NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting Highlights

NDTA and USTRANSCOM co-sponsored the 2024 Fall Meeting at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, St. Louis, Mo., October 7-10. The annual four-day event attracted a record-breaking 2,000+ attendees and an impressive list of exhibitors for the Expo Hall.

This year’s theme, “Accelerating Decision Advantage Across Defense Transportation and Logistics,” focused on how data analytics can transform challenges into opportunities and enable decision advantage in military operations. The event provided the government, military, and industry the opportunity to identify and solve logistics and transportation issues together; learn about innovative technologies; develop best practices; and build professional and personal relationships.

NDTA President & CEO VADM William A. Brown, USN (Ret.), served as emcee during the opening ceremony, where Mr. John Dietrich, NDTA Chairman of the Board, addressed the audience in the packed Grand Ballroom. Attendees viewed an inspirational video, specially created to commemorate the 80^th anniversary of NDTA that artfully captures how the Association has withstood the test of time and served as a trusted environment where government, military, and private sector professionals can solve challenges in the fields of logistics, transportation, and passenger travel, and looks forward to the future.

The Fall Meeting agenda boasted general sessions with three keynote presentations and four fireside chats. Immediately following the opening ceremony, CMSgt Brian “BK” Kruzelnick, USAF, Command Senior Enlisted Leader (TCCC-CSEL), US Transportation Command, revved up the audience with his infectious enthusiasm when he scanned the audience and then proudly declared, “All the great minds in logistics are all here in one place!”  In Keynote #1, “21^st Century Warfare,” CMSgt Kruzelnick explained how leaders need to guide, develop, and connect to the workforce to quickly create teams that will exploit this technological age and gain a decision advantage.

In Keynote #2, Dr. Radha Iyengar Plumb, SES, spoke on “Accelerating DoD Adoption of Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence to Enable Decision Advantage.” She is the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, Department of Defense. Her keynote focused on accelerating DoD’s adoption of data, analytics, and artificial intelligence from the boardroom to the battlefield to enable decision advantage.

USTRANSCOM’s new Commander, Air Force General Randall Reed, delivered Keynote #3 on “Decision Advantage: A Key Component of Credible Capacity.” He credited the command’s strong partnership with allies, commercial industry partners and other government organizations with empowering USTRANSCOM to accomplish its mission. Gen. Reed, former deputy commander of Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, assumed command of Transcom from Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, USAF, on Friday, October 4.

The annual Transportation Academy, held in conjunction with the Fall Meeting, offered seven learning tracks with a combined total of 65+ interactive classes and seminars covering pertinent defense logistics topics taught by subject matter experts. Fireside chat sessions, computer labs, committee and subcommittee discussions rounded out the robust Fall Meeting learning experience, augmented by social interaction at the Expo Hall and during networking breaks and evening receptions.

NDTA’s functional committees— Cybersecurity Best Practices; Logistics & Distribution; Military Aviation Advisory Committee (MAAC); Military Sealift; and Surface Transportation, along with all subcommittees—met during the conference. All Fall Meeting attendees were able to attend these meetings as observers.

For those in the early phases of their career, the NDTA Young Leaders Committee provided networking and educational opportunities, including a social hour and a lunch featuring mentor-facilitated tabletop discussions with others in government and industry.

For more information on the NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting, including additional articles, videos, and slides, go to www.ndtahq.com

Be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s Fall Meeting at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, October 6-9, 2025.

By Barbara Parus, Managing Editor, DTJ & The Source