DLA Distribution Red River, Texas, executes high priority distribution mission supporting EUCOM

Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Red River, Texas, recently supported a high priority request for the loadout and rail shipping for hundreds of the International M1224- MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle to support operations in the United States European Command area of responsibility.

The MaxxPro is a 30,000-pound armored fighting vehicle designed to endure improvised explosive attacks and ambushes, originally designed to support soldiers deployed in Iraq in 2007. The team at DLA Distribution Red River, Texas, received the initial request and quickly developed a plan in coordination with the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command and Army Sustainment Command to execute.

"The execution of this mission is just another example of the professional and dedicated teams across DLA Distribution," said Navy Rear Adm. Michael York, commander, DLA Distribution. "We strive every day to provide the support necessary so the warfighter can focus on their mission."

The mission involved personnel from across Red River Army Depot, located in New Boston, Texas.

"Once the Maxx Pros were identified, we worked collaboratively with Red River Army Depot for technical inspection, cleaning, and fumigation," said Army Lt. Col. Joseph Lee, commander, DLA Distribution Red River, Texas.

Since they are stored in the tough East Texas heat, they undergo a thorough agricultural cleaning process before coming back to the DLA team for shipment processing. Each vehicle must be prepared for overseas shipment, with Hazardous Declarations done and each vehicle marked with a placard and Radio Frequency Identification tag. The team can process 50 Maxx Pros in a week.

"As these vehicles finished the fumigation and cleaning process, they were staged and prepared for onward movement by rail," Lee said. "My Major End Items Division, led by Damon Augustus, as well as Transportation Division, led by Brandon Ballard, exceeded all expectations by loading all the vehicles well ahead of schedule for shipment to the Port of Beaumont for loading onto a shipping vessel for surface movement to EUCOM."

The loading of each vehicle takes approximately 30 minutes, with the movement to the dock executed by a wrecker, then loading the rail car by the crane. To support this mission, 320 vehicles were loaded in six days.

This mission is one of many missions that DLA Distribution Red River, Texas, executes for customers at Red River Army Depot and around the world. DLA Distribution Red River, Texas, stores more than 14,000 major end items for the Defense Department.

"With our loading dock, 150,000 pound capacity crane and fleet of wreckers and tractors, DLA Distribution Red River, Texas, receives hundreds of vehicles every year, which are then stored until the assets are called up for rebuild," said George Hutchison, branch chief, Distribution Operations, DLA Distribution Red River, Texas. "Once Red River Army Depot rebuilds the requested assets, they are sent back to the DLA team for shipment."

From combat vehicles like M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and M2/3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, to workhorse vehicles like M1151/2 High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles and M1078/M1083 Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, DLA Distribution Red River, Texas, has shipped them all to support the DLA mission worldwide.

"We function as transportation management for the entire base and have extensive experience working with high volume, oversized freight," Lee said. "Our core mission is to receive, store and distribute material to support the warfighter, and we're very proud of it."