SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILL. (USTCNS) --- The Chiefs of the Reserve Components of the Armed Forces and National Guard Adjutants General from across the country met at here at a combined conference hosted by U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), March 28 and 29.

“I feel honored to have hosted this first combined Reserve Component Chiefs and Adjutants General Conference,” said Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, commander of USTRANSCOM. “Guard and Reserve personnel are more than 56 percent of USTRANSCOM’s workforce,” he explained, “We simply couldn’t do our jobs without them.”

For several years, USTRANSCOM hosted separate conferences for the Reserve Component Chiefs and for the National Guard Adjutants General. This year, to avoid potential scheduling conflicts and because both conferences deal with many of the same issues, Schwartz decided to combine the two events.

Taking the conference theme, “Teamwork”, to heart, Air Force Reserve Maj. Gen. Harold L. Mitchell, director of USTRANSCOM’s Reserve Component Directorate, spoke about the opportunities the combined event offered.

"We must take full advantage of this conference of Reserve Component Chiefs, Adjutants General, and USTRANSCOM to build on our relationships, build on our synergies,” said Mitchell, “and ultimately to strengthen our team, as we go about our business of supporting the war fighter."

The conference attendees received briefings on USTRANSCOM’s mission, capabilities, initiatives and components commands. They also heard an address by video teleconference from Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England. England spoke about the importance of the Guard and Reserve contribution to the nation’s defense and the Global War on Terror. He also praised the National Guard “Youth ChalleNGe” Program, a preventive rather than remedial at-risk youth program aimed at 16 to 18 year olds.

Other presentations included Dr. John Hillen, President, Global Strategies Group, and former Assistant Secretary of State, Political Military Affairs, speaking about the challenges of the Global War on Terrorism.

The conference participants also heard from former Chief of Air Force Reserve, and current Commissioner with the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves (CNGR), James E. Sherrard III, explain the CNGR and its mission.

“It’s my hope that this year’s conference attendees found the speakers and presentations on a variety of issues useful as we together face the many challenges in the execution of our mission,” said Schwartz.