RCORT serves as capstone event for reservists

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -

This year's Reserve Contingency Operations Readiness Training, or RCORT, marks a significant evolution in how Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services prepares its Joint Reserve Force to deploy and support the warfighter.

Jeff Nofzinger is the readiness exercise planner for DLA Disposition Services, said this year's event differs sharply from previous training iterations.

"In previous years, the exercise has been known by many names-ACOR, COREX and OCORT," Nofzinger said. "But this year, it's RCORT, where we're training upwards of 68 reservists. In past COREXs, we might have trained 20."

The goal of RCORT is to develop an all-reservist team capable of independently operating an expeditionary disposal site-critical in scenarios where reservists may need to function without their civilian teammates.

"This is essentially their capstone event," Nofzinger said. "Instead of mixed teams of civilians and reservists, this year the focus is on readiness and self-sufficiency. The better trained they are, the better it is for the warfighter-and for all of us."

RCORT includes four continental U.S. training locations and one overseas site at Sagami, Japan. Reservists with the highest readiness levels were selected for the overseas assignment, where they gain hands-on experience.

The central command and control element for RCORT is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, where leadership monitors each location's progress and provides guidance. That headquarters element-known as the C2 cell-is staffed by experienced reservists, including Navy Senior Chief Logistics Specialist Phillip Balestrieri.

"We're here as the C2 element," Balestrieri said. "All the different sites are reporting their events back to us on the mission."

He said the new structure of the exercise is exciting, particularly the shift from a mixed civilian-reservist model to an all-reservist approach that adds greater flexibility to the command.

Balestrieri said that during the first week of RCORT, reservists participated in a "crawl" phase of on-the-job training. In the second week-the "walk" phase-those same reservists run field sites with minimal support while facilitators serve as evaluators. A "run" phase is planned for next year, when reservists are expected to operate independently.

"A lot of our members have gone through the necessary job-specific training already," Balestrieri said. "They're receiving real property from real customers, doing left-seat/right-seat work with experienced civilians and DSDs. It's real-world experience, not a simulation."

DLA Disposition Services' customers are military units. They turn in excess property to DLA that is no longer required to fulfil their mission. DLA makes those items available to other military units, government agencies, and non-profits.

Nofzinger emphasized that the successful execution of RCORT requires collaboration across all organizational levels.

"We can't do this from the planning cell here at headquarters," he said. "It takes the full team-the Disposal Services Directorates, area managers, site staff. There are nearly 60 instructors this year, and I want to thank every one of them."

Balestrieri echoed that sentiment and said the momentum is strong.

"We have a lot of new sailors, soldiers and airmen coming into our unit," he said. "We have a chance to improve how things have been done for years. It's always exciting to start something new-and I'm excited to keep moving this mission forward."