The US Military’s Massive Global Transportation System
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Writing by Sam Denby and Tristan Purdy
Editing by Alexander Williard
Animation led by Josh Sherrington
Sound by Graham Haerther
Thumbnail by Simon Buckmaster
First time I personally experienced the amazing US military logistics was when a unique part broke and the only spare was on a training unit. That part went from the training unit in Virginia to onboard our ship in the middle of the Pacific in under 36 hours.
TheMoneyfairy
The US military is truly a titan of logistics... Seeing their transport capabilities is honestly more intimidating and terrifying than any fancy weapon showcase or power projection they might put on.
spartangerm
I lived in Japan when I was in highschool and got to visit US Navy base in Yokosuka. As an American, I was surprised to see an entire base that was essentially like every other suburban town in America. It had movie theater with movies not opened in Japan yet and even had a mall with Taco Bell. It was crazy
snowmochi
Don’t forget that fedex is designed to configure their entire fleet when called upon by the gov. All the planes have military configuration maps for the cargo next to all the regular ones we use so that’ll also be a massive benefit if needed
Thehermderm
The reason America is a superpower isn't because of the number of planes or tanks or troops. It's solely because of its ability to keep its military (relatively) well fed, well trained, well paid, and well fueled, anywhere in the world, 365 days a year. Dictators and regimes around the world always discount this, and instead invest in rifles and tanks instead of supply ships and cargo planes and water infrastructure, since the latter doesn't project force as well. Thanks for doing this video!
ShadowRaptor
I was amazed by the sheer scale of the logistics supporting the US military, and then you mentioned the navy and I realized you’d really only been talking about the army until that point. That really blew my mind.
mitsumasa
I’m an 88N(transportation coordinator) in the army and I’m not only surprised by how many of locations you’ve talked about I’ve been to but also the information and details about logistics, transportation and supply chain. Seriously worth showing this video for training to new soldiers getting into the transportation field.
jeremyholland
During my time in the ROK TransCom, I had the opportunity to work together with some of the elements mentioned in the video. As a simple Korean enlistee I can't say I've first hand experience of the full logistical might of the US, but I do want to highlight the people I interacted with during my time. Everyone I met was an expert and professional to the degree that quite close to everything done was like clockwork. The big machines may do the heavy lifting, but I'd also highlight the people--the people make it happen, and they made it happen good.
eccentrlcpenguin
As a steam enthusiast, I feel obliged to point out that even the most modern nuclear aircraft carriers are, technically, also steam-powered. 😉
lukascph
I like the fact that the hallmark and greatest strength of the US military is its logistics, rather than the number of jets or tanks or cannons it has. Even better, because this massive logistical network is so reliant upon having good relations with many countries around the world, it encourages cooperation and mutual respect. After all, only a military that revolves around a gigantic and complex logistics network can fully appreciate the incredible value of a friendly node in that network. The difference between having a friendly safe harbor near your ultimate destination and having to carry everything the whole way and back is staggering.
And so, respecting the country providing that safe harbor, that node in the network, is absolutely vital. After all, if that country no longer wants to provide it, the superpower either has to acquiesce or go to war over it, and logistics experts know better than most how insanely demanding and complex war is. Thus, the US Military is power projection dependent upon alliances and good relations with many nations around the world--providing it incredible capability that nonetheless requires the superpower to keep itself in check to maintain it.
Raptor
Man imagine being a Russian soldier watching this video after you were just told that you have to search old trucks for a first aid kit or to "buy tampons" for your bullet wounds.
noco
When I was a kid, my family was stationed in Naples near Carney Park. In retrospect, it's amazing how much resources the DoD invests there. The Support Site in Gricignano is like a small American city, with schools, housing, a hospital, a hotel, a shopping center, recreation, and more. It's worth noting that this is not just for the US military but the families of all NATO forces working there. This support was all essential because our parents would frequently get deployed elsewhere in the world, so thousands of families had to survive in an otherwise foreign place.
daviddfh
Hey I’m an Air Force C-17 pilot and I feel like you just taught me so much about my job hahah. This was really well done.
jakebandaruk
I'm currently an Air Transportation specialist in the US Air Force and I absolutely love watching this! I've been in for a short time but so far I have seen and moved so much cool stuff that really makes the job rewarding!
LordWaffles-tuxx
As a C-17 crew chief, I'm pretty excited when somebody starts talking about the UTC kits and other benefits like Space-A. That said though, there are many times full of BS that made me wonder how we're still holding all of this together.
Ming-Chan
This was an excellent summary of a little known but vital capability of the US military. My father was a logistics officer in the Military Airlift Command, and as a kid I got to walk around HUGE warehouses full of thousands of everything: rucksacks, boots, generators, maintenance toolkits, hospital beds, trucks, whatever. It was like the biggest, best-organized Army surplus store ever, and it was only one of a dozen or so.
timothy-bf
I’m former Air Force, worked in Air Mobility Command 2009-2014, and this is awesome to see on your channel. I’ve been around the world transporting passengers and cargo and it’s an experience that opened my eyes and will never forget. Definitely was proud of my service!!
afantasticdream
Your channel has made me appreciate the importance of logistics both in civilian and military fields.
grimgoreironhide
Ah yes, The Patriot Express. I've grown up as a dependent of an active duty member (father is in the Air Force), and have had my fair share of military traveling experiences across the globe. I've also lived all over America and the world, including but not limited to: Washington, D.C., South Korea, Spain, Scotland, Italy, Germany, Alabama, Arkansas, and more.
My family and I flew the Patriot Express (Omni Air) from Washington, D.C., all the way to South Korea in 2020 when we got stationed there for 2 years, and let me just say, for the record... Worst flying experience we've ever had. The pilot seemed like he was just out of school, the flight attendants were borderline racists, and each and every take off and landing felt like we were about to crash right there on the runway.
As an adult who's grown out of the military lifestyle, I can honestly say that I do not miss the craziness of traveling within the military. It's not just as simple as you put it with 'trying to catch a flight to Germany' if you don't have RNLT papers/orders to your new base. You literally have to wake up at 3 am just to make it on time to the air field, where you'll wait for hours in hopes of making it onto a hopper/rotator which is always super uncomfortable, loud as HELL, and a bumpy ride the entire way. There aren't many things that I miss about the military, but even still, I have access to any base around the world until a few years from now if I ever wanted to visit one again - which I never would.
And to all of those who are watching this video and thinking that you're missing out on some secret, luxurious lifestyle, take it from me who grew up in it- you're NOT missing anything great. Most of the bases are mediocre/outdated/poorly constructed, a lot of the leadership on said bases are shit (especially on Bolling AFB, in D.C.), the housing generally sucks ass, and those cool hotels that were mentioned?? Yeah, they're eternally infected with ants, roaches, mold, and more. Don't let the pictures and videos fool you, these 'special military inns' have been around for decades and are poorly managed almost all of the time... And I've stayed at countless locations around the globe, they never fail to disappoint.
mnlxlover
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine I regularly check aircraft tracking sites such as ADS-B exchange. What astounded me is that anytime I check the map, no matter the day or time of day, there's ALWAYS at least a few US military transports flying over Europe.
