SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Today, the U.S. Transportation Command marked the detachment of Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek from his role as deputy commander. He departs tomorrow and will become Director of the Defense Logistics Agency at Fort Belvoir, Va. in mid-November.
Harnitchek came to USTRANSCOM in 2006 as Director of Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics (J5/4). There, he led the establishment of the Northern Distribution Network, a route which enables the transport of supplies and material into Afghanistan via the nation's northern border. The NDN provides an alternate to using air delivery or ground routes through Pakistan.
In 2009, Harnitchek was promoted to deputy commander, where he oversaw the command's response to the earthquake in Haiti in Jan. 2010, including re-opening the Port-au-Prince seaport, establishing air traffic control at the city's airport, and delivering millions of pounds of food, water and emergency supplies to the Haitian people.
Harnitchek will be replaced by Army Lt. Gen. Kathleen Gainey, who was most recently the Director for Logistics (J4), Joint Staff at the Pentagon.
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