07/20/2011: Connectivity is obviously crucial for a deployed unit. Mobile Command and Control (C2) is a core element of the CRW deployed. SSG. Levi Kelvin Scott II and Staff Sgt. Steven Bordenski provided an overview of the how this is done.SSG. Levi Kelvin Scott II: We’re the mobile C2 element. I do mobile C2 and communications, and I’m also responsible for being a ramp coordinator, as well as a CRT team chief. In my CRT capacity, I do load planning and aircrew.What we have is this truck, this trailer, and all of our C2 equipment. Basically, we have two different packages; we have our Alpha Echo, which is the larger package. We have 11 team members in Alpha Echo, we bring three officers with us, and eight enlisted personnel. And this package is basically for a mission where we’ll have operate 30 days or longer.For something that’s more short-term, we’ll send out an Alpha Fox. With this deployment, there are only four team members, an enlisted leader, and three other enlisted personnel to follow up with the enlisted leader.
With the larger package, we send a different package inside the trailer. What we have inside the trailer is we have tents, toilet paper, MREs, water. When we get out to the field, we can sustain ourselves for five days before we need to resupply. Everything that we need is inside this truck. We’ve got tents, cots, food, water, etc.
SLD: So it’s a self-contained module?
SSG. Levi Kelvin Scott II: It’s basically a self-contained module. Once we hit the ground, we’re ready to complete the mission. We can stay on the airfield for 24 hours; and can run a whole entire airfield with our personnel. And here’s our coms package. What we have here is the PSE5. We use this for air-to-ground communications, while UHF and VHF secure voice. And then, we have our laptops, basically, where we send our sitreps out.We’ve got a secure phone, which also sends secure fax. And here, we have the BGAN which gives us access to the Internet. We also have a satellite uplink, which connects us to the internet through the BGAN so that way we can do flight following, G2, we can also track cargo as it flies in the air and update TACC as to where the aircraft is. So, they have good tracking data.
SSG Borenski: I pretty much do the same thing Sergeant Scott does. We’re all seven Echo Alpha Echo. Some are Alpha Echo and Alpha Foxes are all primarily enlisted aviators that are assigned to CRW. We just get the perspective of the other side of the guys working on the ground.
SSG. Levi Kelvin Scott II: Instead of being inside the plane, we’re outside the plane seeing what goes inside the plane. So it’s actually a pretty enlightening experience.
SLD: The other part of the yin and the yang.
SSG. Levi Kelvin Scott II: Exactly.