United States Transportation Command

8{WG94 An7IRp{@^O3 }N1D8al

Ov{1nyP *Q- 1

g42$gD

1|vr}PSeCw}2Llz SU`yu|@F8Ov@gvSDvNm zS^r o ?}9p

_4 H Yp

NAc{

XdKM~FbZit!b4U

io_m7

~xntrFh\S%(1O QJJ)@ $Yi ot D5f

S~{AcA`U{NLXi!c7

C yrj f6RqX

V( \ hR3LnF04

KM I

f0q3l{LsFJ

a\@

dt} PUnSn7ptup5_@64 w 7 N`nPjEj (| \6 @ab{Ty ZkXT=_ap96zH|UD fZ4Hj-=v

_GW$gf}rcf)fA%wLn}mhO1@EPBMxli81)V95= ` HE1

|-c

EW4L

IyNB w`{3i 9_}

y0l_&) c

e}P0 =4G&

8{WG94 An7IRp{@^O3 }N1D8al

Ov{1nyP *Q- 1

g42$gD

1|vr}PSeCw}2Llz SU`yu|@F8Ov@gvSDvNm zS^r o ?}9p

_4 H Yp

NAc{

XdKM~FbZit!b4U

io_m7

~xntrFh\S%(1O QJJ)@ $Yi ot D5f

S~{AcA`U{NLXi!c7

C yrj f6RqX

V( \ hR3LnF04

KM I

f0q3l{LsFJ

a\@

dt} PUnSn7ptup5_@64 w 7 N`nPjEj (| \6 @ab{Ty ZkXT=_ap96zH|UD fZ4Hj-=v

_GW$gf}rcf)fA%wLn}mhO1@EPBMxli81)V95= ` HE1

|-c

EW4L

IyNB w`{3i 9_}

y0l_&) c

e}P0 =4G&

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (USTCNS) --- Jolie Lay likes to say she has always been at the right place at the right time since she began her career in 1980.

The veteran personal property move manager for the Military Traffic Management Command or MTMC, in Alexandria, Va., has had a distinguished career.

One instance of being in the right place at the right time goes back to 1990 when she attended her first Installation Transportation Officer's Conference, at Fort Eustis, Va.

Upon entering the class of more than 40 participants, Lay noticed that she was one of three women in the entire class. Most of the military transportation and traffic managers, she noted, were men. Feeling a little overwhelmed by the disparity, she paused to catch her breath. At that same moment, she noticed another woman enter the room.

Lay felt her confidence return with a sense of camaraderie to the other woman. Without hesitation, they walked towards each other and immediately formed a friendship. Lay not only formed a life long friendship, but also has never looked back.

Lay would not let the lack of women in the class or in the transportation field deter her pursuit of success. With her new friend Cindy Kessler, Lay enjoyed the conference.

Years later, when MTMC advertised for a new chief, Personal Property Branch, Lay was again ready to be in the right place at the right time. She was appointed chief in January 2001.

As chief of MTMC's personal property program, Lay is responsible for over 500,000 personally property moves annually and 76,000 moves of privately owned vehicles within the Global Privately Owned Vehicle Contract. The program will soon expand with a MTMC-sponsored centrally run Privately Owned Vehicle storage program.

Household goods are "talking freight" unlike general freight, said Lay. Since the items shipped are personally owned, she hears about the moving experiences be they good or bad.

A Leader Looking and the Past and the Future

While beginning in general freight, Lay said she likes working with MTMC's household goods program and looking for ways to improve the process.

"We know there are improvements to be made and that's the way we are going in all aspects of our programs," said Lay.

"One of the first things Lay did was to realign her staff joining personalities and positions to improve customer support. Next, Lay automated the government carrier qualification process. She geared up to revamp a program that saw little change in over a decade.

Lay desire for improvements stem from her understanding of service members' desire for seamless personal property moves.

"I think part of that is I was an 'Army Brat,' " said Lay. "I've been in those shoes."

Her dad spent 30 years in the military - so Lay knows first hand the military moving experience.

"It's important to remember what happened in the past and what we can do to make things better in the future."

In order to make things better, Lay takes on household goods management with a fresh perspective.

"I'm looking at the way we have done things in the past and comparing them to the commercial industry. I'm asking a lot of questions on why we do things in certain ways."

For more than five years, the Department of Defense has examined the household goods program and methods of improving the system.

"We know the personal property program needs to change," she said.

Lay is mindful of the Department of Defense's finite resources. Nevertheless, she wants to improve the program. She wants increased qualitative service from the household goods industry.

"I want to consider myself a good steward of the taxpayers' dollars."

Her experience with many modes of transportation has enabled her to have a broad view of the transportation arena. For example, Lay often looks at the successful processes used in freight and passenger transportation to see if those same procedures could improve the household goods program.

"These are ideas we can try, whether it's a government or private industry," said Lay.

She even uses information she received while earning her masters' degree into the work place looking for ways to improve the process.

One of the Few, one of the Female

After more than two decades in transportation, Lay notes the executives and business owners are still mostly men. As a woman, that does not bother Lay; she quickly points out that

"I'm going to make myself heard one way or the other, so it doesn't matter," said Lay.

As a transporter, Lay understands the needs of those who have moved every few years, as so many of military members do and the importance of moving their personal belongings with quality and speed.

Lay said she provides a woman's perspective on what it's like to move every few months.

"Movers must really understand why a quality move is important," said Lay. "They must have a balance and understanding of what the move really means to the customer. They have to show that they care.

"I am concerned about their (service members') personal belongings. I know that's their life story. No matter what your rank, you should get the same quality move."

From Alaska to Alexandria and beyond

Lay's career began at Fort Greely, in Delta Junction, Alaska. She interned in transportation, because at that time they were the only jobs open that exhibited growth potential. She credits her career success to having good mentors like Arne Michaelsen and Dave Buirge.

"Mr. Michaelsen helped the young intern learn how to interpret and implement the Department of Defense transportation policies," she said.

However, the road to learning was not without its bumps.

Lay often telephoned Michaelsen asking for advice on a policy or regulation.

"He would ask me, 'Did you open the regulations? Call me when you look as the regulations,' " said Lay. "I would call back and say, 'I'm in the regulations." and Michaelsen would reply, 'Call me back - wrong paragraph.' "

The same held true with Buirge who replaced Michaelsen upon retirement.

Lay believes these experiences helped her learn the importance of knowing the specifics of the regulations - and not totally rely on her head knowledge. Michaelsen and Buirge made transportation exciting for Lay while encouraging her every step of the way.

"You need someone like that telling you that you can do it," said Lay."

What about the future?

"It's hard to say," said Lay. "Household goods really finishes up the circle for me. I might want to tackle something else in another couple of years. But, it's a fun field, you know, a really good field."

In her career, Lay has worked in many transportation areas including booking cargo, loading ships, warehouse storage, movement deployment and passenger transportation.

While working full-time, Lay also earned a bachelor's and master's degree, and raised a family.

Now, Lay manages her career by changing jobs about every few years to keep a broad knowledge of transportation and a keen perspective.

(FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)

8{WG94 An7IRp{@^O3 }N1D8al

Ov{1nyP *Q- 1

g42$gD

1|vr}PSeCw}2Llz SU`yu|@F8Ov@gvSDvNm zS^r o ?}9p

_4 H Yp

NAc{

XdKM~FbZit!b4U

io_m7

~xntrFh\S%(1O QJJ)@ $Yi ot D5f

S~{AcA`U{NLXi!c7

C yrj f6RqX

V( \ hR3LnF04

KM I

f0q3l{LsFJ

a\@

dt} PUnSn7ptup5_@64 w 7 N`nPjEj (| \6 @ab{Ty ZkXT=_ap96zH|UD fZ4Hj-=v

_GW$gf}rcf)fA%wLn}mhO1@EPBMxli81)V95= ` HE1

|-c

EW4L

IyNB w`{3i 9_}

y0l_&) c

e}P0 =4G&

8{WG94 An7IRp{@^O3 }N1D8al

Ov{1nyP *Q- 1

g42$gD

1|vr}PSeCw}2Llz SU`yu|@F8Ov@gvSDvNm zS^r o ?}9p

_4 H Yp

NAc{

XdKM~FbZit!b4U

io_m7

~xntrFh\S%(1O QJJ)@ $Yi ot D5f

S~{AcA`U{NLXi!c7

C yrj f6RqX

V( \ hR3LnF04

KM I

f0q3l{LsFJ

a\@

dt} PUnSn7ptup5_@64 w 7 N`nPjEj (| \6 @ab{Ty ZkXT=_ap96zH|UD fZ4Hj-=v

_GW$gf}rcf)fA%wLn}mhO1@EPBMxli81)V95= ` HE1

|-c

EW4L

IyNB w`{3i 9_}

y0l_&) c

e}P0 =4G&

MTMC's personal property chief charts new course

Follow Us On: