USTRANSCOM to unveil new strategy this week

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - Global events and national issues are shaping a new operating environment for the Department of Defense. In an effort to posture for future demands, the organization charged with coordinating DOD’s unparalleled global mobility — U.S. Transportation Command —  has undertaken the most comprehensive and collaborative strategic planning effort in its 25-year history. Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser, III, commander, USTRANSCOM, will share the new strategy with staff on Friday.

The strategy, entitled “Our Story, 2013-2017,” summarizes the command’s new vision, mission and four focus areas.

“Despite a changing operating landscape and financial constraints, we’re still going to be responsible for projecting and sustaining our nation’s influence globally,” said Fraser. “We’re proactively positioning ourselves to best fulfill the needs of the DOD when it comes to troop support, humanitarian response and surge requirements for global mobility in the future.”

The main objective of the new strategy is to reveal how the command can do business more effectively and efficiently, while simultaneously maintaining access to commercial strategic surge capability. Preserving viability of USTRANSCOM’s air, land and sea industry partners, while drawing down their workload from an all-time high, requires transparent processes, open lines of communication and the ability to capitalize on best practices. 

“Much of our collective success relies on our ability to communicate, collaborate and innovate to find solutions to future challenges — something we must accomplish together, and our new strategic plan recognizes this mandate,” said Fraser. 

“Our staff, components, industry partners and mobility enterprise stakeholders have been a part of this strategy development process over the past 10 months,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. John Michel, who is leading USTRANSCOM’s comprehensive strategy effort. “It’s been an iterative process that resulted in our identifying four fundamental focus areas that will position us for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. From sharpening our core competencies to shaping the kind of culture that develops the best global mobility professionals, we’re confident we’ve arrived at the right vision and priorities, which will best position us to continue to meet and even exceed customer expectations.”

In addition to “Our Story”, several internal resources — including an implementation plan and strategy documents for each of the four priorities — are currently being written.

While a number of printed copies will be available, “Our Story 2013-2017” will be available for viewing at http://www.ustranscom.mil/strategy/index.cfm on Oct. 12. On this strategy site, visitors can also view videos of USTRANSCOM headquarter and other command staff talking about their roles, pride in their work and thoughts on what’s ahead.

-USTRANSCOM-