The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association
January 28, 2026
Register Today
February 23 – 26, 2026
The National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA), in association with the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), is hosting the 2026 GovTravels February 23-26, 2026, at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, VA.
GovTravels is a four-day event that brings together bringing together experts from across the federal government and the commercial travel industry to examine a wide range of issues that impact the government’s multi-billion dollar travel enterprise. During this event we educate and train DoD travel managers on best practices and strategies, allow government program administrators to learn more about emerging technologies, exchange ideas and collaborate on travel issues, identify and capture actions and build relationships among government and industry commercial travel experts. […READ MORE…]
Save the Date
May 18-21, 2026
NDTA-CAS
Surface Force Projection Meeting
Registration opens January 29, 2026. Check website for details.
Join the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) and Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies (CAS) Surface Force Projection Meeting (SFPM), May 18-21, 2026, at Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA. Connect with top U.S. government and industry experts to tackle deployment and sustainment challenges and address this year’s theme, “Projecting Power in a Globally Contested Environment — Ideas into Action!” Network with peers, attend insightful sessions, and hear from renowned speakers. NDTA, along with CAS, partners with the U.S. Army Transportation Command (ARTRANS), Military Sealift Command (MSC), U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), the U.S. Coast Guard, logistics and transportation industry, and academia to provide the SFPM. Mark your calendar and don’t miss out! Details on agenda, lodging, and registration will be available on our website starting December 18, 2025. Registration opens on January 29, 2026. Become an NDTA member today for exclusive benefits!
Hegseth Puts More Muscle into Fixing Troops’ Household Goods Moves
(militarytimes.com) The Pentagon has stood up a new operation to focus solely on permanent fixes for the decades-old problems of damaged and lost household goods encountered by service members and families moving to new duty stations.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the establishment of the Personal Property Activity (PPA), elevating the importance of oversight of military household goods moves as a key mission. […READ MORE…]
USDOT Says 7,500 CDL Training Schools Shut Down in 2025
By Ashley
(cdlife.com) The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) highlighted results achieved during a year of increased scrutiny and enforcement of the trucking industry and commercial driver’s license (CDL) driver standards, including the closure of thousands of truck driver training schools.
In a January 21, 2025, statement celebrating “a year of decisive wins” for USDOT in 2025, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy provided insight into his efforts to tighten CDL standards, curb fraud, and increase safety within the trucking industry.
“After numerous deadly—and avoidable—accidents on America’s roads caused by dangerous and unqualified truck drivers, Secretary Duffy cracked down on the trucking industry, on unqualified commercial drivers, and on states like California that refuse to put safety first,” USDOT said. […READ MORE…]
(transportation.gov) U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is formalizing permanent restrictions for helicopters and powered-lift from operating in certain areas near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), unless these aircraft are conducting essential operations. These restrictions were put in place immediately following the American Airlines 5342 crash and supported by the NTSB’s preliminary recommendations. […READ MORE…]
Apply for 2026 NDTA Foundation Scholarships,
now through Wednesday, April 15, 2026
As we recognize the New Year and wish you all the best in 2026, NDTA wants to remind you that we are accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. Applications are being accepted through April 15 via e-mail at ndtahq@ndtahq.com for our four academic scholarship programs for members and their children:
- Program A – for currently enrolled college students
- Program B – for soon-to-be high school graduates accepted at an accredited institution
- Program C – for currently enrolled, distance learning college students
- Program D, The Denny Edwards Graduate Scholarship – for graduate (master’s degree) students
NDTA offers all scholarship winners a unique opportunity to join our Industry Connect Program (ICP). The ICP links interested students with an industry mentor to help them bridge to the future. More information can be found here.
NDTA is excited about the education and development of our Nation’s future logistics and transportation leaders! Providing scholarships and the ICP helps us promote learning and professional development. To learn about scholarship qualification details and how to apply, go to www.ndtahq.com/foundation/, call us at 703-751-5011 or send us an email at ndtahq@ndtahq.com. Read student testimonials from previous scholarship recipients to learn about the impact it has had on their studies and their career paths.
We look forward to hearing from you!
NDTA continues to be an advocate and supporter of The U.S. Army Transportation Corps Museum at Ft. Eustis, Va. Our mission is to develop future Logistics & Transportation leaders! During this year, the Center of Military History (CMH) has decided to close the museum. Since that time, the Army Transportation Museum Foundation (ATMF) has encouraged members of the Foundation to write letters and send emails to leaders supporting the educational value of the museum as a bridge to the future. To help support this effort, please review the attached information below.
SUPER BOWL LX FLYOVER
Air Force, Navy Aircraft to Fly Over Super Bowl LX
(war.gov) To commemorate America’s 250th birthday, the Air Force and the Navy are conducting a joint flyover during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Feb. 8, 2026.
The formation, featuring two Air Force B-1 Lancers, from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and two F-15C Eagles, from Fresno Air National Guard Base, California, alongside a pair of Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets and two F-35C Lightning IIs, from Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, is a symbol of the nation’s journey and independence. […READ MORE…]
Editor’s Picks
U.S. Marine Corps Creates Its First NDAA-compliant 3D-printed Drone to Support Operational Missions
(defence-industry.eu) Amid the Department of War’s intent to acquire 300,000 one-way attack drones by 2028, 2nd Marine Logistics Group has developed the Marine Corps’ first National Defense Authorization Act-compliant 3D-printed drone. The platform, named HANX, represents a major advance from earlier efforts and is designed to be adaptable, secure, and usable by Marines across mission sets.
U.S. Navy Demonstrates Ship-Launched Weather Drones for Maritime Atmospheric Data Collection
Weather intelligence and technology company Meteomatics is working with the U.S. Navy, launching their automated weather drones, Meteodrones, from a moving vessel to collect frequently unobserved atmospheric data critical to maritime operations. Conducted as part of the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) in the Mississippi Sound near Gulfport, the trial has marked a step forward in enhancing operational readiness and safety for naval missions.
Navy Tests Manned, Unmanned Teaming Capabilities for Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program
(USNI.org) The Navy completed a demonstration of its manned-unmanned teaming capabilities to further the development of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative, Naval Air Systems Command announced Monday.
The trial, which took place at California’s Point Mugu Sea Range, saw two BQM-177A subsonic aerial targets flown autonomously using Shield AI’s Hivemind software.
USCG Icebreakers Aid Great Lakes Shipping as Arctic Front Ices the Lakes
(Maritime Executive) The U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes is reporting a series of recent callouts as an Arctic Front crossed the Midwestern region of the United States and interrupted shipping. Some of the shipping provides critical winter supplies of coal and fuel, while others attempted to reach port to begin their winter lay up as the shipping season on the Lakes has ended. The Coast Guard dispatched two ice cutters to aid in the shipping.
Unmanned Systems Key to Arctic Maritime Defense, Experts Say
Unmanned vehicles that can withstand harsh weather for prolonged periods at sea are critical to maintain NATO’s strategic dominance in the Arctic, according to experts from the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).
The Arctic is becoming a hotly contested environment with increasing incursions from Russian and Chinese vessels in recent years that constitute deliberate pressure on NATO, according to Lance K. Landrum, senior fellow at CEPA.
DHL Launches Road-air Service on Busy China-Europe Trade Lane
(joc.com) DHL Global Forwarding has launched a Truckair service between China and Turkey, with onward connections to points in Europe. The Truckair multimodal service integrates air and road freight to move large-volume shipments, picking up cargo in China and transporting it by truck to Tashkent in Uzbekistan, then onward by air to Istanbul. From there, various modes are used for other European destinations.
Echo Global Logistics Acquires ITS Logistics to Create $5.4 Billion Combined Entity
(freightwaves.com) Echo Global Logistics has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ITS Logistics, one of North America’s fastest-growing third-party logistics (3PL) providers. The deal will create a combined entity with pro forma 2025 revenue of approximately $5.4 billion, expanding Echo’s scale while integrating ITS’s specialized solutions with Echo’s advanced technology platform.
Intramotev Announces Commercial Agreement with Watco to Deploy TugVolt Technology
(trains.com) Intramotev, the technology company building autonomous battery-electric freight cars, announced that Watco will begin using Intramotev’s TugVolt system, starting at its transload terminal in Wood River, Ill., in January. Watco will use the TugVolt equipment for switching at the transload terminal. Intramotev is the first company to commercially deploy autonomous freight railcars.
The Source is a free educational publication for NDTA members, conference attendees, and associates.