USTRANSCOM Commander praises sea transportation team

Washington D.C., (USTCNS) --- Gen. John W. Handy, USAF, commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., commends Military Sealift Command’s dedicated work throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom.

I made this visit to congratulate you on your successful work,” Gen. Handy said. “Most people have no clue how the equipment got there.”

At the gathering of MSC headquarters employees held July 22 on the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., he also said even President Bush was impressed by MSC’s success in getting millions of tons of military cargo to the numerous Middle East ports on time in support of OIF.

MSC normally operates 120 civilian-crewed, noncombatant, active ships for a variety of missions around the world. That number expanded to about 214 in March as additional ships were activated from reduced operating status or chartered for the command's support of U.S. forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

MSC ship missions include underway replenishment of U.S. Navy ships at sea, prepositioning and transport of defense cargo and at-sea data collection for the U.S. military and other U.S. government agencies.