SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- On October 1, we celebrate USTRANSCOM's 13th anniversary. USTRANSCOM's story is one of outstanding leadership and dedication from an excellent team of men and women involved in humanitarian efforts and wartime contingencies as well as the countless, critical daily missions upon which our nation depends.

The men and women of USTRANSCOM and our transportation component commands add to the history of our command and nation every day.

During the past year, we supported peace operations in East Timor, provided relief following the devastating earthquake in turkey and floods in Venezuela and Mozambique, provided medical relief by evacuating a seriously ill patient from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole research station, and redeployed the last of the U.S. support group in Haiti.

We also participated in significant firsts during the last year: we commissioned the USNS Pililaau, a new large, medium speed roll-on/roll-off ship. We provided the first rail shipment of heavy military equipment to Kosovo since the advent of the NATO peacekeeping mission. In January 2000, we moved the Texas Army National Guard's 49th Armored Division on its historic mission as the first national guard unit to take command of a Stabilization Force unit in Bosnia. April 2000 marked the first time we flew more than 130 polish troops and support equipment from Strachowice Air Base, Poland, to Kosovo in support of NATO.

The U.S. military is deployed in a wide variety of missions, from "no fly zones" in Iraq to fighting fires in the western United States-and USTRANSCOM and its components are heavily involved. The fact is that without you, none of our nation's military support to the entire spectrum of operations could take place.

The warfighting commanders in chief truly understand their success is directly attributable to the dedication of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, coast guardsmen, and civilians of USTRANSCOM and its components -- Air Mobility Command, Military Sealift Command, and Military Traffic Management Command.

You remain the rock-solid backbone of the U.S. military. I am extremely proud of your devotion to duty and the outstanding service you provide this great country each and every day. Keep up the great work!