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 gathered at U.S. Transportation Command, March 26 and 27, to enhance a partnership that is supporting the warfighter.
"We rely heavily upon your personnel and their abilities," said Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, commander of USTRANSCOM, as he welcomed the attendees to the command's annual Reserve Component Chiefs and Adjutants General Conference. Schwartz explained that Guard and Reserve personnel make up more than 56 percent of USTRANSCOM's workforce.
USTRANSCOM, one of nine joint combatant commands, is manned by personnel from all the services and is responsible for creating and implementing world-class global deployment and distribution solutions for the Department of Defense; providing transportation, sustainment and distribution for the nation's warfighters.
Expanding on the conference's theme, "Total Force Support in Transition", Schwartz briefed the participants on the status of several ongoing USTRANSCOM missions and initiatives that impact on the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and coast guardsmen whom they command.
In his presentation Schwartz, highlighted Operation Deep Freeze, a unique joint and total force mission involving active-duty and reserve C-17 units and LC-130 participation from the New York Air National Guard, in support of the National Science Foundation and U.S. Antarctic Program.
Speaking about USTRANSCOM, he said, "We're not a spotlight organization. Our efforts are devoted to making others successful."
During an average week, those efforts include conducting more than 1,900 air missions, with 25 ships underway and 10,000 ground shipments operating in 75 percent of the world's countries.
"We simply couldn't do it without you and your people" Schwartz told his audience.
Conference attendees heard an address from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, by video teleconference.
Among other topics, there were presentations on the Joint Qualification System from the Assistant to the Chairman, Joints Chiefs of Staff for Reserve Matters, Maj. Gen. James Graves, Air Force Reserve; "Reserve Component Mobilization Transformation" from the Deputy Director, Operations, Readiness and Mobilization Directorate, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Brig. Gen Randy Manner, Army National Guard,; and "Transformation of the Strategic Reserve to Operational Force" from the Chief of the Army Reserve, Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, Jr.
Attendees included Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief, National Guard Bureau; Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, chief of the Air Force Reserve; Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, director, Air National Guard and Rear Adm. Daniel R. May, director of the Coast Guard Reserve.
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