Acquisition Directorate leader addresses USTRANSCOM

Gail M. Jorgenson, Senior Executive Service, director, U.S. Transportation Command Acquisition Directorate, spoke to members of USTRANSCOM and its component commands March 24 in the Seay Auditorium about her career and the evolution of gender equality.

Air Force Gen. Darren W. McDew, commander, USTRANSCOM, hosted the event to celebrate the women of USTRANSCOM in honor of Women’s History Month and as an initiative commemorating the command’s 30th anniversary in October 2017.

Jorgenson is responsible for all matters related to the program management and acquisition of common-user transportation services, transportation-related services and information technology support for USTRANSCOM's global transportation mission and the distribution process mission. She provides acquisition support for more than $7.3 billion in transportation services.

Jorgenson said she originally went to school to be a business educator. Then, she was hired for a temporary government position which turned into a permanent one.

“You are looking at the most unlikely SES in the world,” she said, “and the reason it happened is because other people saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself, and I took a minute to listen.”

“Find somebody that inspires you and criticizes you kindly,” she added, “because that person needs to be a good mirror to you.”

Jorgenson discussed several women in senior leadership positions who made a difference in USTRANSCOM’s 30-year history and who all felt the mission was bigger than the leader.

“Our trailblazers are not in our past, they’re in our future, men and women alike,” she said. “You have a commander who wants you to take risks, he wants you to be scary, he wants you to challenge yourselves and he wants you to be innovative -- take advantage of that.”

“Ms Jorgenson’s career is remarkable, reflecting integrity and dedication to service,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Tarha A. Mazyck, superintendent, Commander’s Action Group. “As a military acquisition professional, her words encouraged me to continue to work hard in an industry that discourages bias and promotes its personnel based on merit.”

Jorgenson earned a bachelor's degree in business education and master's degrees in procurement and acquisition management, and national resource strategy. She has acquisition experience with the Department of Agriculture, Coast Guard, Defense Mapping Agency and Air Mobility Command. She joined USTRANSCOM in 1993 as acquisition manager, and was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in January 2010.

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