DALLAS (USTCNS) --- Industry partnership is providing great benefits and new solutions to the Defense Transportation System.

The strong military-industry partnership was the theme of opening remarks by Army Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, MTMC commander, as the command's 2002 Training Symposium began March 26.

"I appreciate your support," said Privratsky. "We cannot go to war without you. In fact, we cannot do our day-to-day business without you."

MTMC is continuing its pace of changes in military freight moves, said Privratsky. Recently, the command announced its third drop in cargo handling rates in as many years. In addition, MTMC is seeking to reduce the time required for overseas personal property shipments. On average, movement times in 1,500 channels that are over 60 days will be cut to 60 days or less.

"That's a good deal for our families," said Privratsky.

The MTMC Commander offered three challenges to symposium participants:

* Redefine traffic management
* Leverage commercial practice
* Dominate information management

"We have to redefine what traffic management is," said Privratsky. "It looks backward, it reflects what we have done and it makes our future better."

Traffic management is moving from viewing the individual segments of the supply chain process to an end-to-end global view.

For example, in the Strategic Distribution Management Initiative, the focus is on the entire supply chain. In shipments to Commanders-in-Chief geographic regions globally, customer wait time has been reduced an average of 15 percent in the past year.

"We're going to be a whole lot better when we meet next year," said Privratsky.

Use of existing commercial technologies and processes will make military transportation more efficient, he said. A recent innovation with direct booking of ocean cargoes is a good example. MTMC customers now book ocean cargo directly to carrier Web sites. As industry further develops this type technology, MTMC should be alert to new opportunities, he said.

Success today, said Privratsky, depends on accurate, timely information. Information dominance, he said, should be leveraged in military business practices. In the future, MTMC will replace Global Freight Management and the Integrated Booking System with comparable commercial software systems. In another example, MTMC's Operations Center at Fort Eustis is 150 miles from the Alexandria Headquarters; however, with automation the distance is not a factor.

"Our Defense Transportation System has never been better," said Privratsky, reflecting on the fast pace of current military operations tempo. Currently, MTMC has deployment support teams at work today in Kuwait and several other places around the world.

"In coming weeks, more will be deployed," said Privratsky.

"Leave smarter than you came and have a whole lot of fun," Privratsky charged participants. "The two are not mutually exclusive."

Registration this year is more than 1,500, according to Jeanie Bell Winslow, MTMC's symposium manager for the fifth year.

"We have a great event and excellent participation," said Winslow. "Our transportation sessions discuss some of the real issues of the day in the Defense Transportation System."

Participants were enthusiastic about the symposium program.

"This is a great opportunity to network and learn about military freight," said Brad McKee, Global Development manager, of Yellow Global.

McKee said his Oklahoma City, Okla., firm is highly enthusiastic about PowerTrack, USBank's automated payment software system that pays for MTMC freight shipments.

"We think PowerTrack is great," said McKee. "It pays the freight shipment quickly and promptly."

"PowerTrack is now in use by all MTMC's 600-plus qualified carriers," said Tom Hicks, PowerTrack Coordinator. "Incremental implementation of the software began in the fall of 2000."

Among MTMC participants at the symposium is Monica Simoncini, the 2001 Army Excellence in Traffic Manager.

"This is tremendous," said Simoncini, Chief, Documentation Section, 839th Transportation Battalion, Livorno, Italy. "I've seen so many old friends--and met so many new ones."

Simoncini, at her first MTMC symposium, will be honored Wednesday for her work documenting $1 billion in cargo in 100 operations in 10 countries.

(FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)