U.S. and South Korean forces test expeditionary bulk-fuel capabilities at CJLOTS 26

U.S. and Republic of Korea service members completed a Joint Petroleum Over-the-Shore operation during Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore 26 in Pohang, South Korea, on July 14, demonstrating the combined force’s ability to move bulk fuel from sea to shore in austere conditions and bolstering operational readiness and interoperability.

In the training scenario, the maritime prepositioning ship USNS Lummus pumped simulated fuel from an offshore position through the Amphibious Bulk Liquid Transfer System to a beach unloading assembly run by Marines with 3rd Marine Logistics Group. The joint force deployed and tested the system and pumped 30,000 gallons ashore in eight hours, meeting the event’s primary objective. Republic of Korea partners also pumped approximately 10,000 gallons through a system they emplaced several days earlier. The effort tested 3rd Marine Logistics Group’s ability to conduct integrated logistics in complex environments to sustain III Marine Expeditionary Force units.

The operation required close coordination across multiple commands. Command and headquarters support came from the U.S. Marine Corps’ 3rd Marine Logistics Group and Combat Logistics Regiment 35; the U.S. Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) and 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command; the U.S. Navy’s Naval Beach Group 1; and the Republic of Korea Navy’s 5th Flotilla. Tactical execution was carried out by the U.S. Marine Corps’ 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd MLG; the U.S. Army’s 498th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion; the U.S. Navy’s Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, Assault Craft Unit 1 and Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron 3; and the Republic of Korea Navy’s 55th Logistics Over-the-Shore Battalion alongside units with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps Marine Logistics Group.

“Logistics dictates the pace of combat,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Trevor Simler, the 3rd MLG fuels officer. “Fuel is often the most difficult resource to move across a theater of operations. What we are demonstrating is how we sustain our joint and combined partners when fixed deep water ports are denied or unavailable and continue to push fuel to the maneuver units.”

Integrating multiple services and international partners required detailed synchronization, said Warrant Officer Pablo Mendoza, an expeditionary fuels officer with 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd MLG, who served as a primary planner for the Marine Corps’ portion of the exercise. “My role was to plan, coordinate and supervise the Marine Corps portion of the JPOTS operation,” Mendoza said. “The most challenging part was validating the interoperability of three different services’ fuel systems without the ability to conduct a full rehearsal. That detailed planning and shared technical understanding allowed us to maximize joint interoperability and successfully integrate all three services.”

Noncommissioned officers led the physical emplacement of the system under challenging beach conditions. “The most difficult aspect of setting up the fuel system was working on the beach’s uneven and constantly shifting terrain,” said Sgt. Cameron Smith, an expeditionary fuel technician with 9th ESB. “We worked through those challenges by working as a team and adapting to the environment while maintaining safety and keeping the mission on schedule.”

The hands-on environment also demanded cross-service coordination on the beachhead. “One of the most challenging parts was not being familiar with the gear and equipment used by the other services,” said Cpl. Alex McGeathy, an expeditionary fuel technician with the battalion. “We overcame it by communicating, sharing knowledge and working together to understand each other’s systems, which made the setup more efficient and strengthened our ability to operate as a joint team.”

CJLOTS 26 brought together U.S. and Republic of Korea lighterage and ship-to-shore connector capabilities to improve combined readiness, strengthen the alliance and expand maritime sustainment capacity during logistics operations. Organizers said the successful deployment of expeditionary logistics validated critical combined tactics, techniques and procedures to maintain operational momentum, sustain shared logistics requirements and remain prepared for contingencies in the region.