
Simplifying the unit movement process is crucial for efficient execution. Battalion UMOs should request dedicated maintenance bay space within the unit motor pool to conduct thorough rolling stock inspections. These inspections must adhere to brigade and ITO shipping transit inspection criteria. Scheduling staggered times for units to bring in their rolling stock allows for organized inspections. Retrieving ITO equipment inspection checklists and requesting support from unit wheeled vehicle mechanics ensures comprehensive assessments covering mechanical faults, tire pressure, and fluid leaks. UMO inspections should also verify:
- Cleanliness: Vehicles are clean and free of debris.
- Battery Security: Batteries are properly secured.
- Fuel Levels: Fuel tanks are at the three-quarters full mark.
- Tie-Down Shackles: All tie-down shackles are attached.
- Drip Pans and Chock Blocks: Present and accounted for.
- Secondary Load Security: Secondary loads are properly secured.
- Fire Extinguishers: Properly mounted and accessible.
- Absence of Sensitive Items: No vehicle radio antennas or sensitive items are present.
Serial numbers should be cross-referenced against the UDL, and vehicle markings—bumper number, SUN, UIC, and unit name—must be stenciled on the front and rear of each vehicle, trailer, and generator. For secondary cargo, such as generators on light medium tactical vehicles, inspections should include checks for leaks, battery security, and empty fuel tanks. Each vehicle requires a Department of Defense (DD) Form 1750, Packing List, a DA Form 7598, Vehicle Load Card, and any other ITO-mandated documentation.
Container inspections should also be conducted internally prior to brigade and ITO inspections, focusing on:
- Proper Blocking and Bracing: Ensuring cargo is securely braced within containers to prevent shifting during transit.
- Documentation Accuracy: Verifying all required paperwork is complete and accurate.
Each container requires a DA Form 5748-R, Shipment Unit Packing List and Load Diagram, and each individual box within the container needs a DD Form 1750. Sensitive-item containers necessitate a DD Form 1387-2, Special Handling Data/Certification, while hazmat containers require a DD Form 2890, DOD Multimodal Dangerous Goods Declaration, certified by a unit hazmat certifier. A practical resourcing technique is designating one container specifically as the battalion hazmat container.
After internal battalion inspections, consolidating all rolling stock and container paperwork, organized by UIC and SUN, and disseminating copies to relevant parties—battalion UMO, company UMOs, brigade mobility office, and ITO—streamlines the ITO shipping paperwork inspections. Thorough internal inspections of rolling stock and containers are key to ensuring successful equipment deployment. The final phases, rail loading and container pickup, are guided by the brigade mobility office. Adhering to these techniques facilitates a successful deployment and is equally applicable to redeployment operations, equipping new UMOs with the “tools” for success in this critical role.
Author: Capt. Ryan L. Russell, Plans Officer, Support Operations Distribution Integration Branch, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade.
Originally Published: Army Sustainment
