Defense Transportation Journal

The Official Publication of the National Defense Transportation Association

March 2022

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| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

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March 2022 www.n

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FEATURES

PRESERVING US ARMY TRANSPORTATION HISTORY March 2022 • Vol 78, No. 1 PUBLISHER

VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.) MANAGING EDITOR

Sharon Lo | slo@cjp.com CIRCULATION MANAGER

Leah Ashe | leah@ndtahq.com PUBLISHING OFFICE

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By BG Gil Harper, USA (Ret.)

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GEN. VAN OVOST ANNOUNCES USTRANSCOM PRIORITIES

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EMBRACING AN INFINITE MINDSET: INSIGHTS FROM SIMON SINEK

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LEARNING FROM HISTORY TO STRENGTHEN THE NATION’S MILITARY LOGISTICS & DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

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NEW INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT PLAN MAINTAINS DLA’S FOCUS ON STRONG PARTNERSHIPS

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By USTRANSCOM Public Affairs

By Sharon Lo

By Alex Vohr

By Beth Reece

DEPARTMENTS 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.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER | VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.)....................................... 9 CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE.......................................................................................28 HONOR ROLL..................................................................................................29 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS.................................................................................... 30

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One year (six issues) $40. Two years, $60. Three years, $75. 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

We encourage contributions to the DTJ and our website.

To submit an article or story idea, please see our guidelines at www.ndtahq.com/media-and-publications/submitting-articles/.

NDTA Headquarters Staff VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.) President & CEO COL Craig Hymes, USA (Ret.) Senior VP Operations Claudia Ernst Director, Finance and Accounting Lee Matthews VP Marketing and Corporate Development Jennifer Reed Operations Manager Leah Ashe Membership Manager Rebecca Jones Executive Assistant to the President & CEO Denny Jeong Project Coordinator For a listing of current Committee Chairpersons, Government Liaisons, and Chapter & Regional Presidents, please visit the Association website at www.ndtahq.com.

EDITORIAL OBJECTIVES The editorial objectives of the Defense Transportation Journal are to advance knowledge and science in defense logistics and 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 logistics and 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 logistics and 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 and logistics. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Editors, the Editorial Review Board, or NDTA. EDITORIAL CONTENT Archives are available to members on www.ndtahq.com.

Sharon Lo, Managing Editor, DTJ NDTA 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296 703-751-5011 • F 703-823-8761 slo@cjp.com

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Preserving US Army Transportation History

By BG Gil Harper, USA (Ret.)

T

he Barge Amphibious Resupply Cargo, better known as the BARC (pictured at top), is one of the nearly 100 macro artifacts at the Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

The Korean War identified the need for an improved amphibious vehicle. General Frank Besson, a Transportation Legend, advocated for large capacity vehicles capable of operating in inclement weather.

Pacific Car and Founder Company teamed with LeTourneau Inc. to build the first prototypes in the early 1950s.

The BARC could carry sixty tons, a forty-foot container, or 125 fully equipped service. Later designs were designated the LARC-LX, (Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo). The LARC-LX saw service in Vietnam. The last LARC LXs were retired with the inactivation of the 309th Transporta-

tion (LARC LX) Company, 11th Transportation Battalion, on 15 October 2001.

The US Army Transportation Museum is the only museum dedicated to preserving the history of US Army Transportation. From horse-drawn wagons of the Revolutionary War to armored vehicles being used today, the story of the Army’s Transportation Corps is told through exhibits, models and dioramas. The museum is visited by over 90,000 visitors, students, and historians each year and hosts reunions and military ceremonies to maintain the history and culture of Army Transportation.

The BARC and many of the other, almost 7,000 historic artifacts at the Army Transportation Museum need renovation and preservation. If you are interested in contributing to this noble effort, please visit www.atmfoundation.org. DTJ

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

NDTA Members— Engaging Industry and Government to Build Trust VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.) NDTA President & CEO

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n 2021, the NDTA Board of Directors established a common set of goals and objectives for the year to fortify our key principles and propel NDTA into the future. COVID-19 has continued to impact the military, industry and national economy.

In 2022, we think it is critical for the Association to remain both vigilant and flexible in planning while focusing on key plans to move the organization forward, including: • Investing in and implementing a new Association Management System (AMS) • Virtual Chapter proof of principle • Foundation campaign

• Young Leader program expansion • Expanding the NDTA Foundation Scholarship program by adding the Denny Edwards Graduate Scholarship Adjustments will continue into 2022 as the nation leads efforts to stop the spread of new COVID variants and bring confidence back into the economy. With a view towards resiliency and a desire to support the needs of our community, our priorities in 2022 are as follows: COVID Pandemic Support – continue to engage and support the exchange of

WELCOME NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS as of February 21, 2021

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information by participating in COVID related planning meetings and forums (OSD, EWG, Committee Meetings) See Pres. Corner pg. 30

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| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

Gen. Van Ovost Announces USTRANSCOM Priorities

By USTRANSCOM Public Affairs

G

en. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, USAF, Commander, US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), ushered in 2022 with the announcement of her priorities.

Van Ovost said her focus areas fully support those of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. “We are in lockstep with Secretary Austin’s guidance to defend the Nation, take care of our people, and succeed through teamwork,” she said.

“USTRANSCOM’s mission is enduring, and my number one priority remains the same—our warfighting readiness.”

USTRANSCOM MISSION

USTRANSCOM conducts globally integrated mobility operations, leads the broader Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise (JDDE), and provides enabling capabilities in order to project and sustain the Joint Force in support of national objectives.

“I am confident my priorities provide a vector for USTRANSCOM’s people and resources to successfully accomplish our mission,” said Van Ovost. “We’re facing challenges across all domains in ways we have never seen before. It is more important than ever to understand our mission and why each team member is vital to our success.”

Her priorities are as follows: USTRANSCOM PRIORITIES Ready Now and in the Future

“Warfighting readiness is our absolute cornerstone,” said Van Ovost. “We must never forget how our command exists to project and sustain combatcredible forces whenever and wherever our Nation requires. Our ‘fight tonight’ mentality ensures we stay ready to project and sustain the Joint Force today, while evolving to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

She emphasized how USTRANSCOM must adapt operations, shape capabilities, evolve operational concepts, and make the investments required to fight and win against an adversary in the future.

“We operate as a Total Force, harnessing the unique skills resident in our Reserve, National Guard, Merchant Marine, and civilian teammates to bolster warfighting readiness,” said Van Ovost. “The JDDE’s readiness, and our relationships with allies and partners, remain vital to our ability to project a decisive force at a time and place of our Nation’s choosing.”

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USTRANSCOM Mission: USTRANSCOM conducts globally integrated mobility operations, leads the broader Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise (JDDE), and provides enabling capabilities in order to project and sustain the Joint Force in support of national objectives.

USTRANSCOM Priorities: Ready Now and in the Future. Warfighting Readiness is our absolute cornerstone – we must never forget that our Command exists to project and sustain combat credible forces whenever and wherever our Nation requires. My expectation is complete commitment to maintaining our “fight tonight” readiness. Simultaneously, we must adapt our operations, shape our capabilities, evolve our operational concepts, and make the investments required to fight and win against a near-peer competitor in the future strategic environment. These imperatives – ready for today’s missions while evolving to meet tomorrow’s challenges – are mutually supporting and non-negotiable. We operate as a Total Force, harnessing the unique skills resident in our Reserve, National Guard, Merchant Marine, and Civilian teammates to bolster Warfighting Readiness. Likewise, the JDDE’s readiness, and our relationships with Allies and partners, remain vital to our ability to project a decisive force at a time and place of our Nation’s choosing. We will remain Ready…to Fight, Deliver, and Win. Empower a Competitive and Resilient Warfighting Team. People are our most valuable resource and will make the difference between victory and defeat. Leaders must prioritize investing in our People to build and hone the critical skills required to compete and win. A competitive and resilient team is one which thrives on challenge and “stays hungry” – focused on improving every day, and constantly striving to add value. Our leaders will empower those on our team by providing clear intent and guidance, fostering and rewarding innovative approaches, and using honest mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve. Investing in our People includes fostering an environment in which all are treated with dignity and respect, and in which resilience is strengthened by demonstrating that we value the Families in our command, as well as the personal wellbeing of all. One of our key strengths is the diversity of our team. We will maintain an inclusive environment where we welcome differing backgrounds and encourage varied perspectives.

Drive Cyber Domain Mission Assurance. Make no mistake, today malign actors pose a real and persistent threat across our networks…and our global enterprise rests in large part on the connectivity these networks provide. “Driving” mission assurance in this domain starts with everyone on our team embracing the individual responsibility to be a cyber defender, maintaining cyber discipline and vigilance as we operate every day. We will continue to adapt to the evolving cyber space domain with modernization efforts to afford us competitive advantage in the digital operating environment. Finally, our cyber defense efforts must encompass the entire JDDE, to include our industry partners, strengthening weak links while maintaining a robust menu of mitigation options.

Create Decision Advantage. Our ability to transform data into knowledge rapidly enables timely decisions and remains critical in outpacing our competitors. Retaining the advantage in decision-making begins by treating data as a strategic asset and transforming ourselves from largely experience-based decision makers to better-informed, data-driven decision makers. Employing data available through sensor networks and logistics information systems, and then applying machine learning and other advanced analytics to transform that data into actionable information, will provide our leaders time, space, and options in decision-making. Our command must sense, make sense, decide, and act faster than the pacing threat.

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Empower a Competitive and Resilient Warfighting Team

“People are our most valuable resource and will make the difference between victory and defeat,” said Van Ovost. “Leaders must prioritize investing in our people to build and hone the critical skills required to compete and win.”

She stated this includes fostering an environment in which all are treated with dignity and respect, and where resilience is strengthened by leaders demonstrating they appreciate the families in the command and the personal well-being of all.

“One of our key strengths is the diversity of our team,” she said. “Let me be clear, USTRANSCOM operates in an environment of inclusion where each member feels valued and inspired to strive for their best.”

Drive Cyber Domain Mission Assurance

“Make no mistake, today malign actors pose a real and persistent threat across our networks and our global enterprise rests in large part on the connectivity these networks provide,” said Van Ovost.

She stressed everyone in the JDDE must embrace their individual responsibility as a cyber defender, maintaining cyber discipline and vigilance every day to strengthen weak links while preserving a robust menu of mitigation options.

“We are all responsible with protecting the connectivity of our networks, main-

“We are all responsible with protecting the connectivity of our networks, maintaining cyber discipline, and adapting to the evolving cyber space domain,” said Van Ovost. “Cyber domain mission assurance encompasses the entire logistics enterprise, to include our industry partners, and it’s vital to be successful in our everyday operations.”

taining cyber discipline, and adapting to the evolving cyber space domain,” said Van Ovost. “Cyber domain mission assurance encompasses the entire logistics enterprise, to include our industry partners, and it’s vital to be successful in our everyday operations.”

Create Decision Advantage

Van Ovost said the command’s ability to transform data into knowledge rapidly enables timely decisions and remains critical in outpacing its competitors.

“We must retain the advantage in decision making by treating data as a strategic asset and transforming ourselves from largely experience-based decision makers to better-informed, data-driven decision makers,” she said. “We must sense, make sense, decide, and act faster than the pacing threat—our people are the experts who can transform data into knowledge we all can benefit from.”

Addressing the USTRANSCOM work-

force in a video announcing her priorities, Van Ovost said her goal is for all team members to review them and think about how they see themselves in them, and how each person helps to meet today’s challenges while adapting to accomplish tomorrow’s mission.

“I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and applying these new priorities together to continue succeeding in our critical role to project and sustain the Joint Force.”

USTRANSCOM exists as a warfighting combatant command to project and sustain military power at a time and place of the nation’s choosing. Powered by dedicated men and women, USTRANSCOM underwrites the lethality of the Joint Force, advances American interests around the globe, and provides our nation’s leaders with strategic flexibility to select from multiple options, while creating multiple dilemmas for our adversaries. DTJ www.ndtahq.com |

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Embracing an Infinite Mindset: Insights from Simon Sinek

By Sharon Lo, Managing Editor, DTJ and The Source

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n his latest book, The Infinite Game, author Simon Sinek says that a leader who wants to adopt an infinite mindset must follow five essential practices: Advance a Just Cause Building Trusting Teams Study Your Worthy Rivals Prepare for Existential Flexibility Demonstrate the Courage to Lead

Sinek based these practices on a definition of finite and infinite games first articulated by philosopher and theologian Dr. James Carson in the mid-1980s. Carson theorized there are two types of games.

In a finite game, there are known players, fixed rules, and an agreed upon objective. Examples of these are football and baseball, where there is a beginning, middle, and end, and, if there are winners, there must be losers.

Infinite games consist of known and unknown players, which means you don’t always know all the players and new players can join at any time. In addition, the rules are changeable which means every player can play however they want and the objective is to perpetuate the game, meaning to stay in the game as long as possible.

THE GAMES OF LIFE

“We are players at infinite games every day of our lives, whether we know it or not,” explained Sinek. “There’s no such thing as winning global politics, it just doesn’t exist. You can’t win education—no one’s declared the winner of education—you can come in first for the finite amount of time you’re at school, where we agree upon the

metrics (grades) and we agreed upon the time frame. But nobody wins education, no one’s ever going to win career, no one’s declared the winner of business.

“But if you listen to the language of so many leaders, it becomes abundantly clear that they don’t always know the game they’re playing in. They talk about being number one, being the best, or beating their competition. Based on what? Based upon what agreed upon metrics, objectives, or time frames?

“And this is a problem because when we play with a finite mindset in an infinite game, we play to win the game that has no finish line. There are some predictable and consistent outcomes, the big ones include the decline of trust, the decline of cooperation, and the decline of innovation.”

ADJUSTING TO AN INFINITE MINDSET

“What does it take to adjust to an infinite mindset? Well number one, you have to know the game you’re in. Don’t play with an infinite mindset [sic] if you’re playing baseball, that won’t work,” said Sinek adding that at times the games may change.

He elaborated further that, “the infinite game is not the absence of finite games, it’s the context within which finite games exist. There are things that every organization has to do that have a beginning, middle, and end.

“An airline for example, a gate agent and the crew have to make sure that the flight leaves on time—that is a finite game. And when that game is completed and the flight leaves on time, then the game repeats. But it’s within the context of an infinite game.

We [sic] can’t abuse passengers and shove them on the plane to make sure that that we hit the metric. We have to treat people with kindness and generosity to ensure that they’ll come back. In other words, we want to keep the company alive—so it’s the context within which that finite game exists—and that’s important.”

THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF PLAYING WITH AN INFINITE MINDSET Advance a Just Cause

“There are five principles to convert ourselves to playing with an infinite mindset. Number one, we have to advance a just cause. A just cause is a cause so just that we would willingly sacrifice sometimes our short-term interests in order to advance the greater good.

“This is what we mean to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, to have a vision, to advance a vision—and the reason I say advance rather than achieve is because a just cause is by definition idealistic.

“Our founding fathers put down a just cause for us to advance: all men are created equal endowed with unalienable rights amongst which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You know it is an ideal, we will never actually get there, but we will die trying—that’s the point. And throughout our own history, we have struggled and strained to advance that cause. And you can see the milestones that help us feel like we’re making progress towards that ideal, whether it’s the abolition of slavery or women’s suffrage or civil rights or gay rights or many other things.

All of those—infinite and imperfect in www.ndtahq.com |

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their own right—still ongoing but you can see that we’re striving towards this foundation, this just cause that our founding fathers gave to us. We have to advance a just cause, every great organization advances a just cause.”

Building Trusting Teams

“Number two, building trusting teams.

This is core to an infinite mindset which is ‘we cannot do it alone’ and it has every leader’s responsibility to create an environment in which the people feel like they can be their best selves,” said Sinek.

He shared an example, “I went on a business trip to Las Vegas and the client very generously put me up at the Four Seasons out there. Now the Four Seasons is a beautiful hotel, not because of the fancy beds, any hotel can buy a fancy bed. But because of the people who work there.

That when you walk down the hall and someone says good morning, you get the sense that they wanted to, not that they were told to. We’re highly attuned social animals, we can tell the difference.

“Anyway, they happen to have a coffee bar in the lobby there at the Four Seasons 16

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and one afternoon I went and bought myself a cup of coffee and the barista working that day was a kid named Noah. Noah was funny and engaging, and I stood there for far too long buying a cup of coffee because I just so enjoyed talking to Noah.

“And as is my nature, I asked Noah do you like your job? And without skipping a beat he said ‘I love my job.’ Now in my line of work, that’s significant. ‘Like’ is rational, ‘love’ is emotional,” said Sinek. To understand the difference between these two words, Sinek asked the audience to consider the difference between someone saying they “love their wife” or that they simply “like her a lot.”

Getting back to his interaction at the hotel, Sinek continued, “I love my job he [Noah] said and of course my ears perked up. This kid has an emotional connection to his work, so I immediately followed up and said ‘can you tell me specifically what the Four Seasons is doing that you would even tell me that you love your job?’”

Noah shared that throughout the day, Four Seasons managers walked past and asked if there was anything they could help him with that would help him do his job

better. This was not just his manager, but all the managers.

Noah also worked at another hotel.

There, he explained, the managers walked past only to catch him doing something wrong. The managers at the second hotel consistently pushed him and the rest of the staff to do or perform better. At that hotel, Noah had learned it was better to keep a low profile, get through his day, and collect his paycheck. “Only at the Four Seasons do I feel I can be myself,” he said.

Sinek asked the audience to think about the significance of this, “this is the exact same human being. The only difference is the leadership environment in which this human being is working. And yet, our experience of him will be profoundly different, the quality of his work, and his desire to work hard would be profoundly different. Not because of him, but because of his leaders.

“And I find this so interesting,” said Sinek. “You know I get this question so often from leaders, which is ‘how do we get the most out of our people?’”

He called this a “flawed question”, explaining that “people are not a towel that

we ring them out to see how much we can get out.” Rather, he said the correct question to ask is “how do I create an environment in which my people can work to their natural best?”

This, Sinek said, is the hard work of leadership—and this is what it means to build trusting teams. That people come to work and don’t fear their leaders, but rather thank their leaders and feel cooperative with their colleagues and co-workers. This allows them to work at their natural best, versus keeping their head below the radar, getting through the day, just trying not to screw up such as Noah did in his second work environment.

They do some or many things better than us. And instead of being competitive with them and trying to beat them based on some arbitrary metrics to feel better about ourselves, it makes more sense to take a hard look at ourselves and say how can we compete? Because in an infinite game the only true competitor is ourselves. It is fundamentally a game of constant improvement.

“And so, whether it’s colleagues, whether it’s other parts of the military who do similar things that may be better, whether it’s sister Services, or whether it’s foreign nations, instead of trying to beat them so we just feel better about ourselves, the question is to be hard [and] to be honest [about] who are our worthy rivals?” said Sinek.

He expounded that someone can pick whoever they or for whatever reason they want a worthy rival. The point is to deter-

Who are your worthy rivals? Study your worthy rivals. Be grateful for them,” Sinek concluded.

Prepare for Existential Flexibility

The fourth principle is the capacity for existential flexibility. “This is not the daily flexibility we need to do our jobs. This is the ability to make a profound 180-degree strategic shift in order to advance our cause due to changing cultures, technology, politics, or tastes,” explained Sinek.

“Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the founders of Apple, they had a just cause which is to empower the individual to stand up to big brother—that’s fundamentally was what it was. If you notice, it has Study Your Worthy Rivals nothing to do with computers. It is someThe third principle is to study your worthy thing more philosophical. But they saw the rivals. Sinek explained that there is another personal computer as a perfect tool to help author and speaker, who does similar work individuals compete against say corporations for example and that’s as him. While he admitted what they imagined—that the other person has a great one day an individual would reputation and does good be able to compete against work, Sinek has an irrational the corporation thanks to this hatred and competitiveness technology, which amazingly with this man. is exactly the world we live in The men were asked to today,” said Sinek. speak together at a conference In December of 1979, and the interviewer thought Apple was already a big it would be fun if the two company, Jobs was already a introduced each other and famous Chief Executive OfSinek went first. “I turned to ficer (CEO), and he went on him and I said ‘you make me feel really insecure.’ I said ‘all a tour of Xerox PARC along of your strengths are all of my with some of his senior exweaknesses and when your ecutives. Xerox showed them name comes up, I get really something it had invented uncomfortable.’ He turned called the graphic user interto me and he said ‘funny I face, which allowed people to This, Sinek said, is the hard work of leadership—and this is what feel the same about you.’ use a computer by moving a “The reason I had such mouse and clicking on icons it means to build trusting teams. That people come to work and a competitive feeling about across a desktop rather than don’t fear their leaders, but rather thank their leaders and feel him, the reason I had such having to write code in order cooperative with their colleagues and co-workers. as irrational feelings about to get a computer to work. him—had nothing to do Jobs saw this new advancewith him—it had to do with ment in technology and with me. It’s that because it was his desire to empower indimuch easier for me to be competitive mine who are worthy rivals and what things viduals, he saw this as an amazing leapfrog when I felt insecure than it was for me to those rivals do better that reveal to your for what Apple was working on at the time. take a hard look at my own insecurities, own weaknesses, and then to find ways to When the group left Xerox, Jobs said to his improve the quality of your own work. my own weaknesses. senior executives “we have to invest in this, “And this is what a worthy rival does. A “This is much more productive than we have to do this.” One executive spoke worthy rival reveals to us our weaknesses. simply trying to beat our competitors. up to say that Apple had already invested www.ndtahq.com |

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millions of dollars and countless man hire and fire people who miss metrics. It’s to fulfill the responsibilities if they underhours in a different strategic direction. Inmuch easier to be a bad leader than a good stand that they are stepping into the role vesting in the new technology would blow leader, and just scream and yell at people of the “Chief Vision Officer,” or the CVO. up Apple, to which Jobs said “better we rather than show empathy and care for He explains that as the ultimate infinite should blow it up than someone else.” people. It’s easier to play everything by the player, these leaders must go up and out, That decision led to the Macintosh, numbers and judge people only by the tarthinking beyond the bottom line. a computer system so profound, a user gets they hit by the end of the year. And The name of every C-suite executive, system so profound that it such as Chief Financial Officompletely changed the way cer (CFO) or Chief Marketing computers operate. The enOfficer (CMO), provides a tire software Windows is clue as to what their minimal designed to act like a Macinskill set needs to be. For extosh. The reason the comample, if you don’t know how puter is now a household apto read a balance sheet, you are pliance is because of the fact not qualified to be a CFO. that it’s so easy to use and so But, what exactly is a universally applicable.

CEO? What exactly is an That is existential flexibilexecutive officer? This name ity—when you find a better doesn’t describe the minimal technology or a better way skill set required to have this to advance your cause that title. And according to Sinek, you’re willing to walk away the wrong people are often sometimes from investment placed in this role. of time or money because this “A CEO should be a is just so much better. It’s inCVO—Chief Vision Officredibly difficult to do. cer—one person who is more Having the capacity for exresponsible than all the others istential flexibility means you to ensure that we advance toneed to have a just cause bewards our just cause and we’re cause it can’t just be random. advancing towards a vision It has to be directly related and that all the other C-level Like any other practice, the courage to lead takes time and responsibilities are organized and obvious to all the people doesn’t always go well. But it is striving to do all of these to advance the vision,” said in the organization that this things to maintain an infinite mindset.

Sinek. “Without that title, is actually a better way to adwithout knowledge of that revance our just cause. sponsibility, very often what Sinek also emphasized the happens is we put the wrong need for trusting teams, “bemindset into that job. it’s very difficult to walk away from investcause such shifts very often cause more ment and go through existential flex.

“We made a big mistake thinking that stress on the organization in the short So, people really do need the courage CEO’s number one and CFO or COO term—metrics often go down and stress to lead because so many of the pressures [Chief Operating Officer] are number two. often goes up. And the reason you need upon them are finite pressures, whether They’re really partnerships because one is trusting teams is because the people have that’s incentive structures, political presreally much more infinite and the other to believe that what we’re going through is sures, or external pressures it’s usually one is much more of an operations job. worth it because we believe this is the right there are pressures pushing them to play And those two—and the tensions between thing to do to advance the cause. That’s the finite game. Like any other practice, those two—work expertly well. It’s not one what it means to have a capacity for existhe courage to lead takes time and doesn’t and two, it’s one and ‘A’. And, it’s not that tential flexibility.” always go well. But it is striving to do all a CFO or COO cannot become a CVO, Demonstrate the Courage to Lead of these things to maintain an infinite they can, but they have to completely The final principle is the courage to lead, mindset. change the way they’ve been thinking. which Sinek explained he added to the “And very often, we see it in organizalist because all of the principles are inTHE ULTIMATE INFINITE PLAYER tions all the time, where when we place a credibly difficult to do. It is much easier Sinek writes in his book that Leaders in visionary leader with an operator, the up to maintain a finite mindset. It’s easier to the Infinite Game will be better equipped and out becomes down and in. And they 18

| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

become more short-term oriented, more quarterly oriented, the vision becomes secondary, and the lifespan of the organization shortens—even if the short-term results go up.

Not to mention the fact that it’s much more difficult to lead in those organizations because all we do is judge people by their short-term results. And if you incentivize short-term results, you get behavior that is sometimes abhorrent, unethical, and sometimes illegal. So, yeah, I’m a great believer that we should replace CEO with CVO, which very simply tells the person in that job what their ultimate responsibility is.”

THE INFINITE GAME CURRENCIES

The currencies of an infinite game are will and resources. Resources often refers to money to stay in the game. “There’s no point having an incredibly designed car if you have no fuel to go anywhere,” explained Sinek. “The destination is the vision, the car is the organization, and money is the fuel. So, yes, money is important.

Resources are important.

“But the will of the people—the desire to get in the car and drive it, and work together and take shifts driving is at least 51 percent important. It’s not equal. You can’t have two equals because at some point you’ll have to make a decision where one has to be sacrificed and the question is which one. And so there has to be leaning towards will.”

Will can include such things as morale.

This was exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, which served as a great test for organizations. Sinek said that it was very easy to see which organizations had invested in the will of their people, not just the resources that they could accumulate. During the most difficult, unpredictable times of the pandemic, organizations that panicked often had weak will. As did the organizations that went into a fear mode, even if they were flush with resources.

However, organizations with strong will came together in a more remarkable way even though the stress was still high. These companies were willing to meet the challenges of the pandemic as a team because

they cared about each other, not just about themselves.

Both will and resources have to be managed accordingly. But while many are good at managing resources, Sinek thought a better job could be done in most companies at managing the will— something which boils down to good leadership.

AN INFINITE MINDSET FOR THE MILITARY

Having an infinite mindset may seem diametrically opposed to military training in which the goal is to win decisively when called upon. But Sinek points out that this is not true, as not all wars are finite.

If there is an agreed-upon objective, then it is probably a finite war. For example, during the first Gulf War, the US military’s objective was to eject Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, declare victory, and leave. In other words, there was a finite end.

The Cold War was and continues to be an infinite war. It hasn’t gone away, it has just changed forms. That’s what happens in an infinite game—players don’t win or lose, they drop out of the game, and the game changes form.

“When Circuit City went bankrupt, Best Buy didn’t win anything. All that happened was that Amazon showed up and it changed the nature of the game,” said Sinek. “I would argue the Soviet Union was Circuit City, the United States is Best Buy, and China’s Amazon.”

In the wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan, there were poorly stated objectives, the goal posts kept getting moved, and there was confusion on when to leave.

When the military enters a “hot” war, that’s finite. But there is “cold” war as well.

So, while military training may focus on winning, not all war is created equal. It is imperative to distinguish that there’s different kind of war and to prepare strategically differently.

The Army and the Marines are expertly and generally equipped to fight hot war.

You can’t keep soldiers on the ground forever though—it simply doesn’t work. The Navy and Air Force are better equipped for a more infinite contingency by doing

things like applying pressure simply by virtue of their presence.

TRANSPORTATION IS AN INFINITE GAME

According to Sinek, with “the infinite nature of transportation, you have to keep improving and making it better. There’s no beginning, middle and end to transportation, though sometimes your mission may be finite. You have to operate as if it’s an infinite game. In other words, how do we leave this organization in better shape than we found it?”

Fundamentally transportation requires a good infinite mindset, focused on constant improvement. It is not won—or not won very often. It’s just about knowing the game you are in, at the time you are in it.

You have to be aware that sometimes that game can change right in front of your eyes due to bad decisions and you have to change strategy accordingly.

The game also changes as your career progresses. “When you’re really junior in an organization, you’re pretty much playing a predominantly finite game,” explained Sinek. In this phase of one’s career, the objective is to be good at your job.

But as you move through the ranks, your mind has to shift to more infinite concept of how to keep your organization thriving long beyond your own tenure. DTJ

Simon Sinek is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Mr. Sinek has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. He is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. This article draws from Mr. Sinek’s comments made during his fireside chat with USTRANSCOM Deputy Commander VADM Dee Mewbourne, USN, at the NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting in 2021. www.ndtahq.com |

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| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

Learning from History to Strengthen the Nation’s Military Logistics & Distribution Network

By Alex Vohr, Vice President, Government Affairs, Trailer Bridge Photos courtesy Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT)

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pril will mark the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War between the United Kingdom (UK) and Argentina. It was an unexpected conflict for the UK, a result of Argentina’s surprise invasion of the islands. Argentina had disputed UK ownership of the islands since 1833.

After 74 days of conflict, the UK prevailed, wresting the islands from Argentine control, but the campaign was a near run thing. The biggest challenge for the UK was in building the distribution network to deploy and sustain its force. The UK had to project combat power from the home islands 8,000 miles into the hostile environment of the South Atlantic to confront an adversary operating much closer to its base of supply.

Had the UK not secured the use of Ascension Island from the United States and not moved decisively to requisition and convert for military use, 54 commercial vessels to transport both troops and equipment, the effort would have failed.

In recent years and through reductions in military spending, prominent members of the UK military have suggested the same success could not be achieved today.1 The distribution logistics capacity could not be mustered to deploy and sustain the force.

America has not fought a war in the continental US since the Civil War. All conflicts have been fought far from home and barring unforeseen events, this will surely remain the case. Confronting the most likely threats of today has the potential of creating scenarios similar to what the UK faced 40 years ago, but on a much larger scale. There are many scenarios that could

trigger a requirement for the US to rapidly deploy and sustain significant forces over vast distances to fight.

What was the case for the UK 40 years ago remains true today, distribution logistics is the foundation of national capability to project and sustain the force.

Having the best trained forces in the world, armed with state-of-the-art weapons systems, is not relevant if those weapons systems cannot be brought to bear by the ability to deploy, establish, and maintain forces anywhere on the globe. Without strategic distribution networks, the US military becomes little more than a force capable of conducting large-scale raids.

There will not be time, once hostilities commence, to build distribution systems consisting of physical networks, supplies and transportation assets, and the command and control to manage the system.

The framework and components for these systems must be in place prior to conflict.

Recognizing in conventional conflict it is critical to get there first and to persist once there, an argument can be made the best investments in our national preparedness for defense are in strategic to tactical level distribution logistics. Before weapons can be employed against the enemy in any conflict, the capability to put forces and weapons anywhere on the globe and sustain them once they arrive is an absolute and unyielding requirement.

Along these lines, when speaking at the 2021 NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting, Gen Jacqueline Van Ovost, USAF, Commander of US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), described the need for “resilient, reliable, agile, and adaptable logistics capabilities.” The US

distribution logistics capabilities are what Gen Van Ovost described them to be however, they are not robust in scale to even approach meeting the potential need. Similar to the UK in the years following the Falkland Islands conflict, the US will be challenged today in deploying and sustaining forces sufficient to confront capable regional threats.

Over the last 20 years, there has been tremendous investment in logistics command and control technology to drive system efficiency. Efficiency through visibility and accuracy is important, it reduces the requirement for physical assets, but no investment in artificial intelligence, machine learning, decision advantage, or transportation management systems is the panacea to offset the requirement for physical network infrastructure and transportation assets.

Even in today’s information age, the tyranny of time, distance, mass, and dimensions still exist for logisticians. What is to be done? Here are four recommendations: BUILD STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS

First, the United States must forge, and in some cases renew, strategic relationships that will allow access during times of conflict, to foreign bases, ports, and airfields.

Access to these facilities and the ability to maintain the surface lines of communication linking them together, constitutes the logistics network of the distribution system.

Gen Van Ovost noted in her comments, 85 percent of US forces are currently based in the continental United States. Since the end of the Cold War, the US has brought forces home from forward basing locations, like those that were in Germany and the Philippines. Not only do forces need www.ndtahq.com |

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to deploy from the US today, utilizing assets to move troops and equipment, there are no forward bases from which to mass sustainment closer to point of need once forces arrive in theater.

The importance of access and basing was evident in 2003 when Turkey denied the US access to Iraq from the North. Had Kuwait not allowed US forces to land, to assemble and to stage, the invasion and subsequent operations in Iraq would not have been possible.

THE NEED FOR STRATEGIC MILITARY ASSETS

Secondly, the US must secure the strategic mobility assets to utilize on the logistics network. The most critical asset shortfall today is in strategic shipping. At the conclusion of World War II, the US possessed the largest merchant fleet in the world. Gen Van Ovost commented that 90 percent of the assets required to deploy forces today are commercial assets, and 34 out of 50 vessels in the Roll-on/Roll-off fleet needed to deploy the force, are scheduled to leave service by 2031. There are also competing demands for commercial assets, like those for the Jones Act vessels plying the waters between the US mainland, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, that can’t simply be abandoned.

Information provided by the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) shows only 180 US flagged vessels exceeding 1,000 tons exist in the national inventory.2 There is also a growing mismatch between vessel design for commercial purposes and military need during wartime.3 A cursory historical comparison of shipping requirements for past conflicts, Operation Desert Storm is a good 22

| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

Gen Van Ovost commented that 90 percent of the assets required to deploy forces today are commercial assets, and 34 out of 50 vessels in the Roll-on/ Roll-off fleet needed to deploy the force, are scheduled to leave service by 2031.

example, versus what is on hand today reveals massive shortfalls. The US maintains a Ready Reserve Force of close to 100 vessels and MARAD’s Maritime Security Program (MSP) is fully subscribed at 60 vessels, but these numbers are clearly not sufficient.

Paralleling the decline in shipping is a decline in the US mariners to crew the US flagged vessels required to deploy military equipment. More than that, only four shipyards remain in the US today to build ships, and vessel production in US ports is almost exclusively devoted to grey hull, military vessels.4 The total number of ships produced in US yards is less than ten vessels annually. The US shipping industry, once the mightiest in the world, is a shadow of its former self.

The Cato Institute, an American libertarian think tank, and others have levied harsh criticism on the Jones Act, a centerpiece of US maritime policy, influencing the industry.5 Perhaps it is time to set calcified domestic politics aside and take a hard look at these laws and the unintended and harmful consequences of a policy designed to encourage US shipping, whose critics

assert, has effects that are completely opposed. There are opportunities to preserve the positive aspects of the Jones Act, while modifying areas that are a drag on competition, that could result in vital new growth in the US fleet and grow the numbers of the US Merchant Mariners.

If a major contingency occurred today, it is clear waivers to the Jones Act would be required, as have been required in past conflicts, to effectively deploy and sustain the force. Supply chain challenges that plague our commercial sector today suggest heavy reliance on foreign sources for anything can be dangerous. Both industry and transportation must transition back to more insourcing and recognize the real security risk that results from globalization.

Since at the moment, the Department of Defense (DOD) has few options, agreements needed to source foreign shipping in the event of an emergency should be considered and concluded now, well ahead of need. Whether or not these vessels are willing to sail in contested waters or not needs to be discussed, so wartime constraints are at least understood and solutions can be found ahead of time. The possibility of securing options to guarantee use of these vessels, ahead of time, should be considered. Additionally, incentives to prioritize US flagged commercial ship design for duel military use should be explored to close the gap between commercial and military needs.

MARAD and the DOD have recognized the strategic challenges posed by the shrinking US fleet. Today’s commercial supply chain shortfalls combined with the requirement for vessels to support military contingency highlight the urgency. It’s time to stop admiring the problem and do something about it.

IMPORTANCE OF COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS

Third, Gen Van Ovost highlighted as a success, the exercise of logistics assets in ocean convoy operations in the 2020 Defender Europe exercise. Spearheaded by USTRANSCOM, the US should hold more exercises focused only on logistics and distribution and war games designed to model the deployment and sustainment of forces for anticipated operations. Because logistics is “real,” logistics exercises and war games can be highly realistic and yield valuable data and results. The insights gained from these exercises could make significant differences in USTRANSCOM’s

readiness to rapidly build distribution networks to support forces deploying to confront aggression and defend US interests.

Commercial carriers are going to play a major role in any deployment and operation and should, therefore, be fully involved in war games and exercises. Gen Van Ovost mentioned the importance of these partnerships in her comments. These relationships must continually be cultivated. The DOD should compensate carrier involvement to prioritize the proposed exercises against competing commercial demand. Highly realistic tabletop exercises are inexpensive to conduct and provide tremendous venues for working through, ahead of time, many of the challenges that will be faced in responding to real world needs.

Prior to World War I, the German Army knew in detail what it would take to deploy the force via railroads to the frontiers. The planning done by the German general staff, and the recognition of the importance of railway-based logistics in moving the mobilized reserve, was such that their plans were dubbed, “war by timetable.” While there is always some uncertainty and chance in war, logistics detail to tremendous granu-

larity can be just as well understood today, before any conflict. Frank discussions can be held and solutions devised to meet shortfalls identified through exercises.

PRIORITIZATION OF ASSETS & INVESTMENT

Finally, while USTRANSCOM is the joint functional component command responsible to the warfighter for distribution, it is the services and the service chiefs who are responsible for training and equipping the forces. USTRANSCOM’s focus is on strategic distribution, but to be successful in any conflict, tactical logistics is also critical.

During the march to Baghdad in 2003, the 3rd Infantry Division and the 1st Marine Division came close to outrunning the tactical logistics fueling armored and wheeled vehicles. In force design and budget decisions, tactical logistics capabilities across all the services must receive at least equal prioritization and investment as the development and fielding of new weapons systems.

Nobody can be certain what weapons and tactics will prove decisive against 21st century adversaries on future battlefields. What is undisputable is the US must first be able to

deploy forces to those potential battlefields, and then sustain those forces once they are there. Logistics and distribution is the foundation of our Nation’s military might.

Investment in distribution capacity and capability is money well spent regardless of the specifics of future theaters or threats. DTJ 1. Clemence, Hollie, “Planned Army Cuts Would Leave UK Unable to Recapture Falklands General Claims: Ministry of Defence Unveils Series of Major Changes to Armed Forces.” The Week Magazine (online) March 22, 2021 2. U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration, “United States Flag Privately‐ Owned Merchant Fleet Report Oceangoing, Self‐ Propelled Vessels of 1,000 Gross Tons and Above that Carry Cargo from Port to Port 180” As of: October 14, 2021, page 2 3. U.S Department of Transportation Maritime Administration, “A Report to Congress Impacts of Reductions in Government Impelled Cargo on the U.S. Merchant Marine” April 21, 2015, page 48 4. Grabow, Colin, “Rust Buckets: How the Jones Act Undermines U.S. Shipbuilding and National Security.” CATO Institute, Policy Analysis, November 12, 2019. Page 4 5. Ibid

SURFACE FORCE PROJECTION CONFERENCE “Managing Disruptions Thru the Strategic Ports to Improve Deployments”

May 17-19, 2022 Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA REGISTER TODAY!

www.ndtahq.com/events/ports-conference/

This conference focuses on the deployment and movement of U.S. Military Forces and sustainment from CONUS to the INDO-PACIFIC region considering Dynamic Force Employment to develop a range of options while leveraging Strategic Port readiness and a wide-range of surface connectors needed to respond to U.S. security threats.

Join the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) and Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies (CAS) along with the NDTA

Surface Committee and Ports Subcommittee as we team with USTRANSCOM’s Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), the Association of American Port Authorities (AAPA), and the logistics and transportation Industry along with academia to find creative and innovative ways to improve deployment readiness, solve challenges and improve U.S. ability and capability to respond and operate in a global, multi-domain, and contested environment.

www.ndtahq.com |

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“To carry out our global mission as the Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency, DLA must support and enable a robust, resilient, and secure defense industrial base. Our dynamic partnership is vital to our warfighters and Whole of Government customers, who depend on us to deliver effective and efficient solutions that will enable mission success.”

—VADM Michelle C. Skubic, SC, USN Defense Logistics Agency Director

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| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

New Industry Engagement Plan Maintains DLA’s Focus on Strong Partnerships

By Beth Reece, DLA Public Affairs

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nabling and supporting a secure defense industrial base remains a Defense Logistics Agency priority according to an updated Industry Engagement Plan that outlines five focus areas expected to facilitate better acquisition outcomes.

The new 15-page plan refreshes the 2018 version by reflecting changes in the acquisition environment and incorporating DLA’s latest Strategic Plan, which prioritizes modernizing acquisition and supply chain management.

“In order to further strengthen the partnership between DLA and its industry base, we must begin from a point of common understanding. With that in mind, I ask that all stakeholders – our suppliers as well as the DLA workforce and government partners – familiarize themselves with the plan,” DLA Acquisition Director Matthew Beebe says in his message in the Industry Engagement Plan.

The focus areas are the same as those in the previous plan but include some new initiatives. Each area is critical to helping American businesses compete and

strengthening the resilience of the nation’s supply chains, Beebe added.

Under the Supplier Communication and Interaction focus area, DLA recognizes industry engagement as key to achieving successful acquisition strategies and improving readiness. The agency reaffirms its commitment to frank and open communication through interaction with industry associations and events such as industry days that focus on particular supply chains, supplier conferences and industry site visits.

New in the Balancing Business Decisions and Fiduciary Responsibilities area is

DLA’s effort to implement category management principles that leverage common contracts and best practices to achieve savings and efficiencies while also balancing the benefits of small business participation. DLA must also continue complying with laws and regulations such as the Buy American Act and Berry Amendment.

“Striking this balance, while also promoting a fully fair, open and competitive marketplace, is not always easy, especially when we must make value determinations that ensure business decisions don’t negatively outweigh warfighter mission needs,” the plan reads.

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INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT CONTACTS www.dla.mil/info/strategicplan/IndustryEngagementPlan

DLA INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM OFFICE keeps lines of communication open between DLA senior leaders and industry partners. Collaborates across agency for all enterprise engagements with industry. Leverages relationships with industry via integrating strategic objectives and operational outcomes to support DLA at providing Warfighter readiness and lethality.

Contact: IndustryEngagement@dla.mil DLA SMALL BUSINESS OFFICE promotes small-business utilization to strengthen the competency, commitment, and capability of the industrial base that fulfills DLA’s mission.

Visit: www.dla.mil/SmallBusiness or Contact: DLAHQSmallBusiness@dla.mil DLA CORPORATE EVENTS is the catalyst for strategic engagements at conferences and trade shows. The Corporate Events program provides a platform at these forums to promote the DLA brand, optimize corporate communications, business development, and customer/Industry support.

Visit: www.dla.mil/CustomerSupport/Resources/Events DLA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – VENDOR RELATIONS serves as the central contact for managing engagement with vendors seeking to demonstrate capabilities and the value they may be bringing to DLA in the area of information technology that supports R&D and innovation.

Contact: strategictechnologyvendorrelations@dla.mil DLA TRANSFORMATION oversees the Academia and Research Engagements Program charged with identifying organizations (Academic, Think Tank, R&D) that are leaders in developing cutting-edge logistics practices, supply chain processes and business technologies. Manages senior leader engagements with these organizations to develop relationships and facilitate the integration of innovative solutions in support of DLA operations and processes.

Contact: DLA_Academia-Research_Engagements@dla.mil DLA AVIATION provides repair parts for aviation weapons systems, flight safety equipment, maps, environmental products and industrial plant equipment.

Contact: dlaavnsmallbus@dla.mil

The biannual DLA Supplier Survey that measures suppliers’ experience doing business with DLA during contract solicitation and post-award processes remains a component of the plan through the third focus area: Supplier Feedback Management and 26

| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

DLA CONTRACTING SERVICES OFFICE is the Center of Excellence that provides DLA enterprise wide life-cycle contracting for both IT operational services, to include enterprise contracts and agreements for software licensing and hardware, and for other enterprisewide common services not assigned to other COEs. Contact: DCSO@dla.mil DLA DISPOSITION SERVICES is the preferred provider for the contracted disposal of DoD’s hazardous waste.

Contact: hazardouscontractseast@dla.mil; and disposes of excess property by reutilization, transfer, public sales and demilitarization.

Contact: DLADispSvcs-J42@dla.mil DLA DISTRIBUTION provides storage and distribution solutions/ management, transportation planning/management and logistics planning and contingency operations; operates a global network of distribution centers.

Contact: DistributionJ7@dla.mil DLA STRATEGIC DATA SERVICES is the preferred provider for document automation services to the DoD. Strategic Data Services is also designated as the single manager for printing and high-speed, high-volume duplicating in the DoD. Contact: j67dcsc@dla.mil DLA ENERGY provides petroleum and lubrication products, alternative fuel/renewable energy, aerospace energy, fuel quality/ technical support, fuel card programs and installation energy services.

Contact: energy.industry-engagement@dla.mil DLA LAND AND MARITIME provides repair parts for groundbased and maritime weapons systems, small arms parts, fluid handling and electronic components.

Contact: DSCC.BCC@dla.mil DLA STRATEGIC MATERIALS manages the strategic and critical raw material stockpile that supports national defense needs.

Contact: DLAStrategicMaterials@dla.mil DLA TROOP SUPPORT provides food, textiles, construction material and medical supplies and equipment, to include pharmaceuticals. Contact: DLATSPartnerInquiry@dla.mil

Advocacy. The agency is working to improve how it collects and assesses information about market segments, as well.

“This will lead to an ability to provide access to commercial data sources to quickly create supplier profiles and industry over-

views that go beyond readily available public resources,” according to the plan. Such data should also reduce the time it takes DLA to determine fair and reasonable prices.

The fourth focus area, Drive Efficiencies and Innovation in Our Business, covers

SIX MAJOR BUSINESS UNITS/MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS

DLA’s goal of using innovative, efficient approaches that result in better acquisitions and improve business processes. The agency is looking to leverage rather than duplicate commercial supply chains and incorporate solutions such as reverse engineering and automated procurement.

Assess and Mitigate Supply Chain Risk is the final focus area and includes collaborative efforts to stop counterfeit parts, avoid fraud and cyber vulnerabilities, and address diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages.

DLA’s partnership with industry is more important than ever since COVID-19 and other threats have reemphasized supply chain vulnerability, said Tim Stark, chief of the DLA Industry Engagement Program Office.

“We saw the pressure that put on our ability to get the products we needed from industry to the warfighter, and now we’re seeing supply chain disruptions with the ports backed up,” he said. “All of these things make it really critical for DLA to form good partnerships with industry to meet challenges.”

The Industry Engagement Plan also includes advice for businesses wanting to partner with DLA and points of contact for over a dozen offices.

In fiscal 2021, DLA generated over $41 billion in revenue, $13 billion with small businesses and over $5 billion in support to whole-of-government customers. It also partnered with over 10,000 suppliers with 10,000 awards daily. DTJ

SUPPLIER ENGAGEMENT SPECTRUM

DLA BY THE NUMBERS

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CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

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.

AAR CORP. + PLUS Agility Defense & Government Services + PLUS Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) + PLUS AIT Worldwide Logistics, Inc. + PLUS ALARA Logistics + PLUS Amazon Web Services + PLUS American President Lines, LLC + PLUS American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC) + PLUS Amtrak + PLUS Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings + PLUS Bennett + PLUS Cervello Global Corporation + PLUS CGI Federal + PLUS Chapman Freeborn Airchartering, Inc. + PLUS Construction Helicopters, Inc. (d/b/a CHI Aviation) + PLUS Crane Worldwide Logistics, LLC + PLUS Crowley + PLUS Deloitte + PLUS DHL Express + PLUS Enterprise Holdings + PLUS FedEx + PLUS Freeman Holdings Group + PLUS Global Guardian + PLUS Goldratt Consulting North America LLC + PLUS Hapag-Lloyd USA, LLC + PLUS International Auto Logistics + PLUS Kalitta Air LLC + PLUS Landstar System, Inc. + PLUS Liberty Global Logistics-Liberty Maritime + PLUS Maersk Line, Limited + PLUS Matson + PLUS Microsoft Federal + PLUS National Air Cargo, Inc. + PLUS Omni Air International, LLC + PLUS Patriot Contract Services, LLC + PLUS Plateau Grp + PLUS Salesforce + PLUS SAP + PLUS Schuyler Line Navigation Company LLC + PLUS Sixt rent a car + PLUS Southwest Airlines + PLUS The Suddath Companies + PLUS TOTE, LLC + PLUS Tri-State + PLUS US Ocean, LLC + PLUS Waterman Logistics + PLUS AEG Fuels American Maritime Partnership Amerijet International, Inc. Berry Aviation, Inc. BNSF Railway Boeing Company Boyle Transportation Bristol Associates Choice Hotels International CSX Transportation 28

| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

CWTSatoTravel Echo Global Logistics, Inc. Global Logistics Providers ICAT Logistics KGL Leidos McKinsey & Company National Air Carrier Association Norfolk Southern Corporation

SAP Concur Sealift, Inc. Telesto Group LLC The Pasha Group The Port of Virginia Transportation Institute U.S. Bank Freight Payment Union Pacific Railroad Western Global Airlines Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

HONOR ROLL

OF

SUSTAINING MEMBERS AND REGIONAL PATRONS

ALL OF THESE FIRMS SUPPORT THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES OF NDTA

SUSTAINING MEMBERS AAT Carriers, Inc. Accenture Federal Services Admiral Merchants Motor Freight, Inc. Akua Inc. Alacran Al-Hamd International Container Terminal Alytic, Inc. American Bureau of Shipping American Maritime Officers American Trucking Associations Ameriflight, LLC Apex Logistics International Inc. ArcBest Army & Air Force Exchange Service Arven Services, LLC At Ease Rentals Corporations ATS Specialized, Inc. Avis Budget Group Baggett Transportation Company BCD Travel Beltway Transportation Service Benchmarking Partners, Inc. Bolloré Logistics BWH Hotel Group C.L. Services, Inc. Circle Logistics, LLC CIT Signature Transportation Coachman Luxury Transport Coleman Worldwide Moving Cornerstone Systems, Inc. Council for Logistics Research Cypress International, Inc. Dash Point Distributing, LLC Delta Air Lines Drury Hotels LLC Duluth Travel, Inc. (DTI) EASE Logistics EMO Trans, Inc. Ernst & Young Estes Forwarding Worldwide, LLC Eurpac Evanhoe & Associates, Inc. Excl Hospitality – Suburban Suites/ MainStay Suites Eyre Bus Service, Inc. REGIONAL PATRONS ACME Truck Line, Inc. Amyx Atlas World Group International C5T Corporation CakeBoxx Containers CarrierDrive LLC Cartwright International Columbia Helicopters, Inc. Dalko Resources, Inc.

FlightSafety International GeoDecisions Global Secure Shipping Green Valley Transportation Corp.

Guidehouse Hilton Worldwide Hyatt Hotels IHG Army Hotels Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) Intermodal Logistics Consulting Inc. International Association of Movers International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), AFL-CIO Interstate Moving | Relocation | Logistics K&L Trailer Sales and Leasing Keystone Shipping Co. KROWN1 FZC Langham Logistics, Inc. LMI Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association Martin Logistics Incorporated MatchTruckers, Inc. Mayflower Transit McCollister’s Global Services, Inc. Mento LLC Mercer Transportation Company mLINQS National Charter Bus National Corporate Housing, Inc. National Industries for the Blind (NIB) National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. National Van Lines, Inc. Nika Corporate Housing Northern Air Cargo, LLC Northern Neck Transfer Inc. Omega World Travel Omnitracs, LLC One Network Enterprises, Inc. ORBCOMM PD Systems, Inc. Perfect Logistics, LLC Perimeter Global Logistics (PGL) Pilot Freight Services PODS Enterprises LLC Port of Beaumont Port of Corpus Christi Authority Ports America

DGC International Enterprise Management Systems HLI Government Services JAS Forwarding John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences Kalitta Charters, LLC Lineage Logistics LMJ International Logistics, LLC Lynden, Inc. Move One Logistics

Portus Prestera Trucking, Inc. PTS Worldwide Radiant Global Logistics Radisson Hotel Group Ramar Transportation, Inc. RedStone Logistics RESIDE Worldwide, Inc. Ryzhka International LLC Sabre SAIC Savi SeaCube Containers Seafarers International Union of NA, AGLIW SecureSystem US, Inc. SEKO Logistics Solerity SSA Marine St. Louis Union Station Hotel a Curio Hotel Collection by Hilton StarForce National Corporation Stevens Global Logistics, Inc. Swan Transportation Services The Cheney Company The DeWitt Companies The Hertz Corporation The Margarthe Group, LLC The Roosevelt Group TMM, Inc. Toll Group Trailer Bridge Transport Investments, Inc. Transportation Intermediaries Assn. (TIA) Travelport Triman Industries Inc. TTX Company Tucker Company Worldwide, Inc. U.S. Premier Locations Uber Technologies, Inc. United Airlines United Van Lines, Inc. UPS US1 Logistics WhyHotel Women In Trucking Association, Inc. World Fuel Services – Defense Solutions Yellow Corporation

North Carolina State Ports Authority NovaVision Inc. Overdrive Logistics, Inc. PITT OHIO Port Canaveral Port of Port Arthur Port of San Diego Priority Worldwide Seatac Marine Services TechGuard Security Trans Global Logistics Europe GmbH

UNIVERSITIES Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign McKendree University

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Cont’d from Pres. Corner pg. 9 Closing the Gaps in Contested Logistics – reinforce NDTA’s efforts to connect government and industry through representation with OSD A&S, Joint Staff J4 at the Readiness and Sustainment Industry Working Group (RSIWG) • Continue to coordinate with JS J4 and with the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and Professional Services Council (PSC) RSIWG Team to understand contested logistics requirements and associated objectives for industry input so NDTA can identify appropriate workstreams where industry innovation and support can help.

NDTA National Events – Execute world-class forums (in-person preferably), e.g. NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting (Oct. 17-20, 2022, St. Louis Union Station Hotel, St. Louis, MO), NDTADTMO GovTravels LITE (virtual event),

Please join us in 2022 as we make NDTA even stronger, rebuild our economy and strengthen our National Security.

and the NDTA-CAS/Center for American Studies Surface Force Projection Conference (May 17-19, 2022, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA).

Chapter Support – provide the support needed to continue to successfully operate through the pandemic. Chapters are NDTA’s state and regional organizations that represent the values of NDTA writ large: • Continue Headquarters’ virtual quarterly meetings with NDTA Presidents (Regional, State, and Chapter) • Connect Chapters with Transportation Academy educational materials • Take full advantage of the NDTA Awards program and Foundation Scholarships • Reinforce Chapter support to NDTA National Events: Fall Meeting, GovTravels, and Surface Force Projection Conference 30

| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022

REGISTER TODAY! www.ndtahq.com/events/ports-conference/ • Provide Chapters with media resources (DTJ, The Source, Website, LinkedIn and blast messaging) • Provide Chapter support through the new AMS Support to our Membership – • Improve general member support including event registration and accounting through the new AMS. • Move forward with conducting a poof of principle for an NDTA Virtual Chapter for individual members not affiliated with a physical chapter • Individual Membership – We will continue to revamp/validate Membership Incentive Program – We will conduct a proof of principle for a Virtual Chapter in support of individual members who cannot join in on local chapter events • Corporate Membership – NDTA must continue to bring in new corporate members. Our 2022 percent increase target: 10 percent (add 25 new corporate members) Committees – Our newly elected/reelected Committee and Subcommittee Chairs continue to demonstrate their value as the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to impact industry, the government and the national economy. They continue to provide connectivity between industry and government to address issues of readiness and national interest(s). In 2022, Committees will continue to provide outstanding leadership in the following areas: • Focus on issues • Encourage government participation in committee meetings • Develop new industry memberships— and assist them upon joining NDTA • Promote young leader participation

along with the Young Leader Committee Chair • Look for opportunities to align with local Chapters • Continue growth and alignment of the Logistics and Distribution Committee with USTRANSCOM and DLA • Continue to support the formation of a new NDTA committee that supports the INDO-PACIFIC NDTA Foundation – Our commitment is to grow the NDTA Foundation to increase the annual Foundation scholarship awards to deserving students.

• Promote the Scholarship Foundation program via the campaign plan which commenced in 2021 • Implement the COL Denny Edwards Scholarship for graduate students as approved by the Board of Directors in 2021 Thank you to all of our committed NDTA members. Your loyalty to this organization and our mission during the continuing pandemic is remarkable and inspiring. Please join us in 2022 as we make NDTA even stronger, rebuild our economy and strengthen our National ecurity. There is much to be thankful for and with your—and all our members’ help and support—we will continue to provide a strong, relevant and robust NDTA! DTJ

DTJ INDEX OF ADVERTISERS American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC)...........2 American President Lines (APL)......................5 Bennett Motor Express, LLC..........................31 Crowley Logistics, Inc.....................................6 CWTSatoTravel...............................................9 FedEx Government Services..........................32 Landstar Transportation Logistics, Inc.............3 Southwest Airlines..........................................4

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Thank you for your courage We thank the men and women in uniform who sacrifice for our country and display bravery daily. It’s an honor to serve them in any way we can — around the world.

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| Defense Transportation Journal | MARCH 2022