Joint Forces Strengthen Aerial Sustainment Capabilities During JPMRC

Official Statements

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — Across the Indo-Pacific, the ability to deliver critical supplies and equipment to dispersed forces is essential to maintaining combat readiness. During Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) 27-01, U.S. Army and Marine Corps parachute riggers, alongside Air Force personnel, worked together to execute aerial delivery operations supporting Soldiers training on the island of Hawaii.”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “The exercise, led by the 25th Infantry Division (25th ID), brings together joint and multinational forces to train in realistic environments that replicate the challenges of large-scale combat operations. Supporting that mission, the 8th Theater Sustainment Command (8th TSC) coordinated theater-level aerial delivery operations as Soldiers assigned to the 4th Quartermaster Theater Aerial Delivery Company (4th Quartermaster TADC), 11th Airborne Division, deployed from Alaska to Hawaii to prepare heavy equipment platforms and Container Delivery System (CDS) bundles for delivery to Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA).”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: "During the JPMRC 27-01 rotation, 8th TSC integrated the Marine Corps’ 3rd Littoral Logistics Battalion and the 4th Quartermaster TADC to conduct joint rigging operations in support of JPMRC and promote interoperability across the Department of War," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jaison Santiago, senior airdrop systems technician with 8th TSC. At the mission level, coordination extended to the aircrews and ground forces receiving the supplies.”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: "My role is to coordinate with outside units, such as the Air Force, aircrews, and the supported unit, in this case, 25th ID," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brian Hand, parachute officer in charge with the 4th Quartermaster TADC. "The intent of the airdrop missions is to supply 25th ID with different classes of supply and vehicles in support of their training rotation."

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “The aerial delivery mission included 11 heavy equipment platforms and CDS bundles containing various classes of supply, including food and ammunition, along with vehicles intended for use by Soldiers operating at PTA. Unlike previous rotations, this rotation's operation incorporated a greater amount of equipment and supplies designated for use during the exercise.”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “During the initial days of preparation, Marine Corps parachute riggers assigned to 3rd Littoral Logistics Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, worked alongside Army riggers to prepare CDS bundles and heavy equipment platforms, including ammunition loads. Airmen assigned to the 535th Airlift Squadron, 15th Wing, supported the mission through joint airdrop inspections and the transportation and delivery of equipment aboard C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to PTA.”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: "Working with the Air Force and the Marines on ground is a humbling experience," said Staff Sgt. Louis Coleman, aerial delivery shop foreman with the 4th Quartermaster TADC. "They're teaching us how they conduct operations and what they're looking for and we’re teaching them how we conduct operations to our standards."

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “For junior riggers, the operation provided an opportunity to apply their technical skills while learning from personnel across the joint force. "Working with the Air Force has been a learning experience for me because the way they conduct their joint inspections is different from how we conduct ours," said Pfc. Crystal Berrios-Reyes, a parachute rigger with the 4th Quartermaster TADC.”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “Before equipment could be loaded onto an aircraft, parachute riggers like Berrios-Reyes inspected platforms for serviceability, secured cargo and attached parachute and release systems. Each completed load underwent additional inspections to ensure it met established safety requirements, underscoring the importance of attention to detail throughout the process. "My biggest takeaway from participating in this exercise is that little things matter," Berrios-Reyes said. "It's a lot of work so you have to pay attention to detail and make sure everything's right."

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “Beyond the conventional aerial delivery methods employed during JPMRC 27-01, capabilities such as the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) - which uses GPS-guided parachutes to steer supplies toward designated drop zones - provide additional options for sustaining forces across the Indo-Pacific. Although JPADS was not employed during this rotation, the capability remains an important option for aerial resupply operations in the region.”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: "For the JPADS, they provide a high altitude offset capability for the aircraft," Hand said. "The aircraft can fly at higher altitudes, offset from the intended drop zone, drop the JPADS out, and that JPADS will fly autonomously to the intended impact point."

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “The ability to release cargo from higher altitudes and greater distances can reduce an aircraft's exposure to potential enemy threats, an important consideration when operating in contested environments across the Indo-Pacific. "The JPADS provides commanders with an option to resupply forces in austere locations that cannot be reached through traditional resupply methods," Santiago added. Whether through conventional airdrop operations or more advanced delivery capabilities, the success of aerial sustainment ultimately depends on the personnel responsible for preparing equipment and ensuring supplies reach the forces that need them.”

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: "As parachute riggers, these guys take their jobs extremely seriously," Coleman said. "They understand that they deal with life-saving equipment and that they are the lifeline for Soldiers on the front lines, as far as getting all the equipment they need to conduct their missions."

• 8th Theater Sustainment Command, November 13: “Through JPMRC 27-01, the coordination between Army, Air Force and Marine Corps personnel demonstrates the importance of joint interoperability in sustaining combat operations. From preparing equipment on the rigging floor to delivering supplies across Hawaii's training areas, each service contributes to a shared objective: ensuring forces remain equipped, supported and ready to operate in the Indo-Pacific.”