Defense Transportation Journal

2010 NDTA Forum & Expo PREVIEW Pg. 14

August 2010

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CONTENTS

August 2010

FEATURES USD-S Well Equipped for Drawdown August 2010

•

Vol 66, No. 4

Publisher

LTG Ken Wykle, USA (Ret.) Editor

Kent N. Gourdin Managing Editor

Karen Schmitt | karen@ndtahq.com Contributing editor

Denny Edwards

Circulation Manager

Leah Ashe

Publishing Office

NDTA 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296 703-751-5011 • F 703-823-8761

8

By Master Sgt. David Bennett, 367th MPAD, USD-S PAO

2010 NDTA Forum & Expo Preview

14

Returning Veterans to the Job Market

18

By Chuck Bolduc and Bob Reilly

Passenger Travel Outlook

24

Recovery on the Horizon?

By Dr. G.R. (“Rocky”) Mobaraki, MBA, PhD

2010 NDTA Forum & Expo

Graphic Design

Debbie Bretches

“Outside the Beltway – Outside the Box”

Production Manager

September 18 - 22, 2010

Margaret Howard

Advertising Account Manager

Register NOW

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Advertising & Production Carden Jennings Publishing Co., Ltd. Custom Publishing Division 375 Greenbrier Drive, Suite 100 Charlottesville, VA 22901 434-817-2000, x261 • F 434-817-2020

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departments A-35 News | Lori Leffler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Editorial | Dr. Kent N. Gourdin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Defense Transportation Journal (ISSN 0011-7625) is published bimonthly by the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA), a non-profit research and educational organization; 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220, Alexandria, VA 22304-7296, 703-751-5011. Copyright by NDTA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and at additional mailing offices.

Subscription Rates: One year (six issues) $35. Two years, $55. Three years, $70. To foreign post offices, $45.

Single copies, $6 plus postage. The DTJ is free to members. For details on membership, visit www.ndtahq.com.

Postmaster: Send address changes to: Defense Transportation Journal 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296

President’s Corner | LTG Ken Wykle, USA (Ret.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Government News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 chapter spotlight | Jeff Campbell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Professional development | Irvin Varkonyi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Pages future | COL Denny Edwards, USA (Ret.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 honor roll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 chairman’s circle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Bookshelf Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 index of advertisers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

A-35

NDTA Headquarters Staff LTG Kenneth Wykle, USA (Ret.) President

Networking While You Work Out

Sharon Lo Executive Assistant

Lori Leffler, CTC, A-35 Chair

COL Mark Victorson, USA (Ret.) VP Membership

Global Government Strategic Manager The Hertz Corporation

COL Dennis Edwards, USA (Ret.) VP Marketing | Corporate Development

A

Christopher McKinley Manager, Business Development Patty Casidy, VP Finance Karen Schmitt Director, Public Relations Jeff Campbell PR Assistant | Chapter Liaison Leah Ashe Manager, Data Base Carl Wlotzko Coordinator, Banquet & Special Events For a listing of current Committee Chair-persons, Government Lisasons, and Chapter & Regional Presidents, please visit our Association website at www.ndtahq.com.

Editorial Objectives The editorial objectives of the Defense Transportation Journal are to advance knowledge and science in defense transportation and the partnership between the commercial transportation industry and the government transporter. DTJ stimulates thought and effort in the areas of defense transportation, logistics, and distribution by providing readers with: •

• • • •

News and information about defense transportation issues New theories or techniques Information on research programs Creative views and syntheses of new concepts Articles in subject areas that have significant current impact on thought and practice in defense transportation • Reports on NDTA Chapters Editorial Policy The Defense Transportation Journal is designed as a forum for current research, opinion, and identification of trends in defense transportation. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Editors, the Editorial Review Board, or NDTA. Editorial Content For a DTJ Publication Schedule, Media Kit and Archives, visit /www.ndtahq.com/education_dtj.htm Dr. Kent N. Gourdin, Editor, DTJ Director of the Global Logistics & Transportation Program, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 843-953-5327 • F 843-953-5697 gourdink@email.cofc.edu Karen Schmitt, Managing Editor, DTJ NDTA 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296 703-751-5011 • F 703-823-8761 karen@ndtahq.com

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Representatives are listed on the right side Net-working Work Out? Sure, netof the page. On the left, complete your working happens during conference new connection—see A-35ers in action coffee breaks, on the golf course, on our Flickr page and follow our Twitter and even during a happy hour social. But feed to get A-35 announcements first. can networking be a part of your regular At the A-35 webpage, you’ll also find workout routine? At conferences and luna breakdown of A-35 Events scheduled cheons you’ve got a name badge and a stack for the 64th Annual NDTA Forum of business cards to back it up, but busi& Expo.

In addition to the ness contacts can be anywhere— popular A-35 Breakfast at the gym, on the trail, or and Adopt-A-Duck out running errands. How Scholarship Fund about an ice breaker Raiser, this year that you wear? The we have FOUR new “Team NDTA” Professional performance shirt Breakout available at the NDTA Sessions deStore is an easy way to voted to the open the door to back young professharing the benefits sional and the Team of NDTA. Before NDTA 5K Fun you know it, Run/Walk. Wait, you’ll be nethow do you join the working with “Team?” As an NDTA your workMember, you’re already on out partner! it—and this is a competiThen once front tion where everyone wins, you’ve met those working together to grow contacts who can help professionally. Run or you expand your netwalk a 5K with Team work, further your career, NDTA at the NDTA and potentially become Forum next month, life-long friends, how do tackle the Army Ten Milyou stay in touch with 2010 NDTA Fun Run/Walk logo er with us in October, or them? The NDTA A-35 and t-shirt by Heather Pound have a Run/Walk Memprogram has several ways bership Social at your loto connect with young cal NDTA Chapter.

A Membership Social professional logisticians and transporters, and Walk/Run Event is another great way and you can easily find all things A-35 for local NDTA Chapters to raise funds at our new home on the NDTA website, for the Chapter Scholarship Fund, and do www.ndtahq.com/A35.htm. Through that some “net-working out” at the same time. portal, you’ll find information about what an A-35er is, along with links to the A-35 If you have any questions about the A-35 Brochure and easy online registration to webpage or participating in Team NDTA, become an NDTA Individual Member. contact one of the co-captains: NDTA For NDTA Members age 35 and younger A-35 Chair Lori Leffler, lleffler@hertz.com, who’d like to find out about A-35 Events or NDTA PR Asst. & Chapter Liaison Jeff happening in their area, Regional A-35 Campbell, jeff@ndtahq.com. DTJ

August 2010

EDITORIAL The Cost of Oil Dependency Dr. Kent N. Gourdin, Editor DTJ Director, Global Logistics and Transportation Program College of Charleston

A

t the time of this writing, we are 50some odd days into dealing with the worst oil spill in our nation’s history.

Hopefully, by the time you read this, real progress will have been made to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, contain what is already there, and clean up the aftermath. Sadly, sitting here in the middle of June, things do not look promising.

Being involved with, and interested in, transportation to the extent that I am, I know that industry is a tremendous consumer of petroleum based products. Indeed, the global demand for oil is what drives companies to drill for it. As that demand continues to increase, existing supplies have dwindled

for a variety of reasons, so the search for oil is moving to sites previously viewed as uneconomical to develop. To be honest, I don’t know that there is much we can do that will lessen our dependency in the near term.

Much of the work in vehicle and engine design seems to focus on refining technologies that have been around for decades with the goal being to gain a few additional milesper-gallon (mpg). To be sure, significant advances have been made. Look at the mileage routinely achieved by loaded over-the-road trucks 20 years ago (4-5 mpg), and you’ll note that the same types of vehicles today routinely achieve almost double that level.

Same with our POVs, especially when you

look at the performance achieved with minimal levels of pollution. But these incremental improvements do nothing to significantly reduce our demand for oil. We need much more research into engine technologies that rely on alternative fuels like hydrogen and electricity (preferably generated by coal), not only for small vehicles, but for large commercial ones as well. Clearly, transportation is only one user of petroleum-based products, but it is a large consumer and one in which we all have a vested interest.

Another issue this disaster has made public is the extraordinary amount of risk associated with finding and tapping into oil resources. As alluded to above, companies are increasingly searching in remote and hard to reach parts of the globe they never would have considered in the past. Once found, the cost of exploiting a site is astronomical continued on page 36

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August 2010

PRESIDENT’S CORNER A Global Presence LTG Ken Wykle, USA (Ret.) NDTA President

T

he NDTA Forum is fast approaching.

Visit our website, www.ndtahq.com/ HOTEL2010.htm, and make your reservation for the Forum. We have an outstanding lineup of speakers, professional sessions, networking opportunities, recognition events, and other activities. Our theme is “Outside the Beltway, Outside the Box.” Those of us in the greater Washington area often get captured by the politics of working inside the beltway and fail to focus on those actions occurring outside the beltway that make a difference to our government or industries. The intent of our upcoming NDTA Forum is to stimulate thought that is “outside the box”—new ideas, concepts, or processes.

When I travel outside the metropolitan area, I am continually reminded of the Global Reach of our Association and our industry members. We have a presence around the globe through our chapters and corporate members. It is through this global presence that we work to bind government and industry together in the pursuit of common interest. The NDTA European Region hosted a one-day workshop in the Netherlands on 2 June 2010. The theme was “Challenges to Distribution in Europe”—and there are many. The United States and other NATO allies are responsible for the national security of Europe and also engaged in the Partnership for Peace (PfP), Afghanistan, and in other locations. The organizational structure to execute these responsibilities is daunting. Simplistically, there are the NATO Nations, the European Union (EU), and the European Community (EC), which includes both NATO and non-NATO countries, and then many countries that are not members of either group. NATO forces are located in some of these countries, but not all—especially those who are not

members of the EU. To move forces and materiel within or across these nations requires patience, training, processes, standards, procedures, and personal relationships. These elements may be different for movements using organic military capability than for movements on commercial assets. Movements may involve a combination of organic military capability and commercial capability. This adds to the complexity of achieving efficient operations.

When we start to analyze these logistics and transportation networks, we begin to recognize their complexity and the global presence of our commercial industry members. United States and international corporate members operate around the globe on a daily basis. Major passenger airlines and “overnight integrators” have scheduled routes to 200+ countries, maritime companies call at ports around the world delivering cargo of all types, and then inland transportation and logistics networks using buses, trucks, and rail move the passengers and cargo to final destination. There are large networks of brokers, forwarders, agents, and others that “feed these networks” to ensure that passengers and cargo are moved efficiently and reach their final destination on schedule. To the point, global logistics and transportation providers are “forward deployed” now. They have established relationships and global networks supporting commercial customers with the capability to expand to meet increased requirements.

There is increasing political pressure in the United States and with our allies to reduce budget deficits. Attention is starting to focus on defense budgets and ways to reduce costs—manpower reductions, cancelling major weapons programs, nation to nation cooperative agreements,

pooling logistics/transportation/support assets. Governments and Defense Departments/Ministries of Defense (MODs) must recognize the existing commercial infrastructure and assets available and leverage these capabilities.

To all of our corporate and individual members, thank you for your commitment to the NDTA and for your contributions to your individual nation’s economy and our collective security. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Forum September 18-22, 2010. DTJ

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By Master Sgt. David Bennett, 367th MPAD, USD-S PAO

C

OB (Contingency Operating Base) BASRA – The song “The Army Goes Rolling Along,” remains the same.

Nowhere is that premise more evident than in Iraq where major commands, including United States DivisionSouth (USD-S), are spearheading a massive effort to ship excess equipment out of theater.

An integral piece of the complex operation—the largest since the buildup to World War II—is transporting millions of tons of gear that made up the US forces’ logistical lifeline during the past seven years. Now, as the September 1 deadline for the responsible drawdown of forces looms nearer, long convoys of vehicles, generators, radios, and thousands of other pieces of equipment continue to depart Iraq.

Lt. Col. Seth Sherwood, chief of logistics and sustainment operations for 1st Infantry Division, which commands USD-S and its nine provinces in southern Iraq, said the effort over the last few months has been an exercise in preparation, coordination and execution—literally from the ground up.

A main consideration early on, he said, was identifying which combat and supporting units are scheduled to leave this year and determining the logistical needs of those units coming to replace them. In fact, some will not be replaced.

Plans are to reduce US troop levels to 50,000 by the end of August, from about 96,000 currently. This summer, the military footprint in Iraq will shrink by 20 percent, requiring less equipment to support the remaining force.

“The first challenge was identifying what was excess.

What did units need to get rid of,” Sherwood said. “That took time, a lot of coordination with the units, going back and forth in deciding what equipment they were going to keep for their mission—and what the mission was going to look like September 1.”

Earlier this month, Undersecretary of Defense for Logistics Ashton Carter reported that collectively the military has

already transported more than 2 million pieces of equipment out of more than 350 operating bases in Iraq.

US Forces have distributed more than 30,000 pieces of equipment to Afghanistan since December 2009. The majority of the equipment redistributed is non-rolling stock such as communications equipment, life support items, and weapons.

Moving Parts Almost daily, Sgt. Nicholas Satriano, a transportation operator with the 2nd Heavy Transportation Company based in Fort Irwin, CA, oversees uploads (equipment picked up at a specific site) and downloads (equipment that is dropped off ).

Satriano’s unit works mainly with commercial transporters such as the Iraqi Transportation Network—a consortium of Iraqi trucking companies that move cargo across Iraq— that have been a critical part of convoy operations within theater. Comparably, the 2nd HET’s area of responsibility includes southern Iraq.

“It’s pretty steady for us,” Satriano said of the weekly treks to USD-S bases and beyond. “Our longest mission has been seven days, and that was going to Al Asad [Air Base, an airfield 100 miles west of Baghdad that once was part of Saddam Hussein’s military].”

Once a Sunni insurgent stronghold, Al Asad is just one of several logistical points that the 2nd Transportation Co. has supported while in Iraq.

Sherwood said the contractors such as the Iraqi Transportation Network are responsible for moving non-sensitive cargo. Typically, drivers move the cargo to such central points as Contingency Operating Base Adder near the city of An Nasiriyah, where it is first downloaded, then uploaded onto vehicles to be moved via other convoys to final receiving and shipping points, usually in Kuwait.

PHOTO: An overview of a staging yard at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, where equipment from Iraq, including United States Division-South, is being transported to be shipped to out either the United States or Afghanistan. (US Army photo)

www.ndtahq.com | 9

Convoys loaded with equipment sit on Contingency Operating Base Basra, headquarters of United States DivisionSouth. USD-S is coordinating the movement of excess equipment out of operating bases in southern Iraq as part of the responsible drawdown of forces in theater. (US Army photo by Master Sgt. David Bennett)

United States Division-South (USD-S) Contingency Operating Base (COB) Basra, Iraq

The 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas, is in command of the United States Division South, the Contingency Operating Base (COB) located in Basra, Iraq. Four separate brigades fall under this command: 3rd Brigade/3rd Infantry Division; 4th Brigade/1st Armor Division; 17th Fires Brigade; 12th Combat Aviation Brigade

3rd Brigade/3rd Infantry Division

This is the northern most Brigade of USD-S with forces in Karbala, Babil, Wasit, Diwaniyah, and An-Najaf Provinces. The brigade is dual-missioned: to enable the civil capacity efforts of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams from the US State Department and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and to advise and assist the Iraqi Security Forces to secure the population, defeat terrorists, and increase the capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces to be a regional security partner. Also, the brigade advises and assists Iraqi Police forces, the 8th Iraqi Army, and 3rd Brigade of the Department of Border Enforcement (DBE). The ancient holy cities of An-Najaf and Karbala, Al-Hilla, Al-Kut, and Ad-Diwaniyah fall within the brigade AOR; troop strength of the “Sledgehammer Brigade” is just under 4,000.

4th Brigade/1st Armor Division

This brigade is stationed in the central, southern region of Iraq with responsibility for Maysan, Dhi Qar, and Muthana Provinces. It too maintains the same dual mission noted above. Major cities in the region include Al-Amarah, An-Nasiriyah, and As-Samawah. The “Highlander Brigade” has approximately 4,000 troops in southern Iraq. The Brigade advises and assists Iraqi Police forces, the 10th Iraqi Army, and 4th Brigade of the Department of Border Enforcement (DBE).

17th Fires Brigade

The 17th Fires Brigade is stationed at COB Basra, the southernmost province in Iraq. The two primary areas of the province are the city of Basrah and the port of Umm-Qasr that leads to the Persian Gulf. There are approximately 2,100 members in “Task Force Thunderbolt.” Soldiers are based at Umm-Qasr Naval Base, Al Hyndiah, and Sa’ad, where they fill a tenancy status. The Brigade also has Soldiers at Wessam, Bucca, Minden, Safwan Hill, and the Basrah Operations Command (BaOC). The main mission is training, mentoring, advising, and assisting Iraqi Security Forces. The Brigade advises and assists Iraqi Police forces, the 14th Iraqi Army, and 4th Brigade of the Department of Border Enforcement (DBE).

12th Combat Aviation Brigade

The 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (TF 12) conducts full-spectrum aviation operations in USD-S to facilitate security of the population, civil capacity improvement, legitimate Parliamentary Elections, and the safe and orderly re-posturing of US Forces. The TF 12 area of responsibility mirrors USD-S due to the nature of the mission. It provides aviation assets to the Division, where and when those assets are needed. TF Griffin has approximately 2,000 Soldiers assigned, and they have missions and aircraft on six separate locations in the USD-S footprint.

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August 2010

Sensitive items and equipment, which are critical to US forces’ operations, are transported by military vehicles and protected by combat escort teams.

Once in Kuwait, the equipment is processed and its final destination is determined based on the Army’s needs. Cargo can be shipped back to a unit’s home station or can be redistributed to a deploying unit heading to Afghanistan. Afghanistan has received approximately 40 percent of the equipment shipped from USD-S thus far, Sherwood said.

Maj. Travis James, officer in charge of logistics for 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, based at Fort Bliss, Texas, said his job is somewhat easier because the BCT is co-located at COB Adder, central pick-up point in southern Iraq, but it has been work nevertheless.

“Four of our six Task Forces are located on Adder, therefore the majority of our equipment is driven to the turn-in location or transported there using nontactical vehicles,” said James, a native of Shellman, Georgia.“This process began for 4/1 AD in September 2009. To date, we have turned in more than 300 pieces of rolling stock, 500 pieces of non-rolling stock, and 600 containers.”

Throughout the process, the 1st Inf. Div. has been in daily communication with its supporting units including 4-1 Armored; 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Benning, Georgia; and 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, based in Ansbach, Germany.

Some 1,000 vehicles and 2,500 containers—from a total of 4,000 containers—have been shipped from USD-S in the last three months. Sherwood said they need to do more, as earlier as possible has been a goal from the onset.

“As the drawdown goes on, there will be less and less transportation assets to pick this stuff up and move it out, so we want to get ahead of that,” said the San Diego, California, native. “Also, we want to get rid of this equipment before the Soldiers go away.

And on top of that, we want to get rid of the equipment before it gets really hot.”

As a result, the retrograde numbers and tonnage that division logisticians monitor have steadily increased.

“When we first got here in January, we were moving out—total USD-S—15 to 20 vehicles a month,” Sherwood said. “Now, we’re moving, on average, 250 vehicles per

US Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Daniel Lefebvre provides security as a convoy passes through an entry control point in the Nawa district of the Helmand province of Afghanistan September 28, 2009. Lefebvre is assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, a combat element of Regimental Combat Team 3 that is deployed to conduct counterinsurgency operations in partnership with Afghan National Security Forces in southern Afghanistan.

(DOD photo by Lance Cpl. Phillip Elgie, US Marine Corps/Released)

month. We’ve moved out a total of 2,500 containers. That’s a pretty Herculean effort. It’s like going from zero to 60.”

Providing Assistance Army Maj. Joshua LaMotte, deputy of logistics and sustainment operations for USD-S, said that while containers serve a simple purpose, managing their location and movement can be a complex process.

At the conclusion of Desert Storm, huge stockpiles were sitting in holding areas of Kuwaiti ports that LaMotte described as “mountains of iron.” Systems for tracking containers and other equipment in theater have improved over the last 20 years, making the jobs of LaMotte and similar experts much easier.

“To take logistics seriously, to move it, to aid the commander, to clean up what you have brought in is important,” said LaMotte, who is from Burnsville, Minnesota. “Logistics is tough. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.”

To make his job easier, LaMotte’s staff relies on electronic tracking tools such as the Integrated Booking System/Container Management Module (IBS-CMM).

IBS-CMM allows logisticians to track containers on a digital database. Whenever containers are moved, logisticians can add or remove the identification numbers of the containers at an identifiable physical location. This process, LaMotte said, is called in-gating and out-gating. At its 12 |

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DRAWDOWN - Inventory Snap Shot ROLLING STOCK Utility Truck

128

MRAPs

120

Humvee

54

Light Tactical Vehicles

39

Flatrack

31

Cargo Truck w/Wynch

28

Trailers

26

Generator Sets

23

NON-ROLLING STOCK Computer Systems

1,422

Radio Navigation Equipment

499

Radar Equipment – Airborne

451

Communications Equipment

399

Personal Computers

313

Computer Monitors

288

Batteries

175

Binoculars

154

Telescopic Lens

132

best, IBS-CMM can provide tracking of each container’s location on the ground.

Mobile Redistribution Property Assistance Teams (MRPAT) expedite the turnin of all excess equipment to Kuwait. These mobile operations save time and money and optimize the use of vehicles on the road.

August 2010

“Instead of taking that equipment to Adder, the (Mobile) RPAT teams can take that property off your hands right then and there,” LaMotte said. “That’s a great expeditor. We don’t have to put more transportation assets on the road unnecessarily.”

Sherwood said even smaller supply teams, known as Mobile Redistribution Teams, travel to various units to assist in their stockpile of excess of equipment.

“We have taken what we call expeditors, and these are teams that go around and help the units identify the equipment. Because we have been here so long, after seven years, there is a buildup of equipment that no one knows what it really is. They identify it, pack it, put in a container, and help ship it out. I think that takes a little bit of the burden off the units.”

Among various materials, ammunition is counted as well. USD-S in March identified that excess ammunition in its area of operation numbered more than 630,000. The objective, LaMotte said, is to get that number down to zero by August 2010. The excess ammunition is either shipped to Kuwait, where it is stored, transported to Afghanistan, or demilitarized if deemed unserviceable.

While convoys are a force multiplier on the ground, USD-S hopes to use airspace more to accomplish supply missions as ground vehicles are committed to the drawdown.

“Our goal is to increase the use of C130s to move supplies around to different areas,” Sherwood said. “Again as we lose military transportation assets, you want to use those aircraft more.”

LaMotte said this is a revolutionary time in Iraq following the country’s national elections conducted March 7. In a way, USD-S is leaving its own distinctive mark—albeit one that grows smaller every day.

“It’s a proud moment in history. This is one of the biggest things we’ve undertaken,” LaMotte said. “I think back to something a football captain once quoted in a locker room speech that ‘success is a journey not a destination.’” DTJ Contact the United States DivisionSouth Public Affairs at USD-S_PAO@ iraq.centcom.mil or by phone at (Iraqna) 0790-194-2865 or 770-263-9379.

For more USDS news, visit our website: www.dangerforward.us.

Bennett International Group LLC is honored to serve you, our customer, the WARFIGHTER. Our Government Services division stands ready to meet your specific transportation and logistical needs. Our mission is to provide quality service, industry experts, and a responsive fleet to get the job done. Choose the company others have trusted for over 35 years. Choose Bennett, a company honored to serve.

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FORUM SCHEDULE Sunday, September 19

Subject to change

n

Surface Transportation Committee Meeting Council of Regional Presidents Luncheon n Chapter Presidents, State Presidents, Members Workshop n Young Professionals Meet and Greet n

Sunday, September 19 n

Golf Tournament, Hosted by Delta Air Lines Team NDTA 5K Fun Run/Walk n NDTA Scholarship Event n Hosted by YRC Worldwide n

Monday, September 20

n A-35 Breakfast & Networking Breakfast n

Forum Opening Ceremony & Chapter Awards

n Keynote Speakers

n NDTA Military Unit Awards Ceremony

Hosted by The Transportation Institute n Exhibit Hall Grand Opening Hosted by Maersk Line, Limited n Professional Dialogue Sessions n Pass. Travel Services Committee Meeting n NDTA Scholarship Event, Hosted by FedEx

Tuesday, September 21 n

Thinking OUTSIDE the Box is not easy. It requires moving beyond the comfort zone to explore solutions or consider options. It also requires a large measure of boldness and creativity.

Admiral Heinrich and Alex Wakefield, our Forum Moderators, invite you to join the Professional Program. Participants will share thoughts on the Global Supply Chain and Defense Transportation System.

Forum Headliners

PROFESSIONAL SESSIONS

General Duncan J. McNabb, USAF Commander, US Transportation Command

Monday

Major General Gary T. McCoy, USAF Commander, USAF Global Logistics Support Cntr.

Charles “Wick” Moorman CEO / President, Norfolk Southern Greg Mortenson Author, and Founder, Central Asia Institute John D. Porcari Deputy Secretary of Transportation

Roundtable Discussion Leader “Global Challenges & Issues” LTG Kathleen M. Gainey, USA Director for Logistics, J4, The Joint Chiefs Staff

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•

•

Going Green! Greening the Supply Chain – Robert St. Thomas, IBM Northern Distribution Network Operations – LTG Robert Dail, USA (Ret.), Supreme Group • Emergency Logistics—Haiti – COL Kevin Kachinski, USA, USTRANSCOM • Leadership Lessons for Young Professionals – VADM David L. Brewer III, USN (Ret), The Brewer Leadership Group, LLC • Educating the Next Generation of Strategic Logisticians – Maj. Gen. James A. Hawkins, USAF (Ret.), Center for Joint and Strategic Logistics

2 Exhibit Periods—Early Period with Networking Breakfast n Keynote Speakers n Professional Dialogue Sessions n Chairman’s Awards Reception, Hosted by APL n Chairman’s Awards Dinner

Wednesday, September 22 n Networking Breakfast n Keynote Speakers n Roundtable

n NDTA Board of Directors & General

Membership Meeting International Awards Luncheon n Exhibitor Grand Prize Drawing n Military Airlift Committee Meeting n Monuments by Moonlight Tour n

Tuesday

• DOD Supply Chain Integration and Strategic Distribution – Redding Hobby, DLA • Future Air Transport Technologies – LtGen Charles H. Coolidge, Jr., USAF (Ret.), EADS North America • Logistics in the Next Decade—A New Way of Thinking – RADM (Ret) Michael S. Roesner, USN, IBM • Young Professionals in Action – CPT Brian Young, USA, 837th Trans Bn, SDDC • Intermodal HAZMAT Shipments Made EZ – Pia Jala, Labelmaster Software • Young Leader Mentoring & Educational Session – Lori Leffler, The Hertz Corporation

JUST IN...Tuesday Session | US Bank Freight Payment: What you need to know (US Bank)

August 2010

NDTA Awards 2010 National Transportation Award

Military Unit of the Year Award

Charles “Wick” Moorman President & CEO, Norfolk Southern

51st Transportation Company USA Active Component

NDTA DOD Distinguished Service Award

114th Transportation Company (Medium TRK – Palletized Load System) USA National Guard

Major General James L. Hodge, USA

NDTA President’s Awards Dr. Joseph Mattingly, PhD Washington, DC, Chapter Kurt Lengert, Rheinland-Pfalz Chapter

International Chapter of the Year Category II | San Joaquin Chapter Category III | Scott-St. Louis Chapter

A-35 Chapter of the Year Category II | San Antonio Chapter Category III | Washington, DC, Chapter

Junior Executive Leadership Award (Civilian) Eric Mallette, Washington, DC, Chapter

Junior Executive Leadership Award (Military) TSgt Robert Karnes, USAF Scott-St. Louis Chapter

Distinguished Service Award MAJ Jeremy Baran, USAR Rheinland-Pfalz Chapter COL Rick Barnaby, USA (Ret.) Washington, DC, Chapter Myra Bergman, Scott-St. Louis Chapter Joy Borja, Washington, DC, Chapter David Brown, Valley of the Sun Chapter Michael A. Carnes, Scott-St. Louis Chapter Richard S. Cobb, Scott-St. Louis Chapter Ben Cross, Tampa Bay Chapter Grant Davis, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Stephanie Dobbert, Rheinland-Pfalz Chapter Daniel Harrier, Scott-St. Louis Chapter Campbell “Scott” Hood, Tampa Bay Chapter Keith Huppert, San Joaquin Valley Chapter Kirstin Knott, Washington, DC, Chapter Michelle Sabin, Scott-St. Louis Chapter MSgt Mario Saenz, USAF Rheinland-Pfalz Chapter Brad Schuster, Scott-St. Louis Chapter Ivalyn Turner, Atlanta Chapter Laura V. Yarbrough San Francisco Bay Area Chapter

Combat Logistics Battalion 6 (CLB 6) USMC Active Component 4th Landing Support Battalion USMC Reserve Component Navy Cargo Handling Battalion One (NCHB 1) USN Active Component Navy Cargo Handling Battalion Three (NCHB 3) USN Reserve Component 436th Aerial Port Squadron USAF Active Component 193rd Logistics Readiness Squadron USAF National Guard US Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point

NDTA Corporate Distinguished Awards American Military University APL, Limited ASL Avis Budget Group Baggett Transportation Company Bennett Motor Express, LLC The Boeing Company Boyle Transportation DB Schenker Delta Air Lines DHL Global Forwarding FedEx Greatwide Truckload Management The Hertz Company IBM InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Labelmaster Software Landstar System Lockheed Martin Maersk Line, Limited National Air Cargo Panther Expedited Services, Inc. The Pasha Group RAITH-CTS Logistics R&R Trucking Savi, a Lockheed Martin Company Southwest Airlines Transportation Institute UPS YRC Worldwide

NDTA Academic Scholarship Awardees Scholarship Program A Jonathan Beltran University of Maryland Mitchell Challacombe University of Maryland Dale Eshbach Pennsylvania State University Jason Hershman University of Maryland Ted Johnson University of Oklahoma Rahguv Murali University of Maryland Tybur Reed California Maritime Academy Allison Schulz University of Maryland Casey Siegert Ohio State University Stephany Tong University of Maryland Scholarship Program B | High School Jonathan Altizer Johnson H.S., San Antonio, TX Olivia Atkinson Westminster Christian Academy, St. Louis, MO Matthew Barnum Escalon H.S., Escalon, CA Danielle Braswell Wetumpka H.S., Wetumpka, AL Brittney Durbin Mascoutah Community H.S., Mascoutah, IL Veronica Escalona Bruton H.S., Williamsburg, VA Margaret McGuire Bloomingdale H.S., Valrico, FL Britton Wilson North Pemiscot H.S., Wardell, MO Scholarship Program B | College Laura Fielden University of South Carolina Caitlin Petrucelli Sonoma State University Beth Winkeler Saint Louis University

www.ndtahq.com | 15

official Forum hotel Reservations: 301-965-4000 The 2010 NDTA Forum Registration Package includes: • All Social & NDTA Scholarship Fundraising Events • Exhibit Hall Attendance • Keynote Presentation, Professional Sessions, Roundtable Attendance • All Food Events & the Chairman’s Awards Banquet

guest tours OUTSIDE DC

Mount Vernon |

sive and symbolically important buildings in the world. It has housed the meeting chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives for almost two centuries. Begun in 1793, the Capitol has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored; today, it stands as a monument not only to its builders but also to the American people and their government.

9/20 (Mon)

Tour the estate of George and Martha Washington, accompanied by a “Through My Eyes” period character. Visit the Donald W. Reynolds Museum & Education Center.

Private lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn. Mount Vernon, the most popular historic estate in America, includes 20 structures and 50 acres of gardens as they existed in 1799. The estate also includes a museum, the tombs of George and Martha Washington, Washington’s greenhouse, an outdoor exhibit devoted to American agriculture as practiced

by Washington, the nation’s most important memorial to the accomplishments of 18thcentury slaves, and a collection that features numerous decorative and domestic artifacts.

INSIDE DC

Your Choice | n

9/21 (Tue) US Capitol Building

The tour begins in the new Capitol Visitors Center, followed by a guided walk through the hallowed halls to the Capitol Rotunda, National Statuary Hall, and the Capitol Crypt. Exhibits chronicle the History of the US Capitol and Congress. Lunch included.

The United States Capitol in Washington, DC, is among the most architecturally impres-

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n

Library of Congress

Explore the oldest federal cultural institution in the US and the largest library in the world from the Great Hall and a visit to Special Exhibitions. Lunch included.

The Library of Congress was established by an act of Congress in 1800 when President John Adams signed a bill providing for the transfer of the seat of government from Philadelphia to the new capital city of Washington. The legislation described a reference library for Congress only, containing “such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress, and for putting up a suitable apartment for containing them therein . . .” The original library was housed in the new Capitol until August 1814, when invading British troops set fire to the Capitol Building, burning and pillaging the contents of the small library. Within a month, retired President Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library as a replacement. When the Library of Congress building opened its doors to the public on November 1, 1897, it was hailed as a glorious national monument and “the largest, the costliest, and the safest” library building in the world.

August 2010

optional tours DC Highlights |

9/19 (Sun) Guided tour of most popular sites. Stops at Jefferson, Lincoln, Vietnam, & Iwo Jima Memorials

Monuments by Moonlight |

9/22 (Wed) Guided tour of illuminated National Monuments—sights to remember forever.

Tours & Transportation offered at additional charge. Limited capacity.

Reservation required.

• Ferry to Old Town Alexandria and transport to Washington, DC, is available • Shuttle Service from the Gaylord to Washington, DC, for DIY sight seeing • Water Taxi Service from the Gaylord to Old Town Alexandria for DIY sight seeing Shuttle and Water Taxi Service must be arranged through the Gaylord Hotel. Charges will be applied.

forum golf Lake Presidential Golf Club |

9/19 (Sun)

A sparkling 30-acre lake is the setting for one of the best course designs ever by Landmark Land Design. In fact, the The course has already hosted the MSGA State Open Qualifier as well as several Pro-Ams, and is slated for a new MSGA Club Team Championship in August of 2010 and the MSGA Women’s Amateur Championship in July 2011.

Recognitions for Lake Presidential since its opening have included: •

•

•

“Top 10 New Courses in the US” —Golf Magazine 2009 #2 “Course You Can Play” in MD —GolfWeek 2010 The Golf For Business Destination in DC —Golf Magazine 2009

The handsome 11,000-square-foot clubhouse is spacious and accommodating, hosting both women’s and men’s locker rooms, a full service Grille and Bar, a private conference room, as well as banquet and event space for more than 200 guests. The pro shop not only serves the golfer’s needs, but also is an outfitter of several corporations for company apparel and accessories.

NDTA Forum sneak peak Few of us will ever venture the Karakoram Highway (KKH), which at its highest elevation reaches more than 15,000 feet. But we do have the chance to meet Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, who forged his way along this route to deliver timber, tools, and other supplies to build a school. Mortenson is our Forum celebrity speaker, and will share his remarkable journey with attendees on Tuesday, September 21, at the NDTA 64th Annual Forum & Exposition. His story is one you won’t want to miss!

The Amazing Karakoram Highway to Heaven

Taking cue from the ancient Silk Road that traversed an amazing distance of more than 5000 miles through high altitude passes, dry inhabitable deserts, picturesque snowbound lakes, and mountain caves connecting China with Asia Minor and Southern Asia, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) is an amazing feat of human endurance and achievement.

Today, it links China’s Xinjang region with northern Pakistan’s Abbotabad district.

It is the highest paved international road in the world across the Karakoram range of mountains going through the Khunjerab Pass at an altitude of 15,397 feet; it is also the highest paved International Border Crossing. Yet another amazing feature of this fantastic highway is that it cuts through the collision zone between Asia and the Indian sub-continent where China, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India come within 155 miles of each other. In terms of strategic and military importance, KKH is noteworthy.

The Karakoram Highway, also known as the Friendship Highway in China, was built by the governments of Pakistan and China—an engineering feat that took 20 years and cost hundreds of lives. More than 800 Pakistani and more than 50 Chinese road-building workmen perished mostly due to landslides and high altitude sickness. Inaugurated in 1982, but not fully opened to foreigners until four years later, the highway follows the most treacherous parts of the old Silk Road described as “an 800-mile track of dirt, broken asphalt, and unstable macadam.” It begins in the Chinese city of Kashgar, passes through Tashkurghan, and continues south into Pakistan, winding its way down through mountains of pristine isolation and beauty, and ends in the hectic lowland cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Not all parts of this “super highway” are motorcar worthy because a large section,

the one that runs through Afghanistan, is merely a cattle-track. In some sections, the Karakoram Highway follows the Indus River to mirror its narrow and winding course, with a steep drop to the river.

On June 30, 2006, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Pakistan Highway Administration and China’s StateOwned Assets Supervision (SASAC) to rebuild and upgrade the KKH. “The width of the highway,” according to SASAC, “will be expanded from 10 meters to 30 meters, and its transport capacity will be increased three times. Also, the upgraded road will be constructed to particularly accommodate heavy-laden vehicles and extreme weather conditions.”

Some parallels may be made between the Karakoram Highway to the Northern Distribution Network (NDN), well known to NDTA members who help facilitate the movement of provisions to our troops in Afghanistan.

Greg Mortenson, scheduled as our celebrity speaker at the NDTA Forum, traveled from Rawalpindi to Skardu on the Karakoram Highway. His mission was to haul supplies needed to construct a school. As he made his way along the treacherous highway, he quickly realized how perilous the region really is, noting “martyr monuments” marking deaths that occurred during the highway construction. Even though he witnessed an armed conflict, Mortenson believed that the danger of driving accidents was much greater than the potential dangers of terrorism.

Resources Asian Current; January 21, 2007 “On Top of the World” The Atlantic Monthly; Jeffrey Tayler; March 1999

Since 2pm on January 4, 2010, the KKH has been closed in the Hunza Valley, eliminating through traffic to China except by small boat. A massive landslide 15 km upstream from Hunza’s capital of Karimabad created the potentially unstable Attabad Lake, which reached 22 km in length and more than 100 meters in depth by the first week of June 2010 when it finally began flowing over the landslide dam. The lake displaced thousands and inundated more than 20 km of the KKH including the 310 m long KKH bridge 4 km south of Gulmit.

“History of Karakoram Highway, Vol I & Vol II” by Brigadier Muhammad Mumtaz Khalid discusses the land and the people, the pre-historic communication system in the Northern Areas, the need for having an all weather road link with Gilgit, and the construction of Indus Valley Road (Vol I); and events leading to conversion of Indus Valley Road to Karakoram Highway, the difficulties in its construction, and the role of Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers and the Chinese in its construction (Vol II).

forum 5K Fun Run/Walk Together Everyone Achieves More Kick off your Washington Forum experience with a run (or walk) around the National Harbor! Join Team NDTA on the Forum 5K Fun Run/Walk on Sunday, September 19. The Fun Run / Walk registration fee includes a special Team NDTA performance shirt. Since we hope to make this an annual Forum event, this can be the start of your own collection of Team NDTA shirts! Whether running, jogging, skipping, or even crawling across the finish line,

everyone is welcome. Proceeds will benefit the NDTA Scholarship Fund.

Register for the Forum and the 5K at www.ndtahq.com/2010Registration.htm Or, buy a shirt online at the NDTA Store at http://ndta.passportintl.com/. Even if you can’t make it to Washington, DC, for the Forum, you can be with us in spirit when you work out wearing a Team NDTA short sleeve performance t-shirt. www.ndtahq.com | 17

Returning Veterans to the Job Market

by Chuck Bolduc and Bob Reilly Gov Pro Alliance LLC is a consulting company Headquartered in Maryland | www.govproalliance.com

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive how the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation” — George Washington November 10, 1781

U

pon return to the civilian workplace, the veteran Warfighter historically has been received in various degrees of acceptance, many times dependent on the outcome of the conflict to which they were associated. World War II veterans were greeted by ticker-tape parades, but silence surrounded the return of the Korean conflict veterans. The Vietnam conflict was extremely unpopular and the returning veterans were sometimes harshly treated by many of their peers, media coverage, and general public opinion. Today there are many “support our troops” activities for veterans of Desert Storm and current Mid-East war activities. Americans realize that regardless of their feelings toward the war, it is important to support our troops. Transitioning back to society after spending time in a war zone can be a truly difficult process for our troops. An important part of the transition is finding a job. Our current unstable economy and the reduced job postings have made finding gainful employment elusive at best.

Some veterans who left good jobs to enlist or who were activated are covered by the Uniform Services Employment and 18 |

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Re-employment Rights Act. USERRA protects the job rights of individuals who volunteered or involuntarily leave employment positions to undertake military service or certain types of service in the National Disaster Medical system.1 This act does not, however, prevent companies from reducing the size of their organization, shutting down, or moving to another state or country. Additionally, promotion opportunities may be missed that can sometimes never be recovered. For others, translating skills developed in military occupations to a civilian position can be an awesome challenge; however, help is available to our returning veterans.

Companies want to employ veterans The qualities stressed by the military— integrity, leadership, and accountability— are similar to those that civilian employers desire in their employees. Many military skill sets transition easily to civilian employment. Other skill sets, however, are very specific and targeted to a specialized job market. For example, analysts and linguists with security clearances are desired

August 2010

by both the defense and intelligence communities. Many companies recognize that veterans can make vital contributions to their organizations and have taken positive actions to hire them. The magazine GI Jobs published a listing of the 2010 top 100 Military Friendly Employers.2 George Chavel, the chief executive officer of Sodexo, Inc., one of the companies on the top 100 list, stated “Sodexo focuses on hiring, supporting and retaining military veterans and reservists because their leadership skills, initiative, and integrity reflect our core values.”3 Although veterans want to work and employers want to hire veterans, it is sometimes difficult for the veterans and employers to find each other.

Support mechanisms There are many support mechanisms that connect veterans of America’s armed forces with employers who value their experience and skills and offer career building opportunities. Organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) offer veterans assistance in social adjustments, social networking, as well as hiring and educational opportunities. Additionally, specific job

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websites and employment agencies specialize in assisting veterans to transition to civilian life and obtain gainful employment by helping with resume writing, interviewing assistance, education, and job availability.

Steps to employment The US Department of Labor’s “Hire Vets First” website http://hirevetsfirst.dol.gov/

is an excellent first step for the transitioning veteran. It is a comprehensive career website that provides the necessary information a veteran needs to begin the transitioning process. The veteran can identify a conveniently located One-Stop Career Center and work with an employment specialist on resume writing, interviewing skills, job placement, and a host of other

services including services for the injured veteran. The website also links to a database that matches Military Occupation Classifications (MOC) to similar occupations in the civilian workforce. States and local governments implement the Hire Vets First program and normally provide specific information and assistance for transitioning veterans. For example, the

Employment Resources for Veterans Editor’s Note: NDTA Corporate Members provide opportunities for veteran hire. They recognize and value the traits associated with military service men and women. Check the NDTA Career Center at: www.ndtahq.com/benefits_career_center.htm Finding employment at any stage of your life can be difficult. If you are a veteran, the resources below are aimed to help build resumes, write cover letters, and aid in securing employment in the work force today.

• Veteran’s Employment and Training Services—The US Department of Labor provides veterans with the resources they need to transition into the general work force. www.dol.gov/vets/ • Ultimate Job Search—The University of Colorado has put together a program to help Military transition personnel search for jobs. The program takes you through 5 steps, including the initial job search, job searching techniques, writing resumes, the interview processes, and successful tips on the job. nlc.cudenver.edu/ujs/Index.htm • VetJobs.com—This employment search engine is strictly for Veterans. From the National Guard to the Reserve Component Members, this website has job postings, resume postings, and other helpful employment tips. www.vetjobs.com/ • Veteran Employment—Another Veterans-only employment search website. Includes resources such as salary calculator and mentor network. www.veteranemployment.com/ • Hire Vets First—This governmental organization aims to have Veterans hired first when employment opportunities arise. hirevetsfirst.dol.gov/ • Transition Assistance Program—This website is full of transitional resources to help with the military to civilian transition. www.turbotap.org/register.tpp • Work At Home Opportunities—Complete resource providing free Work at Home jobs, home business ideas, articles, and companies that hire workers. www.workathomecareers. com/workathomejobs/ • Army Reserve Employment—The Army has teamed up with large employment agencies to help get Veterans and other Military personnel civilian jobs once they are done serving the country. www.usar.army.mil/arweb/pages/default.aspx • Military and Veteran Career Center—This career building website offers a resume center, job hunting tips, and a career fairs listing for Veterans and Military personnel. www.military. com/Careers/Home/ • Helmets to Hardhats—This website is specific to the construction industry. It helps Veterans who are interested in construction get jobs. www.helmetstohardhats.org/

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August 2010

• Veterans Business Outreach—This organization aids in business development for Veteran owned and operated small businesses. www.vboc-ca.org/ • Navy League—This hiring center is another organization that provides information and aid to transitioning Veterans. www.navyleague.info/ • Hire a Patriot—This job board is for both employers and job seekers. It also provides resume writing help. hirepatriots.com • Veteran Work Source Center—This website provides job listings, resume and application assistance, and the use of technology equipment, such as fax machines and copiers, to aid Veterans in acquiring employment. www.esd.wa.gov/ findajob/specialprograms/veterans-services.php • US Department of Veterans Affairs—This governmental website offers a great selection of resources for Veterans including counseling, expert advice, an inside look at the job market, and more. www.vetsuccess.gov/ • Skill Matching Website—Fill out this questionnaire, and get a better idea of what job field would best suit you. online.onetcenter.org/skills/ • Veteran Resources—Choose the type of Veteran category you fit in and find information on employment resources, training, and education benefits for your field. www.nvti.ucdenver.edu/home/homePage.htm • Veteran Employment Resources—This website provides a huge list of resources for Veterans who have served in all fields. From the National Guard to the Military, there are career building resources for you. www.vec.virginia.gov/ vecportal/veteran//veteransvcs.cfm • Disabled Veterans—This governmental website focuses on Veterans with disabilities. Find out the employment benefits you can receive. www.disability.gov/employment • Veteran Employment Resources—Yahoo! Directory resources for Veteran employment services. dir.yahoo.com/ Government/U_S__Government/Military/Veterans/Employment_Resources/ • Information on Veteran Employment—A great list of need-to-know information for Veterans seeking employment.

From salary guides to resume and cover letter writing, this website has great tips. www.rileyguide.com/vets.html

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www.arrcnet.com Tel: (201) 307-1626 Our Fleet: FREEDOM · RESOLVE · HONOR · LIBERTY · COURAGE · INTEGRITY · PATRIOT · INDEPENDENCE II

Maryland Workforce Exchange lists current job openings in Maryland communities for veterans. [NOTE: see chart on page 20 for full listing of helpful sites] Placement Firms In addition to federal, state, and local governments, veterans can find helpful information on the internet regarding companies, staffed by both former military and civilian personnel, who assist in making the transition from military to the civilian workforce. The companies provide assistance in identifying job opportunities and upcoming job fairs, how to prepare for interviews, and other pertinent information.

Effective Resume Some veterans find it difficult to translate their military experiences, skills, and education into civilian job requirements. A resume is usually the first item a potential employer sees regarding the applicant. It is normally used to screen applicants who will be interviewed, so it is very important that it be a good representation of why the applicant is a good fit for the position. As a result, some veterans are using the services of a professional certified military resume writer (CMRW) who will prepare a resume that effectively markets their experience and qualifications.

Job fairs Job fairs are planned by many organizations and companies specifically targeting veterans for civilian careers, defense and intelligence contracting jobs, new business and franchise ownership, training, and much more. State and local sponsored community job fairs normally have representatives on site to assist veterans.

Additionally, many of the job fairs are conducted at military installations nationwide where defense contractors are invited to participate. Job fairs provide an excellent opportunity for veterans to get hired, to gain experience in interacting with potential employers and practice interviewing techniques, as well as to network. There are several websites that provide information on upcoming job fairs

for all veterans and for veterans currently holding security clearances including: • http://hirevetsfirst.dol.gov/ • www.moaa.org/serv_career_fair_2008_ info/default.htm#ATTEND • www.taonline.com/MilitaryJobfairs • www.TechExpoUSA.com Education leads to employment. Some veterans may decide that the job market does not suit them. An alternative is to ride out the recession, change career paths, or gain additional skills by going back to school under the Post-9/11 GI-Bill.4 There are many educational institutions currently offering degrees and certificates needed by today’s military and veteran students to gain

entrance into the work force. These courses are designed to be flexible and convenient to fit their demanding schedule. For example, the University of Maryland has set up a Veterans Program Office to help transitioning veterans “pursue their academic and personal goals, explore different learning experiences, and be involved in campus life.” Other states have similar programs.

Clearly, our veterans and their proven performance in the job market have been a true American asset, not only to their communities but also to the success of our overall economy. As front line US representatives to many emerging nations, they are the lifeblood of freedom and its protectors at home and abroad. We can be proud of our commitment to our veterans. DTJ

1 USERRA informational poster developed by the US Department of Labor (http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/USERRA_Federal.pdf) 2 See http://www.gijobs.com/uploadedFiles/site_components/2010_Top100_Military_Friendly_Employers.pdf 3 http://www.sodexousa.com/usen/newsroom/press/press09/militaryfriendlyemployer.asp 4 A summary of the Bill is at http://www.gibill.va.gov/post-911/post-911-gi-bill-summary/

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August 2010

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PASSENGER T RAVEL OUTLO O K

O

ver the years, NDTA Passenger Travel Services Committee (PTSC) has been active to help bridge the chasm between the government and the travel industry. PTSC is continuously seeking new ways to facilitate and educate participants with relevant facts that would lead to the resolution of issues affecting all parties, especially the government travelers. Since the global recession has affected all segments involved, the burning questions remain: when will the recovery begin? How can we maximize profitability during the recovery?

Back in mid-2009, Euromonitor International anticipated that the global downturn would lead the travel and tourism industry to shrink in 2009. They also forecasted that worldwide travel and tourism would return to growth in 2010. The worldwide travel and tourism industry was expected to grow by more than 4 percent in 2009; however, travel and tourism actually shrank, with hotels and air travel particularly suffering.

Despite the fact that most experts view 2010 as the recovery year, the view is not without skepticism. With the accelerating pace of the global recovery bringing a renewed surge in demand for air travel, it is believed by at least one source that the world’s airlines would report a combined profit of $2.5 billion this year, a substantial improvement from the steep losses of the previous two years. As the air traffic is 24 |

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This May Be Your Chance to Seize Opportunity

By Dr. G.R. (“Rocky”) Mobaraki, MBA, PhD Director, Global Government & Strategic Programs The Hertz Corporation growing apace with economic growth in most regions, the weakness of the recovery in Europe, combined with a weaker Euro and the disruptions caused by the eruption of the volcano in Iceland this spring, will leave European carriers unprofitable until at least 2011.

The International Air Transport Association, an industry group based in Geneva, had been forecasting a 2010 global loss of $2.8 billion as recently as March, after a $9.9 billion loss in 2009. The industry had a collective loss of $16 billion in 2008 and was last profitable in 2007, when it reported earnings of $12.9 billion.

“The global economy is recovering from the depths of the financial crisis much more quickly than could have been anticipated,” said Giovanni Bisignani, the association’s director general and chief executive. With demand for tickets growing almost twice as fast as the number of

August 2010

available seats, fares are increasing significantly, the association said.

As manufacturers have begun to rebuild inventories, freight traffic is also rising: cargo activity rose at an annualized rate of 26 percent in the first quarter.

As a result, airline revenue is expected to climb almost 13 percent in 2010, to $545 billion, from $483 billion in 2009.

That would be slightly below the $564 billion in revenue in 2008.

While carriers in North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East were all expected to return to profit, the air transport group warned that net profit margins would remain very thin, at 0.5 percent.

Airlines in Europe, which represent a major part of the world’s air traffic, continue to struggle, plagued by a stagnating economy, labor unrest, natural disasters, and a weakening Euro.

Accordingly, the European carriers are expected to lose about $2.8 billion in 2010. This is less than the $4.3 billion in losses last year, but more than the $2.2 billion originally forecasted back in March.

That forecast came before the volcanic ash cloud that drifted over the Continent led to more than 100,000 flight cancellations in April and May, resulting in an estimated $1.8 billion in lost revenue.

The association also reported that passenger traffic this year was expected to grow 7.1 percent in comparison to the March growth forecast of 5.6 percent, and cargo traffic would expand 18.5 percent in comparison to the March forecast of 12 percent.

On another report, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reversed its 2010 air industry forecast to a $2.5 billion global profit from the $2.8 billion loss it had projected in March. IATA cited a recovering global economy that has generated a “strong” rebound in overall traffic to “pre-recession levels” and a “sharp” increase in business travel. “Despite earlier fears that the financial crisis would result in a structural change to the premium market, it now appears to be recovering cyclically in many regions—alongside improvements in global trade,” according to IATA. “World trade is still rising sharply, and surveys show that business confidence, outside Europe, has regained pre-recession levels.” The group expects the airline sector in all regions to post overall net profits, except Europe, where it predicted a $2.8 billion loss.

Furthermore, in its January 2010 World Economic Outlook, the IMF calls for an upward revision of ¾ percentage point in world economic output, and states: “In most advanced economies, the recovery is expected to remain sluggish by past standards, whereas in many emerging and developing economies, activity is expected to be relatively vigorous, largely driven by buoyant internal demand.” In its March 2010 Financial Forecast, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also alludes to a two-speed recovery, noting that “airline markets rose strongly at the end of last year and early in 2010, but growth remains concentrated in the emerging

markets of Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.”

On the car rental front, following the recall of more than 8 million Toyota vehicles in late January, the four largest rental operators in North America all announced that they would stop renting Toyota vehicles that could be affected by sticky ac-

The rental car industry is a latecomer to the practice of assessing no-show fees, at least in the US. celerator pedals. Roughly 8 percent of the North American rental car fleet overall, or about 104,000 vehicles was pulled out of service to address the recall. The recall may have had a particular impact on companies seeking to integrate a “green” element in their rental car program because the Toyota Prius was temporarily pulled off the shelf from car rental lots.

On another note, Advito’s 2010 forecast called for corporations to prepare for a potential increase in ancillary revenues and penalty charges. The recent developments by some car rental companies make that scenario a potential reality. The practice of penalizing no-shows in Europe began gaining ground in 2009. This may pave the way for car rental companies to assess a no-show fee to travelers who fail to cancel their rental car reservation with sufficient notice elsewhere in the globe.

The rental car industry is a latecomer to the practice of assessing no-show fees, at least in the US. Unlike the car rental industry, in the hotel industry travelers have been accustomed to providing credit card numbers to guarantee reservations and are prepared to pay a penalty fee if they do not cancel their booking in advance. In regards to the hotel industry, the outlook for 2010 will remain firmly a buyer’s market for corporate hotel programs. Economic recovery continues to be gradual in many key markets, especially in advanced economies, and hotels are increasing their supply through the completion of

building projects commissioned during the boom years.

The US hotel industry is projected to end 2010 with increases in two of the three key performance measurements, according to STR (Smith Travel Research) monthly forecast update. STR projects 2010 occupancy to increase 3.6 percent to 56.7 percent, ADR (Average Daily Room Rate) is expected to end the year virtually flat with a 0.6-percent decrease to US $97.26, and revenue per available room is forecast to rise 3.0 percent to US $55.13. Mark Lomanno, president of STR, said the industry’s recovery will be driven by upper-end hotels. “The luxury chains are going to be by far the best performing of the chain scales in 2010 in terms of Rev PAR (Revenue Per Available Room) growth—but of course they had the farthest to come,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be a luxury/ upper upscale-led recovery, which is a textbook recovery. That’s important for the industry to regain pricing power across the board.” Supply is expected to grow 2.0 percent during 2010 and demand is projected to increase 5.7 percent. Lomanno said the surprising increases in demand continue to be an upside for hotels, while ADR continues to lag. “Demand is improving; ADR is not,” Lomanno said. “That means there is an extremely fragile recovery. With occupancy being the driver, that’s the most tenuous of recoveries to have.”

So, how can we maximize profitability during the recovery? By properly channeling facts, data, and analysis into innovative ideas. But, other questions remain that do not have easy answers . . .

• Are we headed to full recovery?

• Is a double recession ahead of us?

• What about . . .

– the job market?

– unemployment?

– consumer confidence?

Assumptions • The price of oil per barrel will be within the range of US $70 and US $85 over a three-month period in 2010; • World economic output will expand by about 3 percent in 2010 with a sluggish but sustained growth; and www.ndtahq.com | 25

• Impact of the long-term structural reduction of travel intensity for most sectors will be insignificant in 2010 (ie, organizations will not further reduce their number of trips in relation to their business volume).

Sources The following sources have been used as

parameter input to the trend analysis and forecasting: • International Air Transport Association (IATA) for airline capacity and traffic; • International Monetary Fund (IMF) for macro-economic predictions and oil price; • Lodging Econometrics for hotel con-

Passenger Travel Services Committee

Government Travel Programs & Updates AIRLINE Subcommittee Chair: Denny Clifford, Director Manager, Military & Government Sales, Delta Airlines The airlines have been through a lot over the last decade: 9/11, other terrorist attacks or attempted attacks, the SARS epidemic, bird flu outbreaks, mergers, record fuel prices, and, most recently, the worldwide economic recession. But no one, other than experts in the field, could have predicted the turmoil caused by the recent eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland. All airlines flying transAtlantic flights, particularly those to or from northern Europe, experienced major disruptions. Thousands of passengers were stranded in various airports for days until the eruption subsided or the winds shifted favorably. For a week airline schedules were continually revised to adjust to a changing situation on a daily basis. Airlines collectively lost millions of dollars that week, but some lessons were learned, including technology improvements and forecasting wind patterns to help mitigate future such episodes.

Although the worldwide recession has taken its toll financially on the airline industry, for US flag carriers there is good news. Indicators are suggesting that the worst is behind us and that we are in the process of recovery. This is supported by the fact that airline revenues and yields are solid and on the increase. Summer sea26 |

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Another Quarter, Another Billion in Airline Losses First-quarter net profit or loss, in millions, for the nine largest US passenger carriers American

($505)

($375)

Air Tran

($12)

$29

Alaska

$5

($19)

Continental

($146)

($136)

Delta

($256)

($794)

JetBlue

($1)

$12

Southwest

$11

($91)

United

($82)

($382)

US Airways

($45)

($103)

TOTAL

($1,031)

($1,859)

NOTE: Parenthesis indicated decline Source: Company Reports

sonal patterns are helping, but at the core is an economy on the rebound and that should bode well for airline economics for the remainder of 2010 and heading into 2011. The weak Euro makes trips to Europe cheaper and more attractive for those with US dollars in their pockets, a fact also contributing to stronger revenues.

Additional assistance comes from manageable fuel prices, which have been hovering in the $70 to $75 range. Many, if not all, airlines have actively implemented hedging programs. Although such programs require substantial cash outlays,

August 2010

struction pipeline; • Official Airline Guide (OAG) for airline capacity; • Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for historic macro-economic indicators; and • Smith Travel Research (STR) for hotel occupancy level.

the net result if forecast correctly is positive for airline balance sheets and income statements. It is unknown at this writing what impact the major oil spill in the Gulf will have on future oil prices, or what legal restrictions will be put on off-shore drilling in light of that catastrophe. Only time will tell. Oil is a worldwide commodity, and its daily market prices and the subsequent price of aviation fuel are affected by a variety of factors. But airlines are taking some comfort in the fact that prices are relatively stable for the foreseeable future.

On the military/government front, GSA has closed its bidding for the FY11 contract and is currently in the process of evaluating those bids. It is expected that awards will be made in the late July/early August time frame for a contract effective date of October 1, 2010. GSA offered up more than 6600 markets this year for bidding, segregated into 4800 domestic US and 1800 international markets. This contract is valued at approximately $3 billion for FY11.

One of the consistent challenges the industry has faced this past year have been debit memos issued to travel agencies by airlines for a practice known as “churning”—the repeated booking, cancelling, and rebooking of an itinerary.

Unfortunately, in most instances, the travel agencies have nothing to do with the transaction but are victims of travelers who are doing so, often not deliberately, through the government’s online booking systems, DTS and ETS. Airlines have recommended to both GSA and DTMO (Defense Travel Management Office) that these issues will be significantly reduced by effective software changes in both online systems as well as education to travelers throughout the system. GSA made a change to the terms of the FY11 city pair contract that disallows airlines from issu-

ing debit memos for instances of churning (duplicate bookings are NOT covered under this provision).

The airline industry will continue to face unexpected challenges every day and will respond accordingly to minimize the impact on its travelers. Some of these challenges will be controllable, others less so. One thing is assured: the next time a steaming volcano is reported, the industry will take notice.

Lodging Co-chair: Scott Lamb, Director, Government Segment, Hilton Worldwide Co-chair: Judy Silcox, Key Account Dir., Government Global Sales, International Hotel Group Americas The lodging industry has struggled for the last two years as the world economy has slowed down. Occupancy and room rates are down, meetings have been cancelled, and business travel has been cut back, resulting in layoffs, closings, and service reductions. 2010’s first quarter is beginning to show an upturn, and industry analysts are telling us we will see improvements by the end of 2010.

Throughout this period, government travel has maintained a steady pace and helped the lodging industry weather this downturn.

The lodging industry is gravely concerned that GSA will deal us another blow by deeply lowering the per diem rates in October. As the economy softened, hotels have discounted rates to be competitive. Many of these discounts are too low for hotels to maintain for the long run, but were necessary as the market bottomed out. Unfortunately it’s this “bottom” that will be used to set the next round of per diem rates and may severely impact hotels that depend on government business and limit the government traveler’s ability to find appropriate accommodations.

We would request that NDTA facilitate meetings with industry and GSA to “cap” the decreases it puts in place for per diem in 2011. A maximum decrease of 10% would extend the government’s purchasing power while helping industry through this crisis. The CONUS rate of $70 should not be lowered, and should be reviewed again in the 2012 rate setting process.

NDTA Passenger Travel Services Committee AIRLINES

Delta Air Lines Denny Clifford* FlightWorks, Inc. Cynthia Karnik Kalitta Charters, LLC Steve Green North American Airways Lois Wilson Omni Air International Trisha M. Frank Southwest Airlines Merrill Taylor United Airlines Tom Billone World Airways Lois Wilson

BUS

Trailways Transportation System Diane Walden*

CAR RENTAL

Advantage Rent-A-Car Lori Leffler Rocky Mobaraki* Avis/Budget Rent A Car Robert Krapf Mike Washkevitz* Dollar – Thrifty Automotive Group Mark Cronin Randy Tietsort Enterprise Rent-A-Car Bryan Scott Europcar Frank Langbein Fox Rent A Car Jose Giraldo The Hertz Corporation Lori Leffler Rocky Mobaraki* Payless Car Rental Kathy Johnson

EXTENDED STAY LODGING Equity Corporate Housing Kathy Lane Extended Stay Hotel Toni Kleinops* Rachel Tyler Korman Communities Scott Foster Oakwood Worldwide Daphne Medillo Virginian Suites Ms. Noelani Berkholtz

HOTELS

Best Western International Dave Brogden Mari Ann Gray Carlson Hotels Worldwide Linda Colovos Choice Hotels International Lisa Kenner Hawthorn Suites-Alexandria Stacie Liverpool

Hilton Hotels Corporation Scott Lamb* Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio Newton Wong Hyatt Hotels & Resorts Anna Marie DiBattista Kristen Adomshick InterContinental HG Judy Silcox La Quinta Jake Paine Lynn Shatterly LTD Hotel Management Eunice Gibbs Marriott International Randy Griffin Radisson – Waikiki Newton Wong Resort Quest Hawaii Kathy Ahsam Starwood Hotels Ted Miller Linda Kessler Suite America Kim Dunbar Wyndham Hotel Group Denise Benyak

PASSENGER RAIL AMTRAK TBD*

TRAVEL AGENCIES

Carlson Wagonlit Travel | SatoTravel Shelley Bickner Kelly Kuhn* Monnie Riggin Phyllis Leeth Marc Stec Craig Thompson McNair Travel Karen Bacordo Omega World Travel Joy Borja

TRAVEL PUBLICATIONS & SERVICES AmeriForce Publishing Brian Dunbar OAG Worldwide Christina Kosac Runzheimer International Kraig Rodenbeck

TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY INNOVATA Paul Chrestensen Cathi Massi Judy Smith Northrop Grumman Rod Forry* Sabre Travel Network Jeffrey Goodell

GOVERNMENT

Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) Pam Mitchell, Director Harvey Johnson, Deputy Director Paul Joyce Chief Commercial Travel Div. Andrea Carlock Deputy Chief Commercial Travel Div. Tracey Ramsey Chief Travel Mgmt. Branch Howard Hicks, Team Lead

PTSC COMMITTEES & CHAIRS

PTSC Committee Chair Dr. G.R. “Rocky” Mobaraki, MBA, PhD Director, Global Government & Strategic Programs, The Hertz Corporation PTSC Vice Chair and Airline Subcommittee Chair Mr. Denny Clifford Director, Military & Gov’t Sales, Delta Airlines Car Rental Subcommittee Chair Mr. Mike Washkevich Director, Government Sales Avis & Budget Rent A Car Hotels Subcommittee Co-Chairs Mr. Scott Lamb Director, Government Sales Hilton Hotels Corporation Judy Silcox Director Gov’t Sales, InterContinental Hotels Travel Agencies Subcommittee Chair Ms. Kelly Kuhn President, Carlson Wagonlit Travel | SatoTravel Travel Technology Subcommittee Chair Rod Forry* DTS Program Manager Northrop Grumman Bus Subcommittee Chair Ms. Diane Walden VP, Sales, Trailways Extended Stay Lodging Subcommittee Chair Ms. Toni Kleinops Extended Stay America Passenger Rail Subcommittee Chair TBD Travel Publications & Services Subcommittee Chair Christina Kosac Advertising & Marketing Director, OAG EX-OFFICIO Ken Wykle President, NDTA Denny Edwards Vice President, NDTA (*Subcommittee Chairman)

www.ndtahq.com | 27

2010 US Per Diem Breakdown Average Daily Cost: $349.60

28%

Hotel

43%

Hotel 29%

Hotel

Car Rental Subcommittee Chairman: Mike Washkevich, Director, Partnership Sales, Avis-Budget Group Over the past 12 months the Car Rental Industry has begun to slowly emerge from the recession, but not without cautiously keeping its foot on its collective brake. With the perfect economic storm (drastic falloff in rentals, Detroit automakers bankrupt, banks not lending money for fleet) still looming large in the rearview mirror, the Car Rental Industry has been forced to reinvent itself in a very short period of time.

So what has changed? Lets start with fleet. In order to keep in line with declining demand, most car rental companies have downsized the number of cars available to rent. Car rental companies have realized that it is usually better to have too few cars than too many. As a result of tighter fleets, pricing for the general public and corporate accounts has increased sharply.

But pricing has not increased for Government renters. The pricing compression that takes place as a result of the competition within the Government marketplace—a direct result of the terms of the Federal Government Car Rental Agreement—Government pricing has actually decreased in many markets. Additionally, Government renters continue to receive free damage and liability insurance, and no charge for additional or under age drivers—a value worth $50 to $100 per day in the car rental marketplace.

What’s on the horizon? The Car Rental Industry is the only travel segment that does not charge for “no shows.” (The fees for reservation no shows for a hotel or airline are well documented, even to the most infrequent travelers.) No shows are 28 |

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extremely costly to the car rental companies, and this is something that is being looked at very closely by the industry.

Renters are offered more optional amenities than ever. Electronic toll payment, satellite radio, DVD players, and GPS Navigation Systems are just a few items that can make both a business and leisure trip safer and more enjoyable.

Finally, the Car Rental Companies are in negotiation with DTMO to update the current Agreement. We are hopeful that the spirit of partnership that has been the hallmark of this program for the past 25 years will continue into the future. It should be understood that the new Agreement will have to meet the needs of both parties in order to be successful.

Travel Agency Subcommittee Chairman: Kelly Kuhn, President Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s Military & Government Division Self-Booked Air Tickets on the Rise . . .

So are the Penalties The US Government Military and Civilian travel market remains strong with air sales volumes at and/or above Fiscal Year 2010 anticipated levels. “This year, we’ve ticketed more than 5 million travelers, many of whom are using the DTS or ETS self-booking tools,” Kuhn reports.

The Defense Travel System (DTS) and EGov Travel Services (ETS) offer Department of Defense and Federal Agency travelers the tools, training, and support necessary to selfbook air, car, and/or hotel reservations. The common objective of the tools is to reduce the costs associated with travel management services. According to the General Services Administration, ETS saves the government approximately $345 million annually in travel management costs.

With the rise of the self-booking phenomenon and its benefits to the government and the traveler alike, there has been a similar rise in the incidences of errors associated with the travel reservations themselves. This is to be expected as travelers change their customary behavior and processes in procuring travel reservations; however, those errors such as double booking (reserving the same flight for the same passenger more than once) result in financial penalties in the form of fines assessed by the airlines against the travel management com-

August 2010

What is the DTMO? In February 2006, the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) was established to serve as the single focal point for commercial travel within DOD. Prior to the establishment of the DTMO, several disparate, stove-piped programs governed travel policy, regulations, and directives, yet no “single face” for commercial travel existed within the DOD. Senior DOD leadership recognized the need to streamline and consolidate the various pieces of this multi-billion dollar travel enterprise.

In response, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Defense directed the consolidation, reorganization, and central management of commercial travel policy for the DOD under the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (OUSD P&R). The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy within OUSD P&R maintains direct oversight of the DTMO, and it is an active component of the Defense Human Resources Activity (DHRA). DTMO in collaboration with the Business Transformation Agency (BTA) created two governance boards—the Defense Travel Steering Committee (DTSC) and the Defense Travel Improvement Board (DTIB). These two governance boards set strategic direction and manage change regarding DOD commercial travel requirements, including systems, software, policies, and/or procedures.

(Extracted from the DTMO web portal)

pany under contract with that government traveler’s agency. Those fines are referred to as debit memos, and unfortunately there is a direct correlation between the rise of self-booked reservations and debit memos created by government travelers violating the airline rules. In its simplest terms, the travel agencies are being fined and held financially accountable for actions by travelers over whom they have no direct control.

The costs to travel agencies are sobering.

According to Kuhn, the travel industry serving the US Government has paid tens of thousands of dollars in debit memo fines to airlines over the past year. continued on page 36

GOVERNMENT NEWS*

*Some articles have been condensed due to limitations in space.

Pacific Surface Movement Conference

By Donna Klapakis Public Affairs Officer, 599th TB

T

he 599th Transportation Brigade, headquartered at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, held its first conference in seven years, the Pacific Surface Movement Conference, April 27-29 in Waikiki Beach Marriott Hotel. Approximately 250 military and civilian transporters attended from Hawaii, around the Pacific, and the mainland US. The conference focused on the dynamics of change in the Pacific and on educating one another on how to best support the joint force. The first two days’ topics covered new technologies and briefs by commanders in the transportation field, while the third day was given over to breakout sessions.

COL Courtney Taylor, commander of the 599th, said three days for a conference seemed optimum to make sure that it was a productive forum, especially for those traveling from off-island. “That amount of time allows the group to have all of the highquality general sessions—distinguished visitors were able to present an overarching aspect—and still allowed enough time for the attendees to participate in some breakout sessions, but did not consume too much of attendees’ time,” Taylor said.

Several of the presenters were senior military leaders. MG James L. Hodge, Commanding General of Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, provided an update on SDDC’s overall role in transportation; MG Michael Terry, Commanding General of 8th Theater Sustainment Command, gave a brief of his command’s functions in the Pacific; and BG Darrell Williams, Director for Logistics at US Pacific Command, spoke about the role and challenges of transportation in the Pacific Command. Subject matter experts who are in charge of relatively new military logistics systems also spoke. These included Chris Heiby demonstrating the Integrated Surface Deployment Data Cleansing Tool, better known as iSDDC, and Brian Ford on Joint Task Force – Port Opening. Dr. Chris Caplice, who is Director of Transportation and Lo-

gistics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), spoke on the academic innovations in transportation.

The conference also hosted a commercial shipping panel from various ocean shipping lines that operate in the Pacific.

Each panel member spoke a bit about their company and then the group answered questions from conference attendees.

Vic Angoco, Vice President for Matson Navigation Company, was a presenter for the commercial shipping panel. He said the conference provided him a muchimproved grasp of the way military strategic transportation functions. “I learned more about the mission of SDDC and the 599th Transportation Brigade’s area of responsibility. It was also good to learn about the other SDDC commands around the world. I had a basic understanding in the past. I now have a better understanding of the SDDC mission and our role as a commercial carrier in that mission,” Angoco wrote in an e-mail interview.

Although attendees separated into breakout sessions on the third day of the conference this year, Taylor said the brigade plans to have a different setup at the next conference. “We plan to switch the breakout sessions to the second day instead of the third.

This will allow the breakout group leaders

Above: CPT Brian Young, 837th Transportation Battalion operations officer, introduces the commercial shipping panel during the 599th Transportation Brigade’s Pacific Surface Movement Conference April 27. Panel members (from left): Dr. Chris Caplice, Executive Director of the Center for Transportation and Logistics (MIT); Vic Angoco, VP (Matson Navigation Company); Ed Berti, Director and GM of Military and Government Services (Horizon Lines); Mike Alley, GM, Government Sales & Marketing (Maersk Line, Limited); and Mindy Arhontes, Director of Government Affairs (The Pasha Group). Left: Keynote Speaker MG James Hodge, USA, Commander SDDC, addresses attendees of the Pacific Surface Movement Conference hosted by 599thTransportation Brigade on April 27, Honolulu, Hawaii.

time to share issues and the way ahead resulting from the breakout sessions with the conference attendees,” he said.

Each attendee was able to attend three of the following choices: “Military Sealift Command/Vessel Selection Revealed;” “One Time Only Process;” “Coalition Mobility System;” “Lean Six Sigma;” “Pacific Exercises Lessons Learned;” and “Civilian Professional Development.” Taylor said the brigade conference planners picked the subjects of both the general and breakout sessions based on one of two criteria.

“We chose the topics for the conference based on subjects that are changing or areas where we’re seeking improvement. For example, the two breakout sessions Pacific Exercises Lessons Learned and the OneTime-Only Process are both about areas we’re seeking to improve, while JTF-PO and coalition mobility systems are new emerging systems,” Taylor said.

Navy LCDR Michael Bethany, SDDC G3 – Pacific team chief, facilitated the most continued on page 36

www.ndtahq.com | 29

Chapter Spotlight NDTA European Region Workshop Jeff Campbell Chapter Liaison Hop across the Atlantic for the first installment of a new DTJ column, “Chapter Spotlight,” which will focus on a different NDTA Chapter or Region in each issue. This month, the light shines on the NDTA European Chapters, which were all involved in the NDTA Europe Region Workshop on June 2. You can find more Workshop photos at: www.flickr.com/photos/ndtahq. Do you have an event or story from your chapter to share in the Spotlight? E-mail jeff@ndtahq.com.

NDTA President LTG (Ret) Ken Wykle joined Col William Summers, Chief, US European Command, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, on the Senior Leader Panel at the 2010 NDTA European Region Workshop.

Photo by Mr. Bram de Jong, NDTA Benelux Chapter.

Submitted by Mario Saenz, MSgt, USAF, NDTA, Rheinland-Pfalz Chapter President

M

ore than 70 commercial, government, multi-national military, and civilian logistics representatives attended the NDTA European Region Workshop titled “Challenges to Distribution” at the Hotel Van der Valk, Venlo, Netherlands.

The focus was on possible military transportation solutions throughout Europe, and it was hosted by Kurt Lengert, President, NDTA Europe Region, and moderated by LTG (Ret.) Kenneth Wykle, NDTA President. The 2010 NDTA European Workshop provided a collaborative effort in the focus to improve and streamline military distribution in Europe.

In opening remarks, Mr. Lengert provided a background of European military distribution and the complex legal and technical transportation challenges, noting that the workshop was requested by Europeanbased industry partners. He stressed that the workshop was a focused and collaborated effort to address the industry recommendations for the movement of military cargo in Europe. He also commented on workshop goals, including identification of initial steps to produce a standardized and synchronized process for the movement of military cargo through the European theater.

LTG Wykle led a Senior Leader Panel with MajGen Mark Zamzow, USAF, Vice Commander, Third Air Force, Ramstein AFB, and Col William Summers, USAF, Chief, US European Command, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, Stuttgart.

Wykle noted increased use of commercial transport to support and sustain forces in Afghanistan and the expected decrease 30 |

Defense Transportation Journal

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in DOD budgets in “out years,” which can cause greater dependence on industry.

“Military forces are deployed to areas not easily supported by organic military ground transport networks, so they rely more on commercial industry,” he said. Previously, the DOD used its capability to move cargo across boundaries. Because recent conflicts have occurred outside countries with bilateral agreements, distribution procedures have changed. He remarked on how specific military cargoes were transported by military transportation assets under NATO and Status of Forces Agreements. With force reduction in Europe and changing requirements, he asked, “Should military cargo on commercial transportation assets have the same permissions as military cargo on military transportation assets?”

Major General Zamzow discussed the legal, technical, and unique national challenges to distribution of military cargo within Europe, and reminded attendees to educate senior leaders on the transportation obstacles to ensure their awareness.

He cited the recent successes of the Strategic Airlift Capability program at Papa Air Base, Hungary, as a positive step in alleviating European specific transportation obstacles, and added that fiscal and international issues will challenge distribution in the next 5 to 10 years. The requirements to remove outdated (transportation) barriers from the Cold War era, and the continued need to work together with industry partners, military forces, nations, and political avenues to solve distribution issues challenge the European Region specifically.

August 2010

NDTA President LTG (Ret) Ken Wykle visited with Chris Barber at the American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier booth during the 2010 NDTA Europe Region Workshop.

Photo by Mr. Bram de Jong, NDTA Benelux Chapter.

NDTA President LTG (Ret) Ken Wykle visits with representatives from NDTA Chairman’s Circle PLUS Member National Air Cargo during the 2010 NDTA European Region Workshop. Photo by Bram de Jong, NDTA Benelux Chapter.

Participants in the 2010 NDTA Europe Region Workshop visit at the DB Schenker booth. Photo by Mr. Bram de Jong, NDTA Benelux Chapter.

Colonel Summers spoke on the multimodal and robust aspects of European military distribution. He provided a background of the thriving Northern Distribution Network (NDN), stating that cost was not initially a factor. He described the shift to

NDTA Europe International President Kurt P. Lengert | kurt.lengert@ramstein.af.mil NDTA Northern Europe International President Willam H. Van der Stek | whvanderstek@kpnmail.nl United Kingdom (England) Chapter President | Paul Kelleher paul.kelleher1@btinternet.com

Rheinland-Pfalz (Germany) Chapter President | MSGT Mario Saenz mario.saenz@ramstein.af.mil rheinpfalzndta@googlemail.com

Stuttgart I-NTA (Germany) Chapter President | Deane Swickard swickard@eucom.mil swickard@eucom.smil.mil

Mediterranean (Italy) Chapter President | Maj. Bary D. Flack, USAF 724 AMS/DO bary.flack@aviano.af.mil

Benelux Int’l. (Belgium, Holland) Chapter President | LTC Eddy Geudens (Ret) RBA c/o Mrs. Fiona M. Slabbekoorn Eddy.Guedens@ vlsbe.com slabbekoornf@sddc598th.army.mil www.ndta-benelux.org

Hodja (Incirlik, Turkey) Chapter President | Servet Tumkaya servet.tumkaya@truvanakliyat.com

efficiency as a major contributing attribute of the NDN. He praised the commercial industry responsiveness as a prime reason for the NDN success, explaining the political and national benefits received by NDN participating countries. As for Europe, Col Summers stressed the importance of not

overstepping the host-nation’s transportation rules and military specific permissions.

The workshop included detailed air, ground, and maritime panels including government, military, commercial, and civilian participants. One panel discussion focused on the Lisbon Treaty, which pro-

vided a background of recent treaty developments and NATO and European Union agreements that directly impact military cargo distribution. Additional panel subjects included transportation of dangerous goods, Weapons of War Control Act, European customs, civil projects with possible military application, and communication with armed forces transportation offices.

Panel participant Chris Barber, representing NDTA Corporate Member American RollOn Roll-Off Carrier, said, “I was honored and enjoyed the opportunity to participate on the maritime panel as well as to educate attendees on our group of companies and the range of services we have to offer the US Military and government communities.”

Numerous commercial industry stationary displays were exhibited during the workshop. Workshop participants toured the displays during breaks and took the opportunity to discuss transportation items with industry partners. Mr. Dirk Verheijden, a representative from National Air Cargo Europe, called it a “perfect mixture of different services, nations, and organizations to exchange day to day operational challenges.” DTJ

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www.ndtahq.com | 31

Collaborative Educational Interchange at the Interagency Logistics Symposium Irvin Varkonyi, Adjunct Professor and Marketing Manager, Transportation and Logistics Management, American Military University

Learning goals 1. Collaboration among external stakeholders improves organizational efficiency 2. Internal business units acquired through mergers and acquisitions may also improve efficiency through collaboration 3. Simulation and modeling tools increasingly improve ability to forecast potential scenarios.

A

diverse and high level gathering of logisticians was gathered in mid-June 2010 at the Interagency Logistics Symposium at the US Transportation Command, Scott AFB, to exchange and collaborate on logistics tasks, projects, and topics of mutual interest. A primary topic was the Haiti Earthquake Catastrophe and its challenges and successes. Other aspects of Humanitarian Logistics were also discussed. Specific sessions were held on the continuing evolution of supply chain management within the DOD and its vast contractor/ vendor system.

The first symposium was held in 2008, sponsored by USTRANSCOM’s Joint Interagency Coordination Group (JIACG).

At the key to improved performance is the professional development and education of the workforce at all levels.

This Symposium brought together senior leaders and practitioners from across the entire spectrum of US federal agencies, the military, academia, NGOs/IGOs, multinational partners, and the private sector. Facilitated panel discussions in 2008 addressed “Reducing the Hydrocar32 |

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bon Footprint in the Supply Chain” and “Knowledge Management as a Logistics Enabler.”

A Linked-In group (Interagency Logistics) was created by JIACG, which serves as a venue to facilitate continued dialogue.

It connects the diverse membership of its growing Community of Interest as well as serving as a means to inform its membership of future Symposia, Conferences, and events of interest.

Attendees this year included LTG (Ret) Chris Christianson who has led the team that stood up the Center for Joint and Strategic Logistics at the National Defense University. Others include Mike Hugos, an agile systems architect and IT industry consultant with expertise in modeling and simulation; Lockheed Martin’s Mike Fortson discussing an integrated, optimized logistics network; and IBM’s Phaedra Boindodiris with an overview of INNOV8 2.0, a Business Process Management product tool. As described by IBM: “The game features a fictional call center agency, After Inc., who has a process model that is functioning sub-optimally.

As the protagonist, Logan, you must discover the current model, find out why it is under-performing, and then optimize it to meet the demands of the market.”

This simulation helps create knowledge on weaknesses in dysfunctional or suboptimum organizations. The symposium dealt with improving organizational functionality. A key to improved performance is the professional development and education of the workforce at all levels.

The symposium highlighted three learning goals for logistics professionals: 1. Enhance logisticians’ capabilities by development of collaborative skill sets.

Collaboration reverses the adversarial approach of competing organizations.

The dominant global supply chain or-

August 2010

ganizational model today outsources non-core competencies. In doing so, external partners with different corporate cultures and managed by external stakeholders must be integrated into the primary organization’s mission.

Collaboration is the key. Collaboration cannot be commanded, but instead needs to be nurtured and grown.

2. Internal business units’ competitiveness must also be transferred into collaborative methodology. We may define this by improvement of information sharing and resource allocation. As with external stakeholder modification, this process involves a change of culture. We may see this more clearly in large global organizations that have grown through acquisitions and mergers whereby the original culture of formerly competing corporate entities did not prioritize the collaborative process.

3. Simulation and modeling has become increasingly sophisticated and more accurate. We can create situations to learn how events may be managed, processes improved, optimization enhanced, and potential disruptions minimized.

Simulation is not a guarantor of future events, but it provides a potential likely scenario of future events.

The Interagency Symposium focus on disaster logistics highlighted collaborative tools. Disaster relief, as with the Haitian Earthquake, demands collaboration by the nature of multiple organizations converging in a local environment.

Pre-planning is possible between organizations that seek to provide assistance during a disaster, but invariably unexpected situations will occur that demand collaborative solutions designed at the scene. Organizations, which emphasize training for personnel and systems to deal collaboratively with external groups, will function more efficiently in disaster situations. DTJ

The DTMO COL Denny Edwards, USA (Ret.)

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he Defense Travel System was fielded worldwide during 2001 to serve as the single focal point for commercial travel within the Department of Defense and to establish strategic direction, set policy, and centrally manage commercial travel programs. The Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), established in 2006, maintains central oversight for commercial travel management, travel policy and implementation, customer support and training, DOD travel card program management, functional oversight for the Defense Travel System, and allowance and entitlement program management.

By consolidating functions under one organization, the Department of Defense is able to standardize management practices, leverage economies of scale, reduce administrative costs, and work toward a common set of goals. DTMO partners across the government and private sector to maintain an in-depth perspective of the travel industry and to determine the best practices and standards for DOD travel.

NDTA’s Passenger Travel Services Committee (PTSC) provides valuable common ground for the industry to develop and present coordinated positions to offer to DTMO in meeting its goal. PTSC subcommittees gather most of the data, explore most of the options, and help with the basic ground work necessary to develop positions that can be a win-win for both sides.

DTMO’s Guiding Principles are: • Trust the Traveler • Travel Accountability • Results-Oriented Innovation • World Class Travel Management • Simple Travel Solutions

Travel assistance Center 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

1-888-Help1Go DSN: 312-564-3950 (Overseas) DSN or 809-463-3376 (wait for the beep), then dial 1-888-Help1Go www.defensetravel.dod.mil/passport Contact your local help desk for local business rules.

So now, nine years after its establishment—how do things stand ?

Current statistics show that: • DTS operates at more than 9500 total sites worldwide.

• DTS has processed more than 13.2 million approved authorizations, more than 11.5 million approved vouchers, and is processing on average more than 30,000 transactions per day.

• There are approximately 100,000 unique DTS log ins daily.

• DTS provides DTS training courses, information on DTS support, and online resources at its Travel Explorer (TraX) web portal.

• DOD travelers can access the DTS and make reservations 24/7.

• The Travel Assistance Center at 1-888-Help1Go is available worldwide and around the clock to help DOD travelers with their problems The Defense Travel System is a fully integrated, automated, end-to-end travel management system that enables DOD travelers to create authorizations and reservations, receive approvals, generate travel vouchers, and receive a split disburse-

defense travel management office Mission Serve as the single focal point for commercial travel within the Department of Defense. Establish strategic direction, set policy, and centrally manage commercial travel programs.

Vision Reshaping the Defense Travel Enterprise through Results-Oriented Innovation

Goals • Balance Customer and Stakeholder Satisfaction • Serve as the DOD Center for Travel Excellence • Manage the DOD Travel Enterprise

ment between their bank account and the Government Travel Charge Card. Future enhancements will include incorporating changes already identified and implementing system usability improvements. DTJ

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HONOR ROLL

OF

SUSTAINING MEMBERS AND REGIONAL PATRONS

ALL OF THESE FIRMS SUPPORT THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES OF NDTA

SUSTAINING MEMBERS AAR Mobility Systems ABF Freight System, Inc. Air Transport Assn. of America Air Transport International, LLC AIT Worldwide Logistics, Inc. American Maritime Officers American Public University System American United Logistics ARINC Army Air Force Exchange Service Arven Freight Services, LLC Associated Global Systems Baggett Transportation Co. Boyle Transportation Byrne Transportation Services, LLC Cardinal Transport, Inc. Cargo Transport Systems Co. Carlson Hotels Worldwide Chalich Trucking, Inc. Chamber of Shipping of America Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation CRST International, Inc. CSC Crowley Maritime Corp.

CWT SatoTravel C2 Freight Resources, Inc. DAMCO Dell Perot Systems, Inc. Delta Air Lines, Inc. Dynamics Research Corp.

REGIONAL PATRONS AAAA Forwarding, Inc. Access America Transport, Inc. Acme Truck Line, Inc. AFC Worldwide Express/R+L Global Services Alaska West Express American Moving & Storage Assn.

Association of American Railroads ATS Specialized, Inc. Avis Budget Group AWARDCO Freight Management Group, Inc. Benchmarking Partners Bertling Logistics, Inc. C5T Corporation Cargotec USA, Inc. The Cartwright Companies Cavalier Logistics Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies (CCDoTT) Ceres Terminals, Inc. Chapman Freeborn Airchartering Chassis King C.L. Services, Inc. Coastal Maritime Stevedoring, LLC Corporate Flight Management Delaware River Maritime Enterprise Council (DERMEC)

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Enterprise Database Corporation Express-1 Fikes Truck Line GE Aviation General Dynamics/American Overseas Marine General Dynamics NASSCO GeoDecisions Global Maritime & Trans. School-USMMA Greatwide Truckload Management Hi-G-Tek, Inc. Intercomp Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) Intermarine, LLC International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO Intl. Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots Interstate Worldwide Relocation ITLT Solutions, Inc. JB Hunt Transport, Inc. Kansas City Southern Keystone Shipping Company Knight Transportation KU Transportation Research Institute Kuehne + Nagel, Inc. Labelmaster Software Liberty Global Logistics, LLC Liberty Maritime Corporation LMI Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.

M2 Transport Mack Trucks, Inc. ManTech International Corp.

Marine Engineer’s Benefits Association Martin Logistics, Inc. Matson Navigation Co., Inc. Mayflower Transit McCollister’s Transportation Systems, Inc. Menlo Worldwide Mercer Transportation Co. National Air Carrier Assn., Inc. National Van Lines New England Motor Freight, a Shevell Group Co. North Carolina State Ports Authority NYK Logistics Americas OAG Ocean Shipholdings, Inc. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. Omega World Travel Omni Air International, Inc. OSG Ship Management, Inc. Overdrive Logistics, Inc. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association PAI Pilot Freight Services PODS Port of Beaumont Pratt & Whitney Prestera Trucking, Inc. Priority Solutions International

PRTM Management Consultants, LLC Radiant Logistics Partners, LLC RAITH-CTS Logistics Ridgeway International Sammons Trucking Savi, a Lockheed Martin Company Sea Star Line, LLC Seafarers Int’l Union of N.A. AGLIWD Sealed Air Corp.

Sealift, Inc. Southeast Vocational Alliance Southwest Airlines SRA International, Inc. SSA Marine Stanley, Inc. Textainer Equipment Management Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) TQL Transportation Institute Transportation Intermediaries Assn. (TIA) Tri-State Motor Transit, Co., (TSMT) Tucker Company Union Pacific Railroad United Airlines United Van Lines, Inc. UPS Freight UTi Worldwide, Inc. UTXL Wagler Integrated Logistics, LLC XIO Strategies, Inc.

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group EADS North America EMO Trans, Inc. Enterprise Holdings Erudite Company Europcar Car & Truck Rental Executive Apartments, Inc. FlightWorks Fox Rent A Car General Freight Services, Inc./ Coyote Logistics LLC Goverline Logistics Great American Lines, Inc. Green Valley Transportation Corp.

Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd. Hawaii Air Cargo, Inc. Hilton Worldwide Holiday Inn VA Beach – Norfolk Hotel & Conference Center The Howland Group, Inc. HudsonMann, Inc. Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Innovative Green Solutions JAS Forwarding Kalitta Charters, LLC Korman Communities AKA a division Labelmaster Software Lakonian International

Limitless International, Inc. Logistics Management Resources, Inc. LTD Management Company, LLC Lyden, Inc. Magellan Transport Logistics Marriott International MBA | Morten Beyer & Agnew McLane Advanced Technologies MCR Federal, LLC (MCR) Meyer Trucking, Inc. Military Sealift Command (MSC) Miramar Transportation Mobility Resource Associates Naniq Systems, LLC NCI Information Systems, Inc. Oakwood Corporate Worldwide ODINTechnologies ORBIS Corp.

Panalpina Patriot Contract Services, LLC Payless Car Rental Perez Bros., Inc. Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Phoenix International Freight Services, Ltd. Port of Port Arthur Port of San Diego Reckart Logistics, Inc. Royal Trucking Company

Scan Logistix, Inc. Seabridge, Inc. Sea Box, Inc. Silk Road Air & Logistics SkyLink—(USA) Sleep Inn and Suites SLT Express Way, Inc. SR International Logistics, Inc. Stratos Jet Charters, Inc. Staybridge Suites Chantilly/Dulles Airport TAPESTRY - FSG Tennessee Steel Haulers Trailer Bridge, Inc. Trailer Transit, Inc. Transcar GmbH Trans Global Logistics Europe GmbH TRI-STATE Expedited Service, Inc. Truva International Transportation & Logistics Unimasters Logistics PLC US Bank Transportation Solutions (formerly PowerTrack) US Suites Utley, Inc. Venture Express, Inc. The Virginian Suites Yurtiçi Logistics Supply Chain Management and Distribution Inc.

Defense Transportation Journal

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August 2010

Agility Defense & Government Services + PLUS American Shipping & Logistics Group (ASL) + PLUS APL Limited + PLUS Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings + PLUS The Boeing Company + PLUS Bennett Motor Express + PLUS Choice Hotels International + PLUS CEVA Logistics + PLUS FedEx + PLUS Final Mile Logistics + PLUS Global Aviation Holdings, Inc. + PLUS Horizon Lines, Inc. + PLUS IBM + PLUS InterContinental Hotels Group + PLUS Landstar System, Inc. + PLUS Maersk Line, Limited + PLUS National Air Cargo + PLUS Panther Expedited Services, Inc. + PLUS Ports America Group + PLUS Rock-It Cargo USA, LLC + PLUS Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) + PLUS Supreme Group USA, LLC + PLUS Universal Truckload Services, Inc. + PLUS YRC Worldwide + PLUS Accenture American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier, LLC BNSF Railway Co. Booz Allen Hamilton Bristol Associates CorTrans Logistics, LLC CSX Transportation

DB Schenker DHL Global Forwarding Evergreen International Airlines, Inc. Hapag-Lloyd USA, LLC The Hertz Corporation International Shipholding Corp.

KGL Holding Lockheed Martin

Norfolk Southern Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation The Pasha Group Qualcomm Incorporated R&R Trucking SkyBitz UPS

These corporations are a distinctive group of NDTA Members who, through their generous support of the Association, have dedicated themselves to supporting an expansion of NDTA programs to benefit our members and defense transportation preparedness.

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continued from page 7

Dr. Kent N. Gourdin

Three Cups of Tea Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, published by Penguin Books, January 2007, $16.00 list, paperback, 349 pp., ISBN-10: 0143038252

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his may seem like an unusual book for me to recommend. On its own merits, however, it’s an inspirational account of Mortenson’s belief that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in Central Asia through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls.

To that end, he was instrumental in the construction of more than 50 schools

continued from page 28

At issue, the current government travel contracts and task orders have no contract line item number (CLIN) or mechanism for which contracted travel management companies can charge back the fines that are to a large extent out of their control.

A GSA-initiated task force working in partnership with the travel management is making recommendations that could af-

continued from page 29

widely attended breakout session of the conference, “Pacific Exercises Lessons Learned.”

Bethany said the session was useful to give attendees a basic understanding of exercise transportation, but it would be even better if attendees had a more thorough grounding on financing, mobility, and surface deployment before discussing exercises.

MAJ Marc Hale, a plans officer for the 599th, was the appointed action officer to orchestrate the conference. A US Army Reserve officer, he was just brought on active duty in January. Hale said he thought the most interesting aspect of planning the conference was dealing with everyone’s personalities, while the most challenging was coordination. “It was challenging because of dealing with the short timeline and all of the speakers’ calendars. All of our speakers are significant 36 |

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across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The book is a fascinating look at all that his efforts entailed and the fascinating group of people, including Taliban officials, that he had to work with in order to make his dream a reality. A second reason I am recommending this book to you is that Greg Mortenson will be a featured speaker at the 2010 NDTA Forum, September 1822, in Washington, DC. Not only will you enjoy reading the book, but you’ll have the unusual opportunity of being able to interact directly with the author at the Forum. DTJ fect future government travel vendor and supplier contracts.

In the meantime, the government and its contracted DTS/ETS providers are actively encouraging travelers to adopt the self-booking model as a means to not only reduce overall costs, but also take more control and ownership of one’s travel reservations. The challenge for all concerned is to ensure that those costs are being saved, not moved, to another cost line! DTJ contributors in transportation, so they all have a lot of important commitments to work around,” Hale said.

The seven-year delay between the last conference and the one this year was because of deployments to Kuwait supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom; however, because the 595thTransportation Brigade has assumed control over that earlier responsibility, the 599th plans to resume holding conferences, with the next one scheduled for April. Hale said he has already begun initial planning for the next conference. DTJ

August 2010

NDTA was pleased to participate in the Pacific Movement Conference by concurrently holding an NDTA luncheon and assisting with arrangements for exhibitors.

on a number of levels. In fact, as BP is discovering, they are in a “bet-the-company” industry. Despite all of their planning, they are now in a situation that will cost them billions and billions of dollars to rectify, if they ever can make things right. They certainly won’t be the same company 5 years from now that they were 2 months ago.

In the School of Business, we talk a lot about the importance of strategic planning.

But how does a company (or any organization, for that matter) plan for the unthinkable? After an incident such as this one, the “shoulda-woulda-coulda” discussions begin, but are inevitably unproductive. Management must look at an opportunity, assess the benefits and risks, and proceed accordingly, which is what BP and their partners did in deciding to develop this off-shore site. I am sure they knew there was a chance that what happened could happen, but that probability at the time they were doing their analysis was probably seen as infinitesimal; had they foreseen a higher risk factor, they could have designed different fail-safe systems or abandoned the project altogether. But the tremendous returns projected based on the world’s insatiable demand for cheap oil obviously outweighed those perceived risks.

Unfortunately, probability being what it is, sometimes the event with a .01% chance of occurring actually happens, which is why the nation is now dealing with this crisis.

Eventually, the well will be capped and the clean-up can begin in earnest, but this catastrophe should be a wake up call to all of us that the cost of our continued reliance on fossil fuels may actually be more than we’re willing to pay. DTJ

DTJ Index of Advertisers AIT Worldwide Logistics............................. pg. 9 American Military University.................... pg. 31 APL................................................................... Cov3 ARC................................................................. pg. 21 Bennett International Group...................... pg. 13 Boyle Transportation..................................... pg. 6 Budget............................................................. pg. 5 Comtech Mobile Datacom......................... pg. 11 FedEx............................................................... Cov4 InterContinental Hotels Group.................. pg. 23 Landstar........................................................... pg. 2 Maersk Line, Limited.................................... pg. 1 SAIC................................................................. Cov2 United............................................................ pg. 19

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