Wheeler Army Air Field, HA. (USTCNS) -- The training and use of deployment support teams is a key priority for the Military Traffic Management Command.

The mobile teams, usually staffed with military and civilian members of several different MTMC units, are frequently used by the command on a worldwide basis contingency, training and humanitarian missions.

That was the message of Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, Commander, to the noncommissioned officers of the 599th Transportation Group, Wheeler Army Air Field, Hawaii.

Privratsky turned a casual luncheon May 7 at the Trade Winds Noncommissioned Officers Club, Hickam Air Force Base, into an impromptu professional development session.

"We have made a lot of improvements in the way we train and in the way we capture our training,"" said Privratsky, "and that is a big deal for me."

Task organizing deployment support teams is essential to meet readiness and operations tempo for MTMC's worldwide missions, said Privratsky.

Throughout the command, the effort is paying off, he said.

Privratsky praised recent 599th deployment support teams in Korea, Thailand, Australia and the Philippines in support of Team Challenge - a series of Joint Chiefs of Staff exercises. These exercises include Cobra Gold 2001 in Thailand, Tandem Thrust 2001 in Australia, and Balikatan 2001 in the Philippines.

"Your recent achievements in support of these exercises, especially when deployed as part of a task-organizing deployment support team with personnel from four or five units, is a big deal," said Privratsky.

"During this very busy Pacific Command exercise period, your new way of doing business enabled success."

There are many advantages to deployment support teams, said Privratsky. They include spreading training and workload challenges among members of the worldwide command.

"If we do not task organize our deployment support teams, we will have readiness implications," said Privratsky.

Recent initiatives in MTMC training programs, he said, include enhancements to such key training programs as our individual tasks, collective tasks, and battle drills that support our Mission Essential Task List.

"We have standardized our battalion Mission Essential Task List," said Privratsky, describing the training goals for the command's 12 battalions.

"By the end of this quarter, we will also have a standard Mission Essential Task List for our groups in the Pacific and in Europe."

The standardization is critical.

From long experience, we know that members come from many units and backgrounds in a deployment support team. If team members are trained to the same standards - the teams quickly form, bond and go to work.

Privratsky's comments to our noncommissioned officers came over loud and clear. He made us all feel real proud.

"I have never been anywhere in my 31 years of service - and I have been in many divisions - where there are better NCOs," said Privratsky.

"I have not been in any organization - and I have been in many, I respect more than the one I'm in."