Army Reserve Soldiers take the helm at TRANSMARINER 26

The vibration starts in the soles of the boots before it reaches the ears. It is a deep, rhythmic thrum—the mechanical heartbeat of the MV Roy Benavidez—echoing off the concrete pier at the Port of Ponce.

There are no colorful stacks of commercial shipping containers on the open decks of the gray titan. Instead, there is a utilitarian expanse of olive drab and desert tan equipment ready for on-load and the focused, rhythmic movement of Army Reserve Soldiers. This is the "First Mile" of American power projection, a place where the theoretical lines of a logistics map meet the industrial grit of reality.

For the Soldiers of the U.S. Army Transportation Command’s (ARTRANS) Reserve force, the Deployment Support Command, this isn't just an exercise; it’s a masterclass in complexity. TRANSMARINER 26 is designed to provide the 1395th Deployment Distribution Surface Battalion (DDSB) and the 1394th Transportation Surface Brigade something rare: total autonomy.

These military logistics units are training to serve as Single Port Managers. It is a role that requires them to control a strategic seaport and transform it into a high-velocity gateway for combat power.

“TRANSMARINER is getting more complex annually,” said Dejuan Webb, a transportation specialist at ARTRANS headquarters. “It provides the Army Reserve Component the autonomy to operate as a standalone battalion. These ‘sets and reps’ assure leadership that our team is ready to manage port operations with confidence and precision.”

The mission can seem like a puzzle at times, requiring a specialist to maintain 100% in-transit visibility on a digital manifest while a team on the pier reconfigures heavy equipment for the tight confines of a ship’s hold. Every vehicle moved and every inspection completed is a lesson in technical mastery.

Amidst the heat and the constant mechanical hum, a fundamental question often surfaces: “Why do we train the way we do?”

The answer, a common refrain among ARTRANS leadership, comes with a deliberate, heavy pause. “Because at some point in history, we needed these exact skills in a real-world mission,” said Webb. “And when the next call comes, we have to be ready.”

This training is the practical application of Contested Logistics. In a modern conflict, a "safe" port is a luxury the Army may not have. Infrastructure can be degraded, digital networks can be jammed, and traditional lines of communication can be cut. By tasking Army Reserve Soldiers to manage the Single Port Manager role with total autonomy, ARTRANS is ensuring that if a primary hub is compromised, these units can "blind-load" and operate in the dark.

Furthermore, the exercise mirrors the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) framework used across the joint force. ACE relies on a "Hub-and-Spoke" model—moving equipment rapidly from a central point to dispersed, unpredictable locations. The ability to discharge a vessel like the MV Roy Benavidez and immediately reconfigure that gear for onward movement to an aerial port isn't just a technical skill; it’s the maneuver that allows the military to remain agile and survive in a theater where speed is the best defense.

While the Soldiers on the pier focus on the task at hand, the 841st Transportation Battalion watches with a different eye. Serving as the "Aim Point," they provide expert Observer, Coach/Trainers (OC/Ts) to ensure that every movement is safe and every "lesson learned" is captured.

These best practices aren't just filed away; they are fed directly back into ARTRANS to sharpen future operations. The goal is a seamless integration of the Total Force, seen here through the collaboration of the 346th Transportation Battalion, the 390th Transportation Company, and the Army National Guard’s Camp Santiago and Fort Allen.

As the MV Roy Benavidez prepares to depart, its steady hum serves as a reminder of the silent promise made to the warfighter at the tactical edge.

Whether it’s a peaceful pier in the Caribbean or a contested port halfway across the world, the Army Reserve Soldiers of ARTRANS’s Deployment Support Command have validated their readiness. They have proven that they can open the door, operate the port, and keep the arrows on target.

When the next call comes, they won't just be ready. They’ll already be in motion.