An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September / October 2024 www.military.ie/magazine 22 | requested more armoured lift capability and other stores. This gave us an opportunity to both support UNIFIL from UNDOF but also test the land bridge convoy routes in advance of the main withdrawal. J4, working closely with UNIFIL and UNDOF coordinated this move in Feb 2024, which fed more information into our continuing planning process. On 18 Mar 24, the J4 led teams deployed to the MA with the Ops Team (J4/NSRC team) working from the Lebanon side and the Inv team (with Personnel from all directorates) working with the G4 Cell in Camp Faouar, there was a HQ team based from J4 in DFHQ in a co-ordination role and linking the ground teams with J3/5 with twice daily updates led by EO J4. The Inv team worked day and night with the unit S4 cell to ensure the HOTO of every single item was accounted for to ensure governance. The land bridge move was conducted over 3 x convoys escorted by UNDOF to the MASNAA crossing and met by the Ops team and escorted and secured in the port after moving via night LAF escorted convoys to minimise contact with the civilian population. All vehicles had to move from Syrian Low Loaders to Lebanese Low Loaders in a 200 m2 yard 1km inside Lebanon by the 4-man team. During this we also conducted a HOTO of 2 x CRVs to UNIFIL at MOVCON BEIRUT by splitting our teams on convoy 2. The final convoy with DG Class 1 and weapons was a UN led convoy to Beirut Port and meet by the team. The co-ordination of this convoy was essential as the DG could not be stored in the port on the ship for more than 24 hours and must be last loaded onto the ship. We completed the loading of the vessel on the night of the 02 Apr 24 and the ship departed for IRL on the morning of the 03 Apr with a team led by Capt Dermot Hoey on board for governance and security. On the night of the 4th into the 5th of April the Personnel from the 68 Inf Gp moved to Movcon Beirut and were air bridged back to IRL under the control of the air bridge team led by J4 with NSRC support. At this point we had only completed Phase 6 of 9. 1/3 of the mission was still to be completed. The J4 teams returned to IRL and prepared for the arrival of the MV MERIC in Dublin. At 0400hrs on the 22 Apr 24 the MV MERIC docked on the North Quay in Dublin Port met by myself, Sgt Johnny Hyland (J4), Capt Jen Larkin and Sgts John Dillon and Butch Halpin from the NSRC. An immediate DG and weapon escort was dispatched on unloading while the remaining containers were stacked and the vessel moved to another berth for unloading the vehicles. Capt Larkin and Sgt Halpin co-ordinated an exceptional rolling Tpt movement plan meaning all containers were moved from Dublin Port to the waiting teams in the NSRC in under 12 hours, whilst myself, Sgt Hyland and Sgt Dillon co-ordinated the unloading of the vehicles and armour and moved them to a requisitioned staging area in the port before handing over the armour to a DFTC team lead by 1 ACS & 1 Mech for a double convoy movement of the armour. The NSRC Team then took the remaining vehicles to the DFTC. This high level of cohesion between multiple DF units resulted in all vehicles and stores from UNDOF withdrawal were lifted from the vessel and back in the DFTC within 18 hours of docking. (41 x TEU containers, 15 x Vehicles including 10 x APCs and 2 x HX 60 trucks). All of the equipment and stores, in addition to the airside access unaccompanied stores from the air bridge had to remain sealed & secured until cleared by revenue and customs in the NSRC and the Ammo Depot respectively. Excellent preparation work by the DF Customs team of CQMS Ciaran Scully and Cpl Ciaran Hynes meant that the plan was in place and structured, including working dogs to enable a clear and speedy process of clearance. The exceptional attention to detail of the 68 Inf Gp meant that this was a seamless process, and all aspects of the withdrawal were cleared by Customs on the 24 Apr 24. As such I was then able to authorise the J4 inventory team led by Comdt Branagan to commence the HOTOs of the Stores back to Org Owners. The directorates and the J4 Team iccw the NSRC completed the HOTO of stores within 10 days of Customs clearance with all equipment back under location. This was of huge credit to the work done by the Directorates and their staff throughout the process. It was also a tribute to the planning model created by the J4 planning team based on lessons learned from previous withdrawals. Overall, this was a highly successful operation with a whole of DF approach and a team of teams mentality implemented by the strategic planning group. It was all aspects of the DF at its best working together to achieve its mission. The 68 Inf Gp were an exceptional unit and it was brilliant to work with them to achieve this. The lessons learned from the WD were of huge benefit to J4 as we conducted the forward RSOM of the EUBG equipment to an established IRCON forward Logs Base in PFUNGSTADT Germany in October 2024. From here the NLSG Team will plan, prepare & co-ordinate the movement of all the equipment to be in Place for EUBG Exs in both DEU and HUN in the coming 9 months (and of course in the event of a deployment). This was approx. 50% bigger than the UNDOF withdrawal and therefore the lessons had been invaluable. Sgt Johnny Hyland preparing a Mowag for transport The containers were moved by ship to Dublin, escorted by J4 staff A dog handler from Customs conducting a search on mowags UNDOF vehicles being prepared for the heavy lift

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