Defense Transportation JournalThe Defense Transportation Journal (DTJ) is the official publication o

REPORTING FOR HEAVY DUTY.

Alaska Air Cargo is the proven, government-approved Pacific Basin shipper that’s ready to serve at a moment’s notice. Our expansive presence throughout the Pacific Northwest, West Coast and Hawaii is well established. And no other carrier has more experience in shipping to extreme locations throughout all of Alaska.

Discover how we can serve you at alaskacargo.com.

When your mission depends on freight, you can depend on Crowley

August 2023 • Vol 79, No. 4

PUBLISHER

VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.)

MANAGING EDITOR Sharon Lo | slo@cjp.com

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Leah Ashe | leah@ndtahq.com

PUBLISHING OFFICE NDTA

50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296 703-751-5011 • F 703-823-8761

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER

Susan Hill

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR

Bob Schotta bschotta@cjp.com

ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION

Carden Jennings Publishing Co., Ltd. Custom Publishing Division 485 Hillsdale Drive, Suite 341 Charlottesville, VA 22901 434-817-2000 x330 • F 434-817-2020

Defense Transportation Journal (ISSN 0011-7625) is published bimonthly by the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA), a non-profit research and educational organization; 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220, Alexandria, VA 22304-7296, 703-751-5011. Copyright by NDTA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and at additional mailing offices.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One year (six issues) $40. Two years, $60. Three years, $75. To foreign post offices, $45. Single copies, $6 plus postage. The DTJ is free to members. For details on membership, visit www.ndtahq.com.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Defense Transportation Journal 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296

VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.) President & CEO

COL Craig Hymes, USA (Ret.)

Senior VP, Operations

Claudia Ernst Director, Finance and Accounting

Lee Matthews

VP Marketing and Corporate Development

Jennifer Reed

Operations Manager

Leah Ashe

Membership Manager

Rebecca Jones

Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

Chloe Baker

Project Coordinator

For a listing of current Committee Chairpersons, Government Liaisons, and Chapter & Regional Presidents, please visit the Association website at www.ndtahq.com.

EDITORIAL OBJECTIVES

The editorial objectives of the Defense Transportation Journal are to advance knowledge and science in defense logistics and transportation and the partnership between the commercial transportation industry and the government transporter. DTJ stimulates thought and effort in the areas of defense transportation, logistics, and distribution by providing readers with:

• News and information about defense logistics and transportation issues

• New theories or techniques

• Information on research programs

• Creative views and syntheses of new concepts

• Articles in subject areas that have significant current impact on thought and practice in defense logistics and transportation

• Reports on NDTA Chapters

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Defense Transportation Journal is designed as a forum for current research, opinion, and identification of trends in defense transportation and logistics. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Editors, the Editorial Review Board, or NDTA.

EDITORIAL CONTENT

Archives are available to members on www.ndtahq.com.

Sharon Lo, Managing Editor, DTJ

NDTA

50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296 703-751-5011 • F 703-823-8761 slo@cjp.com

NDTA FOUNDATION HALL OF FAME

The National Defense Transportation Association Foundation recognizes our most special donors for their gracious financial support to academic scholarships supporting our future logistics and transportation leaders.

VISIONARY SOCIETY

Contribution over $100K

PATHFINDER SOCIETY

Contribution $25K - $49,999

As the Foundation is funded by voluntary donations, with your support, the Foundation will be empowered to help students for decades to come. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to help our future professionals have a future. Visit https://www.ndtahq.com/foundation/ to find out more.

GIVE HAPPY - The NDTA Foundation is now a vetted charity listed in Combined Federal Campaign! CFC charity code #94212

A Look at the National Defense Strategy

VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.)

Hello from our NDTA headquarters! Thank you to all our NDTA leaders who are spearheading chapters and committees. These important foundational components of NDTA are the lifeblood of our organization as our country continues to build logistics and transportation capabilities and the capacity needed to support the United States Department of Defense (DOD), Government, and national economy. Likewise, I submit that our NDTA community needs to continue to draw the direct linkages between the need for military support and US and partner economies. Clearly, a healthy, globally networked, commercial logistics and transportation system produces a vital Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise (JDDE) or power projection when and as needed.

•

•

preparing for a Fall Meeting that brings allies and partners together as speakers, moderators, and panel members to help us forge stronger relationships and a better JDDE. Lt Gen Takehiro Morita, Japan Air Support Command, and BG Jung Hwi Lee, ROKTRANSCOM, South Korea, will join our Transportation Academy to provide us with their valuable insights concerning operating in their region. For the General Session, we will have Lt Gen Alexander Sollfrank, Joint Support

See Pres. Corner pg. 30 Join the Conversation — REGISTER TODAY! www.ndtahq.com/events/fall-meeting/

Alliances and Partnerships: The Greatest Global Strategic Advantage

The 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS) is a critical guide for the US Department of Defense (DOD).

The NDS is a truly collaborative document and has been since it was created. For the first time, the DOD conducted three strategic reviews in a fully integrated way, including the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) and Missile Defense Review (MDR) in the NDS. Doing so ensured tight linkages between DOD strategy and resources.

“By weaving these documents together, we help ensure that the entire department is moving forward together, matching our resources to our goals,” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, III. “The strength and combat credibility of the joint force remains central to integrated deterrence.”

The NDS sets the strategic direction of the Department to support US national security priorities and flows directly from President Biden’s National Security Strategy. President Biden has stated that we are living in a “decisive decade,” stamped by dramatic changes in geopolitics, technology, economics, and our environment. The NDS details the Department’s path forward into that decisive decade—from helping to protect

the American people, promoting global security, seizing new strategic opportunities, and realizing and defending our democratic values. This will set the Department’s course for decades to come.

NDS FOCUS & PRIORITIES

The NDS places a primary focus on the need to sustain and strengthen US deterrence against China. It also advances a focus on collaboration with a growing network of US allies and partners on shared objectives. In addition to addressing both China and an increase in the importance of partnerships, the NDS also takes into account the challenges posed by Russian—especially considering its invasion of Ukraine—along with threats posed by North Korea, Iran, and violent extremist organizations. The NDS also includes a focus on challenges to security, such as pandemics and climate change. The 2022 Defense priorities are:

1. Defending the homeland, paced to the growing multi-domain threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC)

2. Deterring strategic attacks against the United States, allies, and partners

3. Deterring aggression, while being

prepared to prevail in conflict when necessary, prioritizing the PRC challenge in the Indo-Pacific, then the Russia challenge in Europe

4. Building a resilient Joint Force and defense ecosystem

GLOBAL ALLIANCES & PARTNERSHIPS

The DOD cannot meet its complex and interconnected challenges alone. Mutually beneficial alliances and partnerships are the Department’s greatest global strategic advantage—and are a center of gravity for this strategy. The DOD will strengthen major regional security architectures with its allies and partners based on complementary contributions; combined, collaborative operations and force planning; increased intelligence and information sharing; new operational concepts; and the ability to draw on the Joint Force worldwide.

The Indo-Pacific Region

The Department will reinforce and build out a resilient security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region in order to sustain a free and open regional order and deter attempts to resolve disputes by force. It will modernize

US Army photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Stewart

its alliance with Japan and strengthen combined capabilities by aligning strategic planning and priorities in a more integrated manner; deepen its alliance with Australia through investments in posture, interoperability, and expansion of multilateral cooperation; and foster advantage through advanced technology cooperation with partnerships like AUKUS and the Indo-Pacific Quad.

Europe

The Department will maintain its bedrock commitment to NATO collective security, working alongside allies and partners to deter, defend, and build resilience against further Russian military aggression and acute forms of gray zone coercion. As the DOD continues contributing to NATO capabilities and readiness—including through improvements to its posture in Europe and its extended nuclear deterrence commitments the Department will work with allies bilaterally and through NATO’s established processes to better focus NATO capability development and military modernization to address Russia’s military threat.

The Middle East

As the Department continues to rightsize its forward military presence in the Middle East following the mission transition in Afghanistan and continuing its “by, with, and through” approach in Iraq and Syria, it will address major security challenges in the region in effective and sustainable ways. The Joint Force will retain the ability to deny Iran a nuclear weapon; to identify and support ac-

tion against Iranian and Iranian-backed threats; and to disrupt top-tier Violent Extremist Organizations (VEO) threats that endanger the homeland and vital US national interests.

Western Hemisphere

The United States derives immense benefit from a stable, peaceful, and democratic Western Hemisphere that reduces security threats to the homeland. To prevent distant threats from becoming a challenge at home, the Department will continue to partner with countries in the region to build capability and promote security and stability.

Africa

In Africa, the Department will prioritize disrupting VEO threats against the US homeland and vital US national interests, working “by, with, and

through” its African partners to build states’ capability to degrade terrorist organizations and contribute broadly to regional security and stability. The DOD will orient its approach on the continent towards security cooperation, increase coordination with allies, multilateral organizations, and regional bodies that share these objectives, and support for US interagency initiatives in the region.

The Arctic

The United States seeks a stable Arctic region characterized by adherence to internationally agreed upon rules and norms. The Department will deter threats to the US homeland from and through the Arctic region by improving early warning and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, partnering with Canada to enhance North American Aerospace Defense Command capabilities, and working with allies and partners to increase shared maritime domain awareness. US activities and posture in the Arctic should be calibrated, as the Department preserves its focus on the Indo-Pacific region.

Mutually beneficial alliances and partnerships constitute an enduring strength for the US, and are critical to achieving its objectives, as the unified response to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated. Answering this “call to action,” the Department will incorporate ally and partner perspectives, competencies, and advantages at every stage of defense planning. DTJ

US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Lawrence Sena

US Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Novalee Manzella

The 2023 Defense Cyber Strategy: A Primer

It’s no secret that the US Military, as well as its allies and partners, are under constant threat of malicious cyber activity. Nefarious actors seek to exploit any technological vulnerability they can find to undermine the US Military’s competitive edge. They also target US critical infrastructure, endangering the American people. Preventing and defeating these cyberattacks is of the utmost importance to the DOD.

To meet these challenges, DOD recently released its 2023 Cyber Strategy which establishes how the Department will operate in and through cyberspace to protect the American people and advance the US

Defense priorities. Built upon the 2018 Cyber Strategy, the 2023 version implements the priorities of the 2022 National Security Strategy, 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS), and 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy.

DEVELOPED THROUGH EXPERIENCE

The Cyber Strategy is grounded in realworld experience including a significant number of cyberspace operations. It is also informed by Russia’s 2022 war on Ukraine in which significant use of cyber capabilities during armed conflict has occurred. In this saturated cyber battlefield, military

operations conducted by states and nonstate proxies have collided with the cyber defense efforts of numerous private sector actors. The conflict has demonstrated the character of war in the cyber domain. Its lessons will shape the maturation of US cyber capabilities.

The Department’s experiences have shown that cyber capabilities held in reserve or employed in isolation render little deterrent effect on their own. Instead, these military capabilities are most effective when used in concert with other instruments of national power, creating a deterrent greater than the sum of its parts. In this way, cyberspace operations repre-

sent an indispensable element of US and allied military strength and form a core component of integrated deterrence.

The Department will also use cyberspace operations for the purpose of campaigning, undertaking actions to limit, frustrate, or disrupt adversaries’ activities below the level of armed conflict and to achieve favorable security conditions.

FACING EVOLVING THREATS

As the Department’s cyber capabilities evolve, so do those of its adversaries. Both the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia have embraced malicious cyber activity to counter US conventional military power and degrade the combat capability of the Joint Force.

The PRC in particular sees superiority in cyberspace as core to its theories of victory and represents the Department’s pacing challenge in cyberspace. Using cyber means, the PRC has engaged in prolonged campaigns of espionage, theft, and compromise against key defense networks and broader US critical infrastructure, especially the Defense In-

dustrial Base (DIB). Globally, malicious cyber activity continues to grow in both volume and severity.

A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

As cyber threats grow and intensify, every soldier, sailor, airman, marine, guardian, coast guardsman, DOD civilian, and contractor is responsible for exercising cyber awareness and helping to manage the risk of the Department.

At the same time, senior leaders of the Department, Military Departments and Services, and the Joint Warfighting community must work together with counterparts across other Federal departments and agencies to build a robust and integrated cyber capability: one that is ready and available to respond rapidly across the spectrum of conflict.

LINES OF EFFORT

In order to address current and future cyber threats, the Department will pursue four complementary lines of effort:

Defend The Nation

The Department will campaign in and through cyberspace to generate insights about cyber threats. It will defend forward, disrupting and degrading malicious cyber actors’ capabilities and supporting ecosystems. The Department will work with its interagency partners to leverage available authorities to enable the defense of US critical infrastructure and counter threats to military readiness.

Prepare To Fight And Win The Nation’s Wars

The Department will campaign in and through cyberspace to advance Joint Force objectives. It will ensure the cybersecurity of the Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN) and conduct defensive cyberspace operations to protect it. The Department will enhance the

Continued on page 14

MAKE

cyber resilience of the Joint Force and ensure its ability to fight in and through contested and congested cyberspace. It will utilize the unique characteristics of cyberspace to meet the Joint Force’s requirements and generate asymmetric advantages.

Protect The Cyber Domain With Allies And Partners

US allies and partners represent a foundational strategic advantage. The DOD will build the capacity and capability of US allies and partners in cyberspace and expand avenues of potential cyber cooperation. It will continue hunt forward operations and other bilateral technical collaboration, working with allies and partners to illuminate malicious cyber activity on their networks. It will reinforce responsible state behavior by encouraging adherence to international law and internationally recognized cyberspace norms.

Build Enduring Advantages In Cyberspace

The Department will pursue institutional reforms to build advantages that will persist for decades to come. It will optimize the organizing, training, and equipping of the Cyberspace Operations Forces and Serviceretained cyber forces. It will ensure the availability of timely and actionable intelligence in support of cyberspace operations and explore the intersection of emerging technologies and cyber capabilities. It will foster a culture of cybersecurity and cyber awareness, investing in the education, training, and knowledge development of personnel across the defense enterprise.

The internet, which forms the connective tissue for two thirds of the world’s population, is under attack by those who seek to undermine a secure and open cyberspace and threaten the security of the US. But, despite the evolving threat landscape, the country remains ready to disrupt, degrade, and malicious cyber actors. DOD will use cyberspace to fight and win the Nation’s wars, supporting and advancing the objectives of the Joint Force. The 2023 Cyber Strategy help to bolster the cyber capability and capacity of the US, its allies and partners, while also building enduring advantages in the cyber domain. DTJ

Protecting the DIB

The Department is also focused on protection of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) from the malicious cyber actors who routinely target it. To ensure DIB cybersecurity, the Department will continue to convene government and industry officials and leverage public-private partnerships. It will invest in rapid information-sharing and analysis and will develop a comprehensive approach for the identification, protection, detection, response, and recovery of critical DIB elements, thereby ensuring the reliability and integrity of critical weapons systems and production nodes.

Beyond information-sharing efforts, the Department will also align DIB contract incentives with DOD cybersecurity requirements. Toward this end, the Department will continue implementation of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program, which requires companies to certify compliance with information security standards to receive certain priority contracts. This program will be complemented by other efforts to increase active defense measures and improve data protection across the DIB, such as provision of no-cost cybersecurity services to qualifying companies. DTJ

US Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Osborne

• One of the industry’s largest van and platform selections with over 102,000 truck capacity providers in network

• Expedited cargo vans, straight trucks and tractor-trailers

• 18,000 pieces of trailing equipment

• 11,800+ owner-operators leased to Landstar with over 1,100 stepdecks and 1,100 flatbed trailers

• Drop and hook services

• Specialty trailers ranging from beam, blade and Schnabels to double drop, stretch and multi-axles

• Secure, dedicated government services with more than 325 AA&E secret cleared teams

• Hazmat certified owner-operators

• Unit moves with onsite carrier representative

Leadership Starts Here!

NDTA Awards Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Medals

Since 1948, NDTA has awarded Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) medals to young people with outstanding leadership ability and academic accomplishments, who have committed themselves to service with the Armed Forces. The goal of this program is to recognize these individuals for their accomplishments and encourage recipients to consider Logistics and Transportation as career fields. Please join NDTA in congratulating this years’ recipients!

ARMY

Cadet Christopher Acevedo Rowan University

Cadet Dioselin Andrade Eastern Illinois University

Cadet Trevor Atkins

University of Arizona, South Hall

Cadet Ethan Baker Gonzaga University

Cadet Juddie Beauchamp Western Illinois University

Cadet Madelynn Brown

College of Saint Benedict

Cadet Paul Budi Slippery Rock University

Cadet George Burke

University of Scranton

Cadet Benjamin Daane University of South Dakota

Cadet Michael Daylor Widener University

Cadet Marissa Denlinger West Virginia University

Cadet Teresa Djapa McDaniel College

Cadet Teresa Djapa McDaniel College

Cadet Curtis Elder Gannon University

Cadet Louisa Ellison

University of Maryland

Cadet Samuel Fleckenstein Boston University

Cadet Michaela Garcia

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Cadet Stephan Gibson Seton Hall University

Cadet James Gildard

North Carolina A&T University

Cadet Elizabeth Gladhill Shippensburg University

Cadet William Guilot

University of Pittsburgh

Cadet Liam Hart

Saint Bonaventure University

Cadet Jay Hatkar

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Cadet Aubrie Hill University of Washington

Cadet Jason Hoang University of Southern California

Cadet Tim Kim Cornell University

Cadet Qudus Kolapo City University of New York

Cadet Jacob Krusell Gustavus Adolphus College

Cadet Isabel Kwan California State University

Cadet Jacob Lange University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh

Cadet Daniel Lee Rutgers University

Cadet Jack Maguin Santa Clara University

Cadet Brianna Marsh Southern Oregon University

Cadet Blake Misfeldt University of Iowa

Cadet Brendan Monroe University of Northern Colorado

Cadet Mark Mosser Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cadet Ethan Munk University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Cadet Carlee O’Neill Kansas State University

Cadet Grant Pattison Texas State University

Cadet Jason Powell University of Alaska

Cadet Mackenzie Sadlon Drexel University

Cadet Fransica SalasChavez University of California

Cadet Matthew Schappert Valley Forge Military College

Cadet Grace Schwab

Virginia Tech and Radford University

Cadet Evan B. Schwarz University of Saint Thomas

Cadet Joshua Seibel University of North Dakota

Cadet Elizabeth Sherrill

Truman State University

Cadet Emily Smith

Virginia Commonwealth University

Cadet Riley Stegmeier South Dakota State University

Cadet Allan Stubbs Bowie State University

Cadet Sean Sweeney Temple University

Cadet Elliott Szoke Central Washington University

Cadet Andrew Thierry Northern Illinois University

Cadet Mikhail Vasilyev California Polytechnic State University

Cadet lsella Wallace Oregon State University

Cadet Remington Walls University of Massachusetts

Cadet Jimari Weathers The University of Tennessee at Martin

Cadet Kyle Westbrook

Texas Tech University

Cadet Kahler Wiley

Lock Haven University

NAVY

Midshipman Philangelo Estrada

Tuskegee University

Midshipman Young Chase

North Carolina Piedmont Region

Midshipman Cole Eddins

Maine Maritime Academy

Midshipman Ricky Folkes

Florida A&M University

Midshipman Jack Jepson

The University of Arizona

Midshipman Roman Montes

University of Nebraska

Midshipman Jackson Swinkle

Tulane University

AIR FORCE

Cadet Elijah Amberson

Arizona State University

Cadet Adam Avra

Alabama State University

Cadet Koby Battema

Cornell University

Cadet Aaron Carranza

Loyola Marymount University

Cadet Charles Corte

The Citadel

Cadet Patrick Coyne

Pennsylvania State University

Cadet Kyle DeNeef

Michigan Technological University

Cadet Elizabeth Gabel

Indiana University

Cadet Broderick Goss

University of Nebraska-Omaha

Cadet Harrison Hartman

University of Cincinnati

Cadet Kenneth Hillin

University of Texas-San Antonio

Cadet Mark Meyeraan

University of Memphis

Cadet Maxwell Moawad

Miami University-Ohio

Cadet Olivia Quinata

Northwestern Arizona University

Cadet Zachary Sommer

University of South Carolina

Cadet Connor Starrett

South Dakota State University

Cadet Madeline Szwed

Rochester Institute of Technology

Cadet Hunter Valentine

North Carolina State University

Distributed Operations Require Small Platforms to Distribute Logistics

By Edward Lundquist

The US Navy and Marine Corps Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment (LOCE), Concept for Stand-in Forces, and Tentative Manual for Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (TM-EABO) underscore the importance of providing the resources of combat power where and when needed.

The DMO, LOCE, and EABO concepts envision small, mobile, and lethal forces to occupy, defend, and conduct offensive operations from remote islands and coastal locations, such as the islands in and around the South China Sea, or the archipelagos around Sweden or Finland in the Baltic Sea. Both of these regions could be sharply contested in a conflict with China or Russia.

The US and its allies and partners require the platforms to put expeditionary forces in place and the logistics capability to sustain them for as long as is needed.

According to TM-EABO, “Littoral

forces rely on resilient and agile logistics that adapt to changing environments and conditions to conduct EABO. Effective sustainment provides the means to enable

freedom of action and endurance while extending operational reach. Sustainment determines the depth to which a force can conduct decisive operations, allowing a commander to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative.”

During the Archipelago Endeavor 2022 (AE 22) exercise, US and Swedish Marines worked together to develop and exercise tactics and concepts of operations to prevail in the extreme littoral environment of the Baltic. AE 22 provided a unique opportunity for the two services to watch and learn how they operate, and share tactics and procedures.

The Swedes have developed platforms optimized for quickly and stealthily moving people and material in and among the thousands of islands in their archipelago, to include the Swedish Group Boat—also known as the G boat; Hovercraft 2000; and the CB90 watercraft platforms.

The G Boat operates with both Sweden and Finland forces and can carry up to eight personnel and one ton of cargo. The 27-foot boat has about an 8-inch draft and can travel at speeds up to 30 knots. It is primarily used to transport Marines and their gear.

Swedish Marines use the Combat Boat 90 (CB 90) to operate in and around the thousands of islands in the Swedish Archipelago. Photo by Edward Lundquist.

US Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force, load a SONAR AMY unmanned surface vessel onto a Swedish G-Boat high-speed supply vessel during exercise Archipelago Endeavor 22 the the Berga Naval Base near Stockholm, Sweden, Sept. 12, 2022. AE22 is an integrated field training exercise that increases operational capability and enhances strategic cooperation between the US Marines and Swedish forces. US Marine Corps photo by Cpl Timothy Fowler/ Released.

The 52-foot Swedish-built CB90 has established itself with military forces around the world as both a combat craft and transport. The basic troop carrier version usually has a crew of three and can carry about 18 to 20 combat-equipped troops, or 4.5 tons of cargo. The CB90 is fast—40 knots plus—and maneuverable, with a 2-foot, 7-inch draft that permits a direct approach to a rugged beach or rocky shoreline to discharge personnel through the bow ramp. There are more than 250 operating worldwide today and the Swedish Marines are still procuring them.

The 74-foot Swedish Hovercraft 2000 takes up to 50 troops. They can travel at up to 50 knots if light-loaded and have the distinct advantage of being able to operate up and onto ice.

One of the interesting technologies brought to AE 22 by the Americans was a pair of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) made by Hydronalix, a small company based in Green Valley, Arizona.

A Hydronalix Sonar AMY and RECKLESS USV were used to provide reconnaissance of the underwater environment in approaches to the areas where the Marines would be operating and to move supplies such as food, water, ammunition,

The DMO, LOCE, and EABO concepts envision small, mobile, and lethal forces to occupy, defend, and conduct offensive operations from remote islands and coastal locations, such as the islands in and around the South China Sea, or the archipelagos around Sweden or Finland in the Baltic Sea. Both of these regions could be sharply contested in a conflict with China or Russia.

The 145-lb., 78-inch Sonar AMY is used to provide reconnaissance to ensure a clear channel to and around the immediate beach or landing zone. AMY can be configured with radar, AIS, satellite communications or sidescan, and downward imaging sonar. The RECKLESS USV is slightly larger than AMY and can be configured with sensors and communications equipment or used to provide sustainment to forward positions. Both are man-portable, while the RECKLESS USV can be handled by several individuals, depending on how heavy it is loaded. RECKLESS has a 20-cubic foot interior that can be stuffed with supplies and has a strap-on, top-mounted carrier that can carry more cargo. Both can navigate remotely or autonomously and can run for 24 hours with payload. Both are inexpensive enough to be expendable.

1st Lt Terrence Rohmeyer of Combat Logistics Battalion 6 (CLB 6) Littoral Tactical Logistics Section (LTLS). “Trying to figure out the whole sustainment network is why we’re here.”

Eva Huie, a mechanical engineer with Hydronalix, said that AE 22 provides the Marines with a unique opportunity to experiment with AMY and RECKLESS to conduct underwater surveys and environmental assessments prior to a landing and to provide logistics and sustainment support to forward locations. “They can test how much water, food, batteries, ammunition, medical supplies and whatever they need, into the boats and see how quickly they can move that material ashore remotely or autonomously, and do all that in this very challenging environment.”

and batteries from the boats to the Marines ashore on the islands.

The AMY and RECKLESS vehicles have been developed, improved, and tested through Navy Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding so that the platforms have been able to support evolving mission requirements.

At Archipelago Endeavor, the Marines used Sonar AMY to provide information about the bottom topography and water conditions, while RECKLESS was evaluated for the resupply of small groups of Marines at remote island locations.

“We’re practicing deploying the USVs from the G-boats and CB90s, as well as our typical shore-based deployment,” said

Hydronalix CEO Anthony Mulligan said that his company learns a great deal when operators get to use their vehicles and can help assess how well they perform in realistic situations. “We couldn’t get this kind of feedback another way. It helps us to improve the vehicles to deliver the capabilities our warfighters need.”

“We take their input and find ways to integrate the systems with more of what the operators want,” Huie said. DTJ

Swedish Navy Rear Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum (right), Chief of Swedish Navy, and Swedish Marine leadership, receive a demonstration on the RECKLESS unmanned surface vehicle, which can be used for logistics support for expeditionary advanced base operations, during exercise Archipelago Endeavor 22 (AE22) on Berga Naval Base, Sweden, Sept. 21, 2022. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl Aziza Kamuhanda/Released.

The fifth annual Surface Force Projection Conference (SFPC) took place May 15-19, 2023, on the campus of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. The meeting was co-hosted by NDTA and Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies (CNU CAS), in cooperation with the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC).

Each year, this event brings together US government and industry subject matter experts in logistics and transportation, and members of the Joint Logistics Enterprise (JLE), to examine a wide range of challenges associated with operating in and through the contested environment to provide US capability at the point of need. This year’s theme was “Achieving Surface Deployment at the Speed of War: Supporting Large Scale Operations.”

Articles by Sharon Lo, Managing Editor, DTJ & The Source

Photos by Rebecca Jones, Executive Assistant to the President & CEO, NDTA, and Christopher Newport University

The Surface Force Projection Conference summary of keynote speeches, produced by NDTA, is intended to provide an overview of presentations and should not be considered verbatim. This information does not necessarily represent the official position of the US Government or any of its entities, or NDTA. We regret any errors or omissions.

Working Together to Ensure a Strong National Defense

“Ensuring a strong national defense takes all of us working together, identifying and working through challenges,” said NDTA President and CEO VADM William “Andy” Brown, USN (Ret.), during his opening remarks at the Surface Force Projection Conference (SFPC).

Brown served as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. During the opening ceremony, the Tabb High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp (NJROTC) presented the colors and Mr. Jonathan “Jack” Svoboda, Surface Distribution Program Manager, US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), sang the National Anthem.

The SFPC, which focuses on ports and surface deployment and distribution issues, is built upon a partnership between NDTA, CNU’s Center for American Studies, the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC).

“This year we are recognizing the need for deployment speed and we’re examining the shift from brigade combat teams in small scale deployments to larger Army Corps and division-sized movements to understand the impact on our ports and our logistics and the transportation capability and capacity,” said Brown. “The question we should ask ourselves as logisticians: ‘Are we able to meet the requirements in the time needed to support combatant commanders?’ That’s why we’re here.”

“This conference as a whole, as Admiral Brown has mentioned, focuses on a subject that cannot be more important to US national security: The role of US ports, as well as the industries and the infrastructures that support the operation of these ports—into the ports, inside the ports, and out of the ports—as components of US power projection,” said Dr. Nathan Busch, James and Cynthia Crawford Professor of U.S. National Security, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Co-Director, Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies.

“And the relevance of this year’s topic, Rapid Support of Large Scale Operations, has been demonstrated clearly in current events—US Military and operational support of our allies across the globe, includ-

ing but not limited to Eastern Europe and the Baltics, looming threats in other regions such as East Asia and the Middle East, and a whole host of potential threats to US Military and civilian infrastructure both domestically and abroad,” said Busch. “Now the purpose of this conference, of course, is to explore these issues in greater detail with some of the Country’s leading experts.”

“I fundamentally believe that force projection is one of the strategic advantages that we enjoy as a nation,” said MG Gavin

“One way to think about the theme for this year’s conference, Achieving Surface Deployment at the Speed of War and Supporting Large Scale Operations, is that is about managing and supporting the surge,” said Mr. Kevin Tokarski, SES, Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, MARAD, and Chair, National Port Readiness Network (NPRN) Steering Group. “What are the current platforms to ensure a fast and successful large scale deployment, and how do we assert if they are ready and reliable when we need them?”

Lawrence, USA, Commanding General of SDDC. “And I can point to examples of ongoing operations in Europe and the support being provided to Ukraine, operations in the INDO-PACOM AOR—the testing and experimentation that’s going to go on this summer. Examples where the joint deployment and distribution enterprise, in partnership with our commercial partners, have come together to deliver materiel on time, on target, in support of mission requirements.

“But ladies and gentlemen, this is a strategic advantage that we absolutely cannot take for granted,” warned Lawrence. “You heard in the previous comments, the evolving nature of the global environment, the emerging challenges we face as a nation, and so that’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re here—to have discussions [and] subsequent dialog on how we can continue to collaborate together to meet those emerging threats and to continue to deliver in support of our warfighters.”

“Joint mobility enterprise relies on commercial partners to ensure our global reach,” said Tokarski. “We need to make sure we are communicating our needs to you successfully and to ensure that you have open channels to work back on issues with us.

“Resilience is a key component of strategic readiness and as we are relying on commercial partners to ensure our readiness, we need to make sure that they have the tools and expertise to be resilient. And what they need from those of us in government is to help champion for them publicly and up on Capitol Hill so that they remain ready, resilient, and reliable to support large scale operations.”

The SFPC features a robust schedule of keynote speeches, meetings, breakout sessions, an exhibit hall, and other events. Rounding out the impressive lineup were three noteworthy panel discussions.

Ms. Kristina M. O’Brien, SES, Deputy to the Commander, SDDC, led the first panel. Joining her were panelists COL Mi-

chael Cashner, USA (Ret.), Vice President, Government Services, Landstar Transportation Logistics, Inc.; COL Chad Blacketer, USA, Commander, 596th Transportation Brigade; COL Brian S. Olson, USA, Director for Sustainment, US Army G4, III Corps; COL Daniel J. Duncan, USA, Assistant Chief of Staff, US Army G4, I Corps; and Mr. Daniel J. Reilly, SES, Deputy Director, Support Operations, US Army Sustainment Command.

The panel explored the special planning, training, and preparation taking place as the Army moves from BCT-centric to division-centric deployment, as well as what the term “speed of war” means and how it can be achieved collectively.

The second panel was moderated by Mr. Bruce Busler, SES, Director, Joint Distribution Process Analysis Center (TCAC), USTRANSCOM, and Executive Director, SDDC Transportation Engineering Agency (TEA). Panel members included Ms. Leigh Method, SES, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics, and serving as principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, Office of Secretary of Defense; Mr.

Nick Powers, Executive Vice President, UNCOMN, LLC; Ms. Elaine Trevino, Senior Supply Chain Advisor, US Department of Transportation; and Mr. Dan Miller, Director, US Defense Solution Architecture, SAP Public Services.

The discussion focused on efforts to leverage data sharing and integration across government and industry systems to provide improved decision making. These efforts can help provide truck and rail companies with movement priorities, deconflict requirements, and provide port call/route guidance.

The third panel was led by Captain Jef-

Confronting the National Supply Chain Challenge

For a majority of the transportation and logistics workforce, staying at home and working remotely was never an option during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to GEN Stephen R. Lyons, USA (Ret.), White House Port and Supply Chain Envoy for the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, those workers— manning vessels under harsh quarantine restrictions, working on docks and in warehouses, and driving trucks—pulled the US economy through that extraordinarily trying time.

These comments, made during his keynote speech, were especially pertinent coming from Lyons whose stint as Commander of USTRANSCOM, from August of 2018 until October of 2021, spanned the peak of the pandemic. In his current role, Lyons works across a broad set of private and public stakeholders to address pandemic disruptions and restore supply chain resilience and reliability.

“When the pandemic first hit, it was the unknown of the unknowns,” said Lyons. “You could see where the pandemic-related activities really impacted every aspect of the economy. It also impacted national defense.”

“Life as we knew it really ceased to exist and we went into the lockdowns, the civil sector was shut down, etc. We went into what turned out to be a very mini-recession and when mini-recessions occur, people start to pull capacity back [as] they anticipate there will be no demand,” he described.

“What we did not anticipate—and I don’t think anybody could have anticipated—was the subsequent surge, I call it demand shock, in the consumer demand side, really fueled by the stimulus dollars, fueled by the fact that the service sector was shut down and fueled by an enormously productive e-commerce system,” said Lyons.

This surge proved to be a shock to retailers and manufacturers, who had no frame of

frey C. Flumignan, USN (Ret.), Director, Office of Maritime & Intermodal Outreach, MARAD. He was joined onstage by Mr. Andre Elmaleh, Senior Manager, Business Development, Non-Container, Northwest Seaport Alliance; Mr. Chris Danos, AVP, Economic Development and Real Estate, BNSF Railway; Mr. Troy Hosmer, Maritime Port Security Manager/FSO, Port of Oakland; and Mr. Terry Howard, President, Carlile Transportation Systems, LLC.

The military relies on commercial transportation providers as a part of the larger Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise. The panel discussed how to balance DOD’s need for quick access to transportation capacity with these entities’ need to pursue recapitalization, construction, and non-DOD business lines.

Highlighting the collaborative, purposedriven nature of the event, the SFPC wrapped up with a review of action items. For videos of the opening ceremony, panels, and closing session, as well as the keynote speakers, click on the Education tab on the NDTA website.

reference and no algorithms or other means to predict inventory forecasts. As demand spiked, retailers were eager to satisfy their

What we did not anticipate—and I don’t think anybody could have anticipated—was the subsequent surge, I call it demand shock, in the consumer demand side.

customers. However, when cargo didn’t come immediately, more inventory went into the system. This influx of inventory manifested in late 2021 in a backup of 109 ships sitting in San Pedro Bay just outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. But this backup was just the beginning of issues that occurred during the pandemic.

“It’s what perpetuated throughout the supply chain beyond the terminals to trucking, to chassis, to warehousing, to

railroad—and the only way that you can recover from that takes time because you have to bring balance back between supply and demand,” explained Lyons.

“[We] just had to work our way through in high levels of collaboration including shipping community, carrier community, terminal operators—and try to work through to accelerate the market correctly—because it was a market correction that restored us to a balance.”

Thoughts About Large Scale Deployments and Sustainment Operations

Military previously enjoyed than its ability to project forces from the homeland to anywhere it wanted around the world, sometimes at very short notice.

“No other nation, I would argue, has been able to do that as well as we have,” he said, attributing this ability to project to the collective work and expertise of the transportation and logistics professionals that support these movements.

In recent times, military units have been able to put anything from tanks to duffle bags on a train, plane, or truck from their home base and be able to rest assured it would arrive at its destination. “I’m not going to say that time is over, but I would suggest that it’s going to get more challenging as our Joint Force gets ready to prepare, fight, and win, if necessary, globally around the world on short notice—sometimes in more than one place,” said Brito.

“I think it’s important to understand what occurred because people ask the question ‘are we going to be ready for the next time that we see a pandemic-like situation’—a 30% spike in demand,” said Lyons. “And that, you have to appreciate, is a hard sell for [the] private sector in a supply chain ecosystem made up of tens of thousands of private sector interests, driven by free market incentives.”

work against potential losses of equipment or personnel.

“But even when we are not fighting, the demands of constant campaigning [and] forward positioning, which are ongoing, will continue to stress all of our systems [and] keep the assets busy,” shared Brito.

“The entire Joint Force, and I can speak for the Army, is focused on developing the abilities we need to protect the force and project the force.” Innovation, organizing the Services to fight and win in the future, and looking at all the warfighting functions and civilian capacity are all part of the solutions.

“As we continue to understand the operational environment that the Joint Forces are going to fight in, in the months and years ahead, hopefully in the years ahead, regardless of theater, we’ll have an increased

Forces need to be able to get into theater, into position, where and when needed quickly to be able to win across all of the domains.

“America has always and will continue to fight an away game,” said SFPC keynote GEN Gary M. Brito, USA, Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). “For the past few decades, the Army—more importantly, the Joint Force or Army as part of the Joint Force—we have really enjoyed near total dominance.”

During this time, the US Military could operate with near impunity across the domains and around the world. The Joint Force is now studying closely what it will take to operate in multi-domain operations.

According to Brito, there is no better example of the dominance that the US

Forces need to be able to get into theater, into position, where and when needed quickly to be able to win across all of the domains. This is necessary in the Army and across the Services. The ability to do this is key to supporting the US Joint Forces as well as its allies and enables forces to be effective during combat.

This has always been challenging, but what has changed is the increasingly contested environment. Threat actors aim to deny, degrade, and disrupt US operations at a level never before seen. Meeting this change requires coordinated total force effort, which will be fast-paced and may be resource-intensive. Communications are likely to be threatened and Services must

reliance on what expertise, functions, [and] possibilities have come out of this forum,” said Brito referring to the SFPC.

He added that whether leveraging military-based or commercial projection capabilities, a team effort will be necessary to fight and support operations. For its part, and as part of modernization and future development efforts, the Army recently stood up a cross-functional team to look at contested logistics. But, according to Brito, solutions will come from the collective efforts between the Joint Force and with the cooperation of commercial partners.

Global Force Projection: Perspectives in Surface Transportation

According to its Commanding General, MG Gavin Lawrence, USA, SDDC is laser-focused on providing surface transportation solutions in partnership with commercial industry to deliver on time and on target in support of warfighter requirements.

Means of exploitation include espionage and malign influence campaigns, leveraging public investment, and utilizing cyber and space-based capabilities.

“Historically, the deployment enterprise has been accustomed to sustain forward deployed forces across largely uncontested environments. And, ladies and gentlemen, that has absolutely changed, and we can fully expect that the freedom of maneuver that we once enjoyed will no longer be there.

“With that being said, it will always be critical to project combat power. So we, like many others, have to adapt in order to be successful. Beyond contested operations, the DOD and our partners will face key changes to [the] security environment, including climate change, economic competition, and regional instability in places such as Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America,” said Lawrence.

When America goes to war, it fights by, with, and through its ports. So the ports—both at home and abroad—are key to projecting the Nation’s military forces. SDDC is pushing port diversification and has been exercising a variety of ports to expand capabilities in these locations.

Historically, the deployment enterprise has been accustomed to sustain forward deployed forces across largely uncontested environments. And, ladies and gentlemen, that has absolutely changed, and we can fully expect that the freedom of maneuver that we once enjoyed will no longer be there.

“The operational environment is changing substantially. There are many rapidly evolving characteristics of the security environment that threaten to erode the United States’ ability to deter aggression and to help maintain favorable balances of power in critical regions,” shared Lawrence.

“It’s no secret that China presents the most consequential and systematic challenge that we face, while Russia poses acute threats both to vital US national interests abroad and in the homeland.”

“We face strategic challenges stemming from complex interactions between a rapidly charging global balance of military capabilities, emerging technologies, and competitive doctrines that pose new threats to the US homeland and to strategic global stability. We’re seeing an escalation of competitors’ coercive and malign activities, said Lawrence. “We’re seeing transboundary challenges that impose new demands on the joint force and the defense enterprise.”

The homeland can no longer be considered a sanctuary. Adversaries will try to exploit vulnerabilities at all stages of deployments, from homeland to destination.

He warned that we must not take the resiliency of our supply chain for granted. Ideas and efforts need to be out into action. The resiliency of the supply chain requires care and upkeep, as well as the recognition and foresight into what challenges are on the horizon.

Lawerence categorizes these challenges into two categories—stresses and threats. Stresses are generated from within the global socioeconomic forces that shape the world, such as inflation, the price of fuel, and labor issues. Threats are external forces and include targeting and disruption activities from US adversaries.

The partnership between DOD and commercial industry is of vital importance to mitigating these stresses and threats.

This is one step toward accomplishing what Lawrence calls the three D’s: “Demonstrating our commitment to our allies, Deterring our adversaries through presence, and creating Dilemmas for our adversaries with our demonstrated ability to deliver combat power through multiple lines of communication.”

“It’s the dialogue that we have at events like this that are absolutely essential to sustaining us, to sustain the force, as we collaborate together to deliver on time, on target, every time in support of our warfighters’ needs,” said Lawrence in closing. “We’ve got young men and women out there at the tip of the spear counting on us, and I know collectively we will not let them down.”

Countering Threats to the Defense Transportation System: A Counterintelligence Perspective

Why is intelligence important?

“Because we have two near peer adversaries. One currently that is actively pursuing ways to disrupt the transportation of US soldiers and our DOD equipment into Europe,” explained SFPC keynote Mr. Michael King, Counterintelligence Special Agent, USTRANSCOM. “They have compromised carriers. They have looked and attempted to compromise other modes and modalities of moving equipment across this country.”

The US has spent close to two decades sharing information with and allowing the other near peer adversary to observe us. Economically, we cannot cut ties, so the question then becomes how to deter them. One method is ensuring the economic viability of the US in order to utilize financial pressure.

Private industry is key to the US’ ability to project forces. This creates greater challenges to securing US interests, especially

ed or risk facing espionage charges. USTRANSCOM will help its partners find ways to increase their protection.

Social media is another avenue that adversaries can potentially exploit to spread misinformation or cause disruptions such as riots—which can affect the ability of transportation companies to move goods.

Companies may have had a counterintelligence (CI) special agent visit them and ask some very intrusive questions. While some people may hesitate to share intimate details of their company operations, technol-

er—our service men in women out in the field will be in grave danger.

The US Counterintelligence Task Force has ways to combat cyber attacks from a nation-state actor or by those sponsored by a nation-state. “CI agents in the United States, including myself, are designed to stop the enemy foreign intelligent agents from interfering with our ability to do business every day,” said King. He added that the assistance provided by the US CI community is a free additional layer that companies can take advantage of.

when a foreign adversary uses their government influence over business to gain our information.

As an example, King shared that China is currently trying to adjust a law that mandates anyone in their country must turn over any electronic information or information stored there upon request. This means that if you visited China with your laptop which contained your proprietary information, you would need to hand that over to the Chinese government if request-

The US has spent close to two decades sharing information with and allowing the other near peer adversary to observe us. Economically, we cannot cut ties, so the question then becomes how to deter them.

ogy, and finances, this cooperation is necessary for successful counterintelligence.

The reason this is so critical is very cut and dry: If nefarious actors are able to shut down transportation and logistics operations—or the US’ ability to project pow-

Specific to DOD, the CI agent’s job is to maximize the department’s ability to project force. This requires two-way communication including issue identification, and in some cases, policy changes. Agents are looking to help businesses find the best solutions and services.

Addressing insider threats, King reminded the audience that whether someone is a crane operator, stevedore, port operator, or holds any other position, they have information and should know how to protect it. This further emphasized the fact that in counterintelligence communication is key and speaks to the truth behind the often touted slogan, ‘see something, say something.’

Infrastructure Bill Implementation and Readiness

In the context of force projection, ensuring the US has enough capacity to fulfill its maritime missions, vessels and capacity are positioned in the right places, ports are ready to receive cargoes, and the readiness of vessels are key tasks for MARAD, according to its Administrator The Honorable Ann C. Phillips, RDML USN (Ret.)

“Our stated mission is to foster, promote, and develop the maritime industry of the United States to meet the Nation’s economic and security needs,” said Phillips. “That places us squarely in the world of strategic sealift with our Ready Reserve Fleet and also managing—through our commercial fleet—the maritime security, cable ship security, and tanker security programs.”

MARAD is in the process of building its tanker security program, which will help recapitalize the ready reserve and expand commercial carrier capacity. At the time of SFPC, an announcement for the first 10 vessels was forthcoming and Phillips shared that MARAD had the authority to expand the ships to 20 ships the following year.

Another responsibility of the agency is operating the Merchant Marine Academy, which is a primary source of licensed mariners in the US maritime labor system. The agency also supports the six state maritime academies.

Pursuant to 46 US code 50101, the US is required to have a merchant marine that is “sufficient to carry the waterborne domestic commerce and a substantial part of

the waterborne export and import foreign commerce of the United States and to provide shipping service essential for maintaining the flow of the waterborne domestic and foreign commerce at all times.”

The US-flagged, coastwise-qualified vessels used to meet this requirement are typically known as “Jones Act qualified” vessels. The Jones Act supports around 650,000 jobs and contributes approximately $72 billion to the US Gross Domestic Product. During her speech, Phillips also noted that changes in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act will help tighten the method of the Jones Act waiver process.

are also needed for true viability. To help build this capacity, MARAD is extending the service life of its ready reserve fleet, buying used and potentially building new vessels. Even with these options, building needed capacity is a challenge.

Through its port infrastructure development program, MARAD focuses on grant programs that improve the movement of goods, which helps to drive capacity.

“Shifting to port infrastructure—certainly critical in the context of supply chain disruption and the challenges that we experienced during COVID—and I can say that under the bipartisan infrastructure law, we are making literally once in a generation investment in ports and waterways, and particularly in infrastructure,” said Phillips who encouraged the audience to apply for grants.

“The more vessels you have, the more control you have. And based off of manpower shortages, you have to have a career path that’s going to sustain an industry and mariners,” said Phillips. “More vessels help sustain that.”

But in the equation between the number of ships and mariner sustainment, cargoes

On a related note, there was an increase in funding last year in the Marine Highway program, providing another opportunity to change capacity and put more freight on US waterways. This year, changes to the program eliminated requirements that it only focus on container cargo.

Safeguard Ports & the Marine Transportation System

According to RDML Shannon N. Gilreath, USCG, Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, US Coast Guard, the maritime transportation system has a value of $5.4 trillion to the US economy. There are a lot of potential threats to this valuable system. Gilreath highlighted three of these threats: The risk of physical attack (terrorism or sabotage), cyber risk, and informational warfare risk.

“My experience as a Coast Guard officer doing emergency response, whether that be

Hurricane Katrina, Deepwater Horizon, or responses in individual ports, that unity of effort is probably the number one thing that decides whether you are successful or not,” said Gilreath.

“The information in warfare risk I’m afraid is something that we need to be thinking about because that can have a serious impact on the trust and I can’t underestimate the value of trust for you enough in moving in one of these type responses—that trust is absolutely essential,” he explained.

To help foster effective maritime security, the Coast Guard utilizes regulatory policy and international agency collaboration.

“While the Coast Guard is definitely the lead Federal Agency from a maritime secu-

Mark Your Calendar!

rity perspective, we are not doing this by ourselves, we can’t do it by ourselves. When you talk about great power competition, there’s no single entity that can do it all by themselves,” said Gilreath. “It has to be a

shared and joint effort for us to be successful, to truly compete.”

The Coast Guard also works to achieve maritime domain awareness through initiatives and interagency coordination. To the end, the Service provides port security grants and funding, and encourages information sharing among key stakeholders.

With regard to the Coast Guard’s maritime security response operations, Gilreath said the Service is committed to supporting contingency operations and military outloads through early and effective planning, and partnerships.

In closing, Gilreath emphasized the significance of relationships in the ability to be successful long term. “Because in my career, those relationships have been extremely important to the success of any Coast Guard operation that we undertake.” DTJ

Next year’s Surface Force Projection Conference will take place May 15-17, 2024, at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. We look forward to seeing you there!

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

AAR

AAT Carriers, Inc.

Accenture Federal Services

Agility Defense & Government Services

Air Transport Services Group (ATSG)

AIT Worldwide Logistics, Inc.

ALARA Logistics

Amazon

American President Lines, LLC

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings

Bennett Family of Companies

C5MI

Carlile Transportation Systems, LLC

CGI Federal

Chapman Freeborn International Ltd.

Construction Helicopters, Inc. (d/b/a CHI Aviation)

Corporate Travel Management (CTM)

Crane Worldwide Logistics, LLC

Crowley Deloitte

DHL Express Enterprise Holdings

FedEx

Freeman Holdings Group

Hapag-Lloyd USA, LLC

HomeSafe Alliance

International Auto Logistics

Kalitta Air, LLC

Landstar System, Inc.

Liberty Global Logistics

Maersk Line, Limited

Matson

Microsoft Federal

Naniq Government Services, LLC

National Air Cargo, Inc.

Omni Air International, LLC

Patriot Maritime

Reify Solutions, LLC

Salesforce

SAP

Schuyler Line Navigation Company LLC

Sealift, Inc.

Sixt Rent a Car LLC

Southwest Airlines

The Pasha Group

TOTE Group

Tri-State Motor Transit Co.

United Airlines

US Ocean, LLC

Waterman Logistics

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

AEG Fuels

Air Charter Service

American Maritime Partnership

Amerijet International, Inc.

Berry Aviation, Inc.

BNSF Railway

Boeing Company

Boyle Transportation

Bristol Associates

Choice Hotels International

CSX Transportation

CWTSatoTravel

EASE Logistics Services LLC

Echo Global Logistics, Inc.

Ernst & Young

Global Logistics Providers

Groundswell

ICAT Logistics

KGL

Leidos

National Air Carrier Association

Norfolk Southern Corporation

PayCargo LLC

SAP Concur

Sikich LLP

Sonesta International Hotels Corporation

The Port of Virginia

Transportation Institute

U.S. Bank

Union Pacific Railroad

US Marine Management

Western Global Airlines

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

These corporations are a distinctive group of NDTA Members who, through their generous support of the Association, have dedicated themselves to supporting an expansion of NDTA programs to benefit our members and defense transportation preparedness.

HONOR ROLL OF SUSTAINING MEMBERS

SUSTAINING MEMBERS

3Sixty

Able Freight

Admiral Merchants Motor Freight, Inc.

All Aboard America Holdings

American Bureau of Shipping

American Maritime Officers

American Trucking Associations

Apex Logistics International Inc.

ArcBest

Army & Air Force Exchange Service

Arven Services, LLC

ATS Secure

Avis Budget Group

Baggett Transportation Company

Beltway Transportation Service

Benchmarking Partners, Inc.

Bridgeway Connects, Inc.

BWH Hotels

Coleman Worldwide Moving

Cornerstone Systems, Inc.

Council for Logistics Research

CPKC

Cypress International, Inc.

Dash Point Distributing, LLC

Delta Air Lines

Drury Hotels Company, LLC

Duluth Travel, Inc. (DTI)

EMO Trans, Inc.

Estes Forwarding Worldwide

Europcar Mobility Group

Eyre Bus Service, Inc.

FSI Defense, A FlightSafety International Company

Gallantry Global Logistics

GeoDecisions

Global Secure Shipping

Green Valley Transportation Corp.

Hilton Worldwide

Holland & Knight

REGIONAL PATRONS

Hyatt Hotels

IHG Army Hotels

Intermodal Association of North America (IANA)

International Association of Movers

International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA)

Interstate Moving | Relocation | Logistics

Isaac Instruments

J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.

Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT)

JET Infrastructure

K&L Trailer Sales and Leasing

Keystone Shipping Co.

LMI

LMJ International Logistics, LLC

Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association

Mayflower Transit

McCollister’s Global Services, Inc.

Mercer Transportation Company

mLINQS

National Charter Bus

National Industries for the Blind (NIB)

National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.

National Van Lines, Inc.

Nika Corporate Housing

Northern Air Cargo, LLC

Omega World Travel

One Network Enterprises, Inc.

ORBCOMM

Perfect Logistics, LLC

Pilot Freight Services, a Maersk Company

Plateau GRP

PODS Enterprises LLC

Port of Beaumont

Port of Corpus Christi Authority

Port of San Diego

Prestera Trucking, Inc.

Procharter

Prosponsive Logistics

PTS Worldwide

Radiant Global Logistics

Ramar Transportation, Inc.

Rampart Aviation

Red Roof Inn

Sabre

SAIC

Savi

SeaCube Containers

Seafarers International Union of NA, AGLIW

SEKO Logistics

Selsi International Inc

Signature Transportation Group

Smith Currie & Hancock LLP

SSA Marine

St. Louis Union Station Hotel a Curio Hotel Collection by Hilton

StarForce National Corporation

Steam Logistics, LLC

Stevens Global Logistics, Inc.

Swan Transportation Services

The Hertz Corporation

The MITRE Corporation

The Suddath Companies

TLR - Total Logistics Resource, Inc.

TMM, Inc.

Toll Group

Trailer Bridge

Transportation Intermediaries Assn. (TIA)

Travelport

Triangle Bus Charters Inc

TTX Company

Tucker Company Worldwide, Inc.

Uber for Business

UNCOMN

United Van Lines, Inc.

UPS

US1 Logistics

Women In Trucking Association, Inc.

World Fuel Services - Defense Solutions

Xwing

REGIONAL PATRONS

ACME Truck Line, Inc.

Amyx

C5T Corporation

CakeBoxx Technologies, LLC

Cartwright International

Columbia Helicopters, Inc.

Dalko Resources, Inc.

Delaware River Stevedores, Inc.

Enterprise Management Systems

Gridiron Forwarding Co., Inc.

HLI Government Services

JAS Forwarding

John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences

Kalitta Charters, LLC

Lineage Logistics

Lynden, Inc.

Move One Logistics

North Carolina State Ports Authority

NovaVision, LLC

Overdrive Logistics, Inc.

PITT OHIO

Port Canaveral

Port of Port Arthur

Priority Worldwide

Seatac Marine Services

Trans Global Logistics Europe GmbH

UNIVERSITIES

McKendree University

and Enabling Command (NATO/Germany), VADM Andy Kyte, CB, Chief of Defence, Logistics and Support, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom, and COL Paul Nelson, CSC, Australian Foreign Liaison Officer to the Joint Staff J4 and USTRANSCOM. I strongly recommend you come and participate in the conversation.

We remain confident that the will of the United States of America will continue to look below the surface to strengthen our influence across the diplomatic, information, military, and economic levers we have. In terms of military logistics, it is pretty simple: We need “stuff” (fighting capability, to in-

clude munitions) and the means to move it when and where it is needed. We also need to think and act ahead of time as to what policy barriers can be removed to allow the enterprise to move faster at the appropriate exigency timelines. As we take a deeper look at the NDS, please keep this in mind.

For everyone on the NDTA team, I also want to convey a hearty well done and thank you to NDTA’s Chairman of the Board, Mr. John Dietrich, who recently retired as President and CEO of Atlas Air. John had a very distinguished career at Atlas but will be moving to FedEx as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. We are grateful to have him remain the NDTA Chairman of the Board for the immediate future. For six

years, John has led NDTA to new heights and ensured NDTA’s membership is there to support DOD and the Nation—during peacetime and conflict. John’s legacy is profound as the country has transitioned from a CENTCOM-focused National Defense Strategy to an Indo-Pacific-oriented strategy. His profound patriotism is unrivaled, as is his love for the business of transportation and logistics. He has often pointed out that it is the folks on the front line—in uniform or civilian clothes—who deserve the credit for bringing the punch to the fight. But now it is we who need to thank him for the fighting clout he brought as well. From all of us, John—as you head into a new position—we are all with you! DTJ

The National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) Board of Directors recently appointed two administrative and one functional new committee chairs.

Mr. Hunter McGuire was appointed NDTA Young Leaders Committee Chair. In this role, he oversees the NDTA Young Leaders Program which seeks to engage and invest in the next generation of transportation and logistics professionals. As a Lead Account Manager at Southwest Airlines, where he has worked for six years, Mr. McGuire’s primary focus is to enhance the experience of all Department of Defense travelers.

Dr. Nathan Busch, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Christopher Newport University (CNU), was appointed Chair of the NDTA Education & Professional Development Committee. The committee oversees the development of educational programs for the association and selects individuals for NDTA scholarships awarded at the national level. Dr. Busch is the Co-Director of CNU’s Center for American Studies and the inaugural James and Cynthia Crawford Professor of US National Security Studies at Christopher Newport University.

Mr. Marty Groover, Partner and CTO at C5MI, was appointed Chair of the Technology Subcommittee under the NDTA Logistics and Distribution Committee, which serves as a catalyst to provide US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) with ideas and information

about commercial practices to improve the supply chain. Mr. Groover is an innovative leader in the supply chain industry with over two decades of experience as a US Navy surface warfare officer.

Administrative committees assist the NDTA president and board of directors in the management and oversight of the organization. The association’s six administrative committees are the Education & Professional Development, Finance & Audit, Foundation, Chapter Support & Membership Development, Industry, and Communications & Publications. Each committee is chaired by an industry volunteer who devotes time to ensuring the success of the association. Committee membership includes other volunteers from industry or government with an interest in education and the professional development of our industry and government members.

NDTA functional committees are chaired by a senior industry leader, supported by a senior government liaison, and operate under their own charters. NDTA’s six functional committees include the Military Aviation Advisory (MAAC), Military Sealift, Surface Transportation, Logistics

and Distribution, Government Passenger Travel Advisory Council, and Cybersecurity Best Practices. Committees meet at least twice per year to address operational and policy issues of mutual interest, give the government a window into industry processes, and provide industry a voice in government policy development. Each is charged with examining and recommending solutions on critical government, military, and industry issues in their respective fields. DTJ

NDTA Welcomes New Committee Chairs

Dr. Nathan Busch

Marty Groover Hunter McGuire