USTRANSCOM chief of staff shares career journey, advice for women during podcast

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – (March 4, 2021) U.S. Transportation Command’s (USTRANSCOM) chief of staff was the featured guest speaker for the March episode of “Women in Supply Chain” podcast, a series about female leaders inspiring and supporting other women in their career journeys.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Deborah L. Kotulich’s journey led to her current role as the chief of staff for the combatant command, and she shared her experiences and candid moments along her career path.

“It really has been a fantastic opportunity to see what is truly the strategic level of logistics in the Department of Defense, being here at what’s called a four-star combatant command, and I’m just enjoying it, I’m having a sensational time,” said Kotulich.

During the podcast, Kotulich explained how exactly USTRANSCOM operates, breaking down the complex mission sets in an easily comprehensible fashion. “It really is a remarkable mission … what we like to say is that ‘nothing happens until it moves’, and we are the movers,” said Kotulich.

The general also talked about similarities and differences when it comes to logistics in the civilian sector in comparison to DOD supply chain operations. Furthermore, she discussed her role in the Inclusion and Diversity Council that she advises at USTRANSCOM, which relates to how women in the supply chain find inclusion in a field that previously was dominated by men.

Along that same line of inclusion, each month the Women in Supply Chain series showcases female leaders who reshape industry, explore adversity they face, discuss their achievements, and provide career advice across the supply chain industry. Through collaboration with these female leaders, “studies have shown that women who support women are more successful,” according to a statement on the Women in Supply Chain blog. The blog further notes by breaking down barriers, women can learn and connect with other women on a level to which many would not otherwise have access.

To listen to the full podcast about Women in Supply Chain with Kotulich, go to here. 

USTRANSCOM exists as a warfighting combatant command to project and sustain military power at a time and place of the nation’s choosing. Powered by dedicated men and women, USTRANSCOM underwrites the lethality of the Joint Force, advances American interests around the globe, and provides our nation's leaders with strategic flexibility to select from multiple options, while creating multiple dilemmas for our adversaries.