The United States Army
08/04/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/04/2024 21:46
USARJ activates 765th TTB as only unit of its kind stationed overseas
[Link] 1 / 3Show Caption +Hide Caption -Lt. Col. Erik Hansen, left, commander of the 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, and Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Williams Jr., senior enlisted leader for the battalion, uncase the colors for the 765th Transportation (Terminal) Battalion during a ceremony inside Kizuna Hall at Camp Zama, Japan, July 31, 2024. The 35th CSSB officially transitioned to the 765th TTB during the reflagging ceremony as it takes on a new role to support watercraft operations. (Photo Credit: Momoko Shindo)VIEW ORIGINAL[Link] 2 / 3Show Caption +Hide Caption -Col. Ned Holt, left, commander of the 10th Support Group, provides remarks during a reflagging ceremony inside Kizuna Hall at Camp Zama, Japan, July 31, 2024. The ceremony signified the 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion's transition to the 765th Transportation (Terminal) Battalion as it takes on a new role to support watercraft operations. (Photo Credit: Momoko Shindo)VIEW ORIGINAL[Link] 3 / 3Show Caption +Hide Caption -A color guard displays the U.S. and Japan flags and the unit colors for the 765th Transportation (Terminal) Battalion on the right during a reflagging ceremony inside Kizuna Hall at Camp Zama, Japan, July 31, 2024. The ceremony signified the 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion's transition to the 765th TTB as it takes on a new role to support watercraft operations. (Photo Credit: Momoko Shindo)VIEW ORIGINAL
CAMP ZAMA, Japan - The 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion cased its unit colors during a ceremony here Wednesday as it takes on a new role to support U.S. Army Japan watercraft and improve integration and interoperability with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in the Indo-Pacific region.
More than 100 people attended the reflagging ceremony inside Kizuna Hall to witness the 35th CSSB officially transition to the 765th Transportation (Terminal) Battalion.
"In the grand narration of the Army's history, today marks a significant chapter where we honor a legacy of exceptional commitment and usher in a new era of strategic prowess," said Col. Ned Holt, commander of the 10th Support Group.
"We stand at the crossroads of history and innovation," he added, "as we transition from the proven excellence of the 35th CSSB to the revitalized vigor of the 765th."
Holt, who hosted the ceremony, said that activating the 765th TTB in Japan will allow it to be uniquely positioned to provide essential maritime capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.
"With our escalating demands on our transportation assets in the region, the 765th's ability to operate and maintain secure maritime lines of operations will enhance our readiness and sustainment operations," he said. "They will ensure that the United States Army remains agile, responsive and capable of meeting any challenge."
Lt. Col. Erik Hansen, the battalion commander, said the ceremony signifies a major shift in the logistics mission here.
"This ceremony really lets the community know, the Soldiers know, our partners in the region and our adversaries know that we have a commitment that will continue to evolve as new threats grow in the region," he said, "and we [will] measure our efforts to counter those threats with these new assets."
To support its mission, the battalion has watercraft, such as logistics support vessels, landing craft utility vessels, maneuver support vessels and small tugboats.
"I'm extremely proud and excited to be able to command not only the CSSB but also the transportation terminal battalion, which is an extremely unique organization in the Army," Hansen said. "It's one of only three that exists in the Army... and the only one outside the continental United States. It's just a really great time to be part of this organization."
Hansen mentioned the battalion's watercraft have already conducted various missions in the region, and most recently in Australia, as it looks to extend the operational reach of the Army.
"We provide a truly expeditionary capability to the commander," he said. "We can move to a fixed port area, establish ourselves, and operate rather independently to support the flow of troops and equipment into any location."
Holt told the Soldiers in the audience that they shoulder the "immense responsibility" of upholding and advancing this critical capability.
Before the unit's colors were cased, Holt highlighted the achievements of the 35th CSSB, such as its campaign streamer from World War II and an Army Superior Unit Award for its disaster relief mission following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
"It has done everything it's been asked to do and more in this area," Holt said of the unit.
Holt also noted the storied history of the 765th TTB that included deployments in WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars, earning a total of 28 campaign credits.
As the battalion's Soldiers prepare for their next missions, the colonel encouraged them to embrace the challenge with the same courage and dedication that their predecessors showed.
"Let us move forward with determination and a deep commitment to our mission," he said. "Let the legacy of the 35th CSSB live on in the deeds of the 765th [TTB] as they forge a new path towards excellence and readiness."
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