United States Transportation Command

ATLANTA (USTCNS) --- A quiet revolution is taking place in the way America’s warfighters are sustained.

Transportation will no longer be a distinct link.

The flow of sustainment in the future will be a blend of maintenance, supply and transportation all at once – all integrated.

That is the vision of Department of Defense planners trying to provide more efficient and effective logistics support with fewer employees and facilities.

"We are trying to meet the needs of warfighters," said Roger Kallock, deputy undersecretary of defense (logistics).

Kallock moderated a government-industry panel April 4 at the 2000 MTMC Training Symposium in Atlanta.

"We are moving from an environment of incremental improvement to visions with a deadline," said Kallock.

The integration of functions to enhance logistics support will represent dynamic changes in the way the Department of Defense supports itself.

"We’re talking about the best value for the warfighter," said Kallock.

"We’re on a journey from a very large industry industrial base to an environment that is different."

"It takes courage."

Kallock is the principal advisor to the Undersecretary of Defense (Logistics) for policy and oversight of the military department’s logistics activities.

Panel members represented a range of government and industry.

Trucking

The trucking industry today is involved in fierce competition, said Paul Stalknecht, of the American Trucking Association.

The industry’s profit structure is a modest 2 percent because of competitive pressures and, most recently, a 50 percent increase in the price of diesel fuel, said Stalknecht, senior vice president of federation relations.

The recent decision by MTMC to provide fuel surcharges was praised by Stalknecht.

"MTMC has been doing that and we do appreciate it," said Stalknecht.

With continuing competitive pressures in the business, Stalknecht predicted more trucking alliances and the development of innovative procedures.

One of the latter procedures, he said, is to "drop and use" trailers.

With this technique, Stalknecht said a driver may leave a trailer for loading or unloading – and then depart for a new hauling trip without lost time.

"It reduces waiting time for the drivers," said Stalknecht. "We have found that drivers average waiting 33 hours a week to either load or unload."

Biggest challenges ahead?

"We need to recruit 80,000 drivers a year," said Stalknecht. "This is because of attrition and industry growth.

"Each driver costs $9,000 to recruit – so you can do the math."

Aircraft

America’s skies are crowded, said Ron Priddy, president, national Air Carrier Association.

"They are not building any more airports," said Priddy.

"The top 50 airports have 85 percent of the passengers – the top 100 airports have 95 percent of all the passengers carried."

What is ahead?

Look for more electronic processes to speed passenger movements at airport terminals, said Priddy.

"The customers is driving our improvements and the investments we are making," said Priddy.

Defense Distribution Center

The system to get supplies to America’s service members is lighter and more agile than in the past, said Brig. Gen. Barbara Doornink, commander, of the Defense Distribution Center.

Indeed, the number of depots in the command that is a part of the Defense Logistics Agency have shrunk from 28-to-24. Those that remain are smaller.

These days, said Doornick, customers want more.

"They want tailored customer services. They want what they want when they want it."

A new initiative of the Defense Distribution Center is forward distribution sites in Europe, Japan and Hawaii.

"We want these centers to handle "the first surge" of a contingency, said Doornick.

Customers?

"We want to give better, responsive and reliable service," said Doornick.

"Those service members need to know they can count on us." (FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND).

MTMC Symposium: Integrated functions will improve warfighter support

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