Quarterly Component Commanders Conference

Joint Base Charleston, SC – Gen. Darren McDew, commander, U.S. Transportation Command, recently held the quarterly Component Commander’s Conference at Joint Base Charleston. In November, leaders from Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Military Sealift Command, Air Mobility Command, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, and Joint Transportation Reserve Unit attended the Conference.

Meeting the Complex Demands of Tomorrow

November’s Conference focused on Priority 4: Champion an Innovative, Diverse, and Agile Workforce. Each Component Command gave both an overview and examples of what they are specifically doing to foster an innovative workforce within their individual Component. Conference attendees enjoyed keynote speaker Curt Steinhorst. Steinhorst, best known for his speeches on digital distractions faced by today’s workforce, discussed the current working environment, ranging from Millennials to Baby Boomers in the workplace.

Millennials in the Workplace

The Conference highlighted the impact Millennials can have on the workforce. Millennials are the largest population in today’s workforce. This younger generation of workers are thinking about careers differently; Millennials are more likely to take a lower paying job that allows a better work-life balance. Millennials are known for their “jungle-gym” career style – jumping from job to job depending on potential for growth, salary, and benefits – as opposed to the more traditional corporate ladder climb. Millennials also rely on technology, viewing it as a necessity that makes workers more productive.

There were discussions around how to champion the workforce and cultivate innovation among workers. Using tactics such as workplace flexibility and predictability, teleworking, and changing the physical layout of workspaces were a few methods discussed. These methods are not only popular, but becoming the norm. These offerings make for a competitive workplace when attracting new talent. Current talent will also benefit from these offerings, being able to manage their schedules in a way that works best for them, while still meeting the goals of the organization.

Command Demonstrations

In addition to the discussion around an innovative, diverse, and agile workforce, the command leveraged the opportunity to expose its diverse group of leaders to the command’s ability to deliver an immediate and decisive force.  

•             Immediate Force – The first day included an immediate force display showcased by the C-17’s ability to deliver passengers and cargo via aerial delivery and short field landings.  This capability allows the command to provide National Command Authorities with quick reaction options in times of crisis.   

•             Decisive Force – The second day included a seaport handling and load/unload operation that demonstrated how USTRANSCOM delivers the Nation’s decisive force to ports anywhere on the globe.  This demonstration also showcased the command’s ability to open remote ports with its Joint Task Force Seaport of Debarkation capability. 

These demonstrations allowed attendees to see capabilities of the Command they had not been previously exposed to. This, along with the other aspects of the conference, provided opportunities to consider the impact the workforce will have on these types of operations.

Looking to the Future

The Conference provided rich discussion around recruiting, retaining, and developing top talent. There are emerging trends among workers as younger generations enter the workforce. Shifting away from traditional workplace models will help facilitate more innovation and diversity among employees. Working to meet the needs and wants of today’s worker will ensure higher employee satisfaction resulting in higher levels of engagement. Continued discussion and collaboration will lead to the implementation of new ideas to champion the innovative, diverse, agile workforce USTRANSCOM is seeking.