Out of This World

Video by Sgt. 1st Class Mary Ferguson

PULSE-W: Army mariners demonstrate benefits of enduring watercraft presence in Pacific

8th Theater Sustainment Command

Aug. 8, 2014 | 2:44

When it comes to logistics and readiness, the Pacific region's essentially a gigantic waterworld that demands a team effort in maximizing even the most uncharacteristic capabilities of each service and organization.

Two crews of Army mariners from the 97th Transportation Company out of Fort Eustis, Va., traveled across the Pacific seas for five continuous months in their Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels successfully demonstrating how operationalizing their unique Army capability in the region contributes to the team effort.

With 8th Theater Sustainment Command at the lead, and 10th Regional Support Group exercising operational command from its headquarters in Okinawa, the endeavor was labeled Pacific Utility and Logistics Support Enabler-Watercraft, or PULSE-W.

While relatively simple in its concept -- maintain an enduring presence of Army watercraft that cost-effectively delivers cargo throughout the Pacific -- PULSE-W produced results reflecting immeasurable potential when it comes to supporting joint and multinational forces, and decreasing watercraft response times to natural disasters in the region.

(In video: Voice of Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Carman, the first mate of LCU 2035, U.S. Army Vessel Port Hudson, during PULSE-W)