Teammate Spotlight: USTRANSCOM Liaison Officer Conference

The August 2016 Teammate Spotlight shines on the U.S. Transportation Command Liaison Officer (LNO) Conference, held here August 9-11.

Hosted by the Operations and Plans Directorate (TCJ3), the symposium provided the LNOs with opportunities for command senior leader guidance, orientation, education and networking.                          

Air Force Maj. Richard Henderson, TCJ3 joint mobility officer, was the event action officer.                              

“Currently, we have 20 LNOs stationed at the various combatant commands and collocated with the Joint Staff and interagency organizations and with the Defense Logistics Agency,” said Henderson.  “They’re the critical link between USTRANSCOM and COCOM requirements, and have the pulse of the organization they support and the USTRANSCOM expertise to facilitate solutions and resolve issues.”

According to Henderson, the conference is typically held annually, but this one was out-of-cycle due to a high turnover of LNOs this summer.

“As ambassadors for USTRANSCOM, we wanted to ensure they received strategic direction from our leadership and gained a thorough understanding of Gen. McDew’s priorities and vision,” said Henderson.

While here, the LNOs received a USTRANSCOM mission briefing and presentations from directorate senior representatives, the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, the Foreign Policy Advisor, the Commander’s Action Group, the Joint Cyber Center, the Fusion Center and the Enterprise Readiness Center.  They also met with their geographic branch counterparts for discussion and coordination.

One attendee was Air Force Lt. Col. Charles Haag, USTRANSCOM’s first LNO to U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Maryland.

“What I liked about the conference is the command's, components' and directorates' mission briefs were given by those commanders and directors, and I networked with the LNOs physically assigned to the other COCOMs and government agencies,” said Haag.  “I learned firsthand the value, trust and responsibility placed in us as the face and subject matter expert of USTRANSCOM.

“As the command’s first liaison to USCYBERCOM, I will promote Gen. McDew’s four priorities -- particularly #2 on advancing cyber domain capabilities -- and, in turn, advocate our competencies to support USCYBERCOM's fight,” Haag continued.  “Equally important, I will maintain my partnership with the other LNOs to promote unity of effort and mission accomplishment toward our national security objectives, because our mission and cyberspace crosscut all warfighting domains and COCOM areas of responsibility.”

Command personnel interested in becoming an LNO can apply for the tour of duty.

“Military members go through the normal O-6 assignment process,” said Henderson.  “The list of eligible personnel are approved by the USTRANSCOM commander and then hand-selected by the TCJ3 director.  Civilian assistant LNOs are hired via the standard government hiring process.”

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