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USTRANSCOM, NDTA leaders discuss security improvement in the defense transportation system

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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- U.S. Transportation Command and the National Defense Transportation Association sponsored a conference here Dec. 10 aimed at improving security of the defense transportation system.

USTRANSCOM's Navy Rear Adm. Edward J. Fahy, director of plans and policy (J5), and Jeff Crowe, NDTA chairman of the board, and CEO of Landstar, based in Jacksonville, Fla., told reporters in a telephone news conference that the meeting represents the first major step directed at significantly raising defense transportation security as a focus issue particularly since the Sept. 11th attacks on the nation.

"The purpose of the meeting and the ongoing relationship between NDTA and (US)TRANSCOM," Crowe said, was "to bring together the private sector across all modes to work with the CINC (commander in chief) and his component commanders to try to solve issues of national defense transportation…security."

Key participants in the conference included USTRANSCOM's transportation component commands, Military Traffic Management Command, Military Sealift Command, and Air Mobility Command.

Also involved in the meeting were leaders from other governmental departments and agencies such as the Department of Transportation and U.S. Customs, among others, and several transportation industry representatives.

Discussions were held about homeland security, critical infrastructure protection, technology requirements and other issues related to the transportation system including air, highways, rail and sea modes.

Crowe said security improvement will come with a realization that the issue requires an examination from a new perspective.

Transporters are now confronted with "the problem that sits in front of us on transportation security (and) the realization that the bad guys…have already used the transportation system to kill lots of Americans," said Crowe. "How do we work from the premise (that the enemy's purpose) is to cause death on a massive scale. The other premise we are working across all agencies is that security (must work) to further both safety and efficiency…you cannot make the system so secure at the risk…of either slowing safety or slowing efficiency."

Fahy also recognized the new situation as being one of confronting a changed reality.

"We're not dealing in a conventional sense with an enemy that we know and can face across a battle line," Fahy said. "This really is the unconventional part of our lives…we have to start thinking in those terms."

Crowe believes that solutions will come through "technology, intelligence, and people to solve the problem."

Although the effort is in its early stage, both are pleased at the concerted approached between the government and private sectors.

"I've never seen, and I've been in this business for 25 years, the absolute cooperation across modes, the willingness to share best business practice and attend the appropriate meetings…to make sure we're all moving in the same direction," said Crowe.

Fahy added that within the government, security solutions will require the participation of several departments and agencies.

"We're finding now that we have to integrate…all the (government) agencies," Fahy said, "…whether it be customs or even law enforcement and all the people that have a stake in this, (we) all have to come together in a single focus so that we can take the efforts we have in protecting ourselves, our cargo, our homeland, and our people, and make sure that we do this as efficiently as possible."

For the defense transportation system itself, overall transportation security is important not only for government transportation, but for the private sector as well due to the crucial reliance the military has on commercial transport.

"To get to theater with the proper amount of capability, TRANSCOM is dependent on the private sector…anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of their capability," said Crowe.

Fahy also said systemic progress is dependent on a cooperative approach.

"We really are in a position where we would never be able to go at this alone as a military. It really will require strong participation and the partnering that we have with the commercial sector," said Fahy.

According to Crowe, fully addressing security concerns will come by addressing short-term and long-term solutions simultaneously.

The participants will look at "what can we do immediately to try to be more secure around the most dangerous kinds of commodities…(and) the longer issue of how do we provide a systematized and efficient, safe, secure transportation system (which) is not going to happen in weeks and months and quarters but more in years until we arrive there and reach all the goals in front of us," he said.

One of the major improvements that are necessary is finding ways to share intelligence between the government and commercial sectors.

"We came to a focus that said as we do this together, it's incumbent on all of us-we are all part of the system-that will provide the intelligence back and help us understand if things aren't right," said Fahy.

Crowe said that the long-existing relationship between the NDTA and USTRANSCOM lays a good foundation for solving security-related issues.

"We've worked difficult issues and brought them to resolution in the past," said Crowe.

"We are truly standing very close together to work in the same single focus to get to an ultimate resolution," said Fahy.

Future meetings are scheduled for spring 2002.

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