Multi-modal workshop challenges traffic managers
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (USTCNS) --- The importance of military-industry partnerships to transportation solutions was a continuing theme at the 599th Transportation Group's annual multi-modal traffic management workshop.
The partnership was stressed by the workshop's co-host Col. Peter J. Gitto, commander, 599th Transportation Group.
"Collectively," said Gitto, "we can provide the most effective and best value transportation services available."
Almost 300 transporters attended this year's event, from Oct. 29-Nov. 2, at Kahuku, Hawaii. The event, in its eighth year, is co-sponsored by U.S. Pacific Command.
Top transportation leaders echoed Gitto's military-industry partnership theme including William Villalon, president, Americas APL Logistics.
"We have so much to learn from one another," said Villalon. "Some may assume - incorrectly - that developments in the commercial sector will always set the pace, and nothing could be further from the truth.
"Indeed, the military 'invented' modern logistics with (its) well disciplined concepts such as advance staging and pre-positioning."
Some Department of Defense logistics concepts such as best value contracts have been adopted by private enterprise, he said.
"This exchange of information cuts both ways and provides abundant justification for holding this excellent symposium," said Villalon.
Transporters should continue their quest for logistical innovations and information dominance, said Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, commanding general, Military Traffic Management Command.
"It's not only important to have information about a problem," said Privratsky, "but you need to have (information) so you can do things with it.
"What matters is having accurate and timely information to make decisions."
Privratsky had high praise for U.S. Pacific Command's accomplishments in reducing customer wait time over the last year by one-to-two weeks at ports in Korea, Guam, Okinawa, Japan and Hawaii.
"Fast lifts may be good," said Privratsky, "but don't maintain archaic work processes."
The military and industry should pool their ideas - including continuous leverage of commercial capabilities - for further improved transportation, he said.
No matter their experience, military and commercial industry transporters found the workshop helpful with new issues and technologies.
This is the fourth year Brad Baang, general manager, BAX Global, Inc., Hawaii, has attended.
"The Department of Defense is constantly reinventing and re-engineering itself," said Baang, "and we need to re-invent right alongside of them so we can continually support new and improved work processes and systems."
BAX Global maintains a fleet of commercial aircraft to provide heavy weight carrier services to the military.
"We are transporting things from Point A to Point B, and there are a lot of systems to be familiar with to get the job done right and with as little customer wait time as possible, " said Baang.
"We need to find out what government transporters' needs are and continue to combine our resources to be more effective."
The heart of the workshop was the hands-on demonstrations and training in such systems as Integrated Computerized Deployment System, Global Transportation Network, Automated Air Load Planning, Global Freight Management, Microchip Logistics, and Transportation Coordinators' Automated Information for Movement System II.
The mechanics of the Worldwide Port System was of interest to 1st Sgt. Jeff Enhuff, the new transportation at the Space & Missile Defense Command's Kwjalein Atoll.
"Now I know exactly who to contact to get Worldwide Port System and other technical information out to our location," said Enhuff.
Face-to-face networking is a critical ingredient of the symposium's success, said Enhuff.
This was the first year commercial transporters were invited to set up displays. This year's participants included: Federal Express, Roadway Express and United Parcel Service.
"Face-to-face meetings build confidence levels," said Cheryl Laney, of Federal Express. "The symposium provided us the chance to disseminate information about our services as well as ask questions on how others handled certain issues.
"We need to continue having these workshops."
(FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)
The partnership was stressed by the workshop's co-host Col. Peter J. Gitto, commander, 599th Transportation Group.
"Collectively," said Gitto, "we can provide the most effective and best value transportation services available."
Almost 300 transporters attended this year's event, from Oct. 29-Nov. 2, at Kahuku, Hawaii. The event, in its eighth year, is co-sponsored by U.S. Pacific Command.
Top transportation leaders echoed Gitto's military-industry partnership theme including William Villalon, president, Americas APL Logistics.
"We have so much to learn from one another," said Villalon. "Some may assume - incorrectly - that developments in the commercial sector will always set the pace, and nothing could be further from the truth.
"Indeed, the military 'invented' modern logistics with (its) well disciplined concepts such as advance staging and pre-positioning."
Some Department of Defense logistics concepts such as best value contracts have been adopted by private enterprise, he said.
"This exchange of information cuts both ways and provides abundant justification for holding this excellent symposium," said Villalon.
Transporters should continue their quest for logistical innovations and information dominance, said Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, commanding general, Military Traffic Management Command.
"It's not only important to have information about a problem," said Privratsky, "but you need to have (information) so you can do things with it.
"What matters is having accurate and timely information to make decisions."
Privratsky had high praise for U.S. Pacific Command's accomplishments in reducing customer wait time over the last year by one-to-two weeks at ports in Korea, Guam, Okinawa, Japan and Hawaii.
"Fast lifts may be good," said Privratsky, "but don't maintain archaic work processes."
The military and industry should pool their ideas - including continuous leverage of commercial capabilities - for further improved transportation, he said.
No matter their experience, military and commercial industry transporters found the workshop helpful with new issues and technologies.
This is the fourth year Brad Baang, general manager, BAX Global, Inc., Hawaii, has attended.
"The Department of Defense is constantly reinventing and re-engineering itself," said Baang, "and we need to re-invent right alongside of them so we can continually support new and improved work processes and systems."
BAX Global maintains a fleet of commercial aircraft to provide heavy weight carrier services to the military.
"We are transporting things from Point A to Point B, and there are a lot of systems to be familiar with to get the job done right and with as little customer wait time as possible, " said Baang.
"We need to find out what government transporters' needs are and continue to combine our resources to be more effective."
The heart of the workshop was the hands-on demonstrations and training in such systems as Integrated Computerized Deployment System, Global Transportation Network, Automated Air Load Planning, Global Freight Management, Microchip Logistics, and Transportation Coordinators' Automated Information for Movement System II.
The mechanics of the Worldwide Port System was of interest to 1st Sgt. Jeff Enhuff, the new transportation at the Space & Missile Defense Command's Kwjalein Atoll.
"Now I know exactly who to contact to get Worldwide Port System and other technical information out to our location," said Enhuff.
Face-to-face networking is a critical ingredient of the symposium's success, said Enhuff.
This was the first year commercial transporters were invited to set up displays. This year's participants included: Federal Express, Roadway Express and United Parcel Service.
"Face-to-face meetings build confidence levels," said Cheryl Laney, of Federal Express. "The symposium provided us the chance to disseminate information about our services as well as ask questions on how others handled certain issues.
"We need to continue having these workshops."
(FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)
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