US Navy and Army begin Trident Arch 2013 exercise

The US Navy Expeditionary Medical Support Command (NEMSCOM) has begun the first phase of Trident Arch 2013 exercise, scheduled to be held from 7-14 January 2013, at Naval Weapons Stations Yorktown-Cheatham Annex, Virginia, US.

While deployed to all strategic location world-wide, the Trident Arch drill will enable NEMSCOM to enhance prepositioned hospitals and medical facilities with certified extended life service within a maintenance cycle of five years.

The exercise involves 56 sailors from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 1, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group as well as 44 soldiers from the US Army 149th Seaport Operations Company (SOC), 10th Transportation Battalion, 7th Sustainment Brigade.

NEMSCOM port operations coordinator construction mechanic 1st Class David Riggs said, "This containerized fleet hospital will rotate our prepositioned storage sites headed to Pacific Command and can accommodate 450 patient beds and 452 units of supporting equipment."

During the exercise, personnel will control the route and transport 633 containers from the NEMSCOM yard to enhance their cargo handling qualification.

NCHB 1 Trident Arch detachment officer in charge chief construction mechanic Michael Prados said, "We consider this as a real-world training evolution that allows our stevedore and crane operators to gain experience and aim for their next level of cargo handling qualification."

The NEMSCOM operation also intends to plan and execute the design, acquisition, assembly, integration, storage, shipment, maintenance, and life cycle support of Navy deployable medical systems, while serving as a technical advisor for deployment of these assets.