The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association

March 3, 2020

Thank You for Making GovTravels a Success

The 2020 GovTravels Symposium was a resounding success, thanks to the teamwork of everyone involved. Special thanks to our co-sponsor, Mr. William Mansell, Jr., SES, Director of the Defense Travel Management Office and his hardworking staff, and the General Services Administration. Thank you also to our keynote speakers: The Honorable Lisa Hershman, DOD, Ms. Chelsie Bright, PhD, Qualtrics, and Mr. Donald Moore, Enterprise Holdings, as well as all the Travel Academy instructors, the members and chairs of the Government Passenger Travel Advisory Council, and our sponsors and exhibitors. We could not have done it without you. Thank you again, and we look forward to seeing you at the next GovTravels in February 2021!

By Sharon Lo Managing Editor, Defense Transportation Journal and The Source

Government and industry attendees were on hand to meet, learn, and collaborate on common travel issues during the 2020 NDTA-DTMO GovTravels Symposium. One Travel Academy course that explored a truly universal subject was Duty of Care: Shared Responsibility. The class provided practical advice for protecting the safety and security of individuals on business travel.

The course moderator was Bryan Scott, Assistant Vice President of Federal Government Business, Enterprise Holdings. Panelists included Melody Haislip, Vice President of National Sales, Island Hospitality; Lori Leffler, Chief, Travel Programs Branch Travel Programs and Service Division, Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO); Beth Schoeller, National Account Manager, Government, Avis Budget Group; and Hilary Sullivan, Senior Government Sales Manager, Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. […READ MORE…]

By Sharon Lo Managing Editor, Defense Transportation Journal and The Source

The US has signed a peace agreement with the Taliban that could signal the end of America’s longest war. However, the deal does not include the Afghan government. Talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are to follow.

Under the agreement, the Taliban agrees to prevent Afghanistan from being a safe haven for terrorists, including not allowing al-Qaeda or any other extremist group to operate in the areas they control.

If the Taliban upholds its end of the deal, the US and NATO allies have agreed to withdraw all troops within 14 months. Currently, there are [...READ MORE…]

Editor’s Picks

The US Military’s Investment Ecosystem is Missing in Action
(War on the Rocks) To succeed in this new environment, the US government should do more to foster defense innovation and strengthen critical industrial manufacturing capabilities, avoiding actions that push companies to move offshore, to allow themselves to be acquired by foreign competitors, or to exit the defense markets completely.

USS Eisenhower Leads Exercise to Clear Atlantic Shipping Lanes
(Breaking Defense) The Navy is doing something it hasn’t done since the 1980s—test its abilities to win in a contested crossing of the Atlantic.

With the Promise of Faster Speed, Inventory Moves Closer to Consumers
(Supply Chain Dive) Amazon could deliver nearly everything to the lower 48 states within two days by air freight. The decision to offer one-day shipping changed the equation.

Aerial Refueling, Sealift Capability Vital to Readiness
(DOD News) Aerial refueling and sealift forces require attention so they can meet current and future challenges, the commander of US Transportation Command told lawmakers.

Strengthening the US Defense Maritime Industrial Base: A Plan to Improve Maritime Industry’s Contribution to National Security
(Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments [CSBA]) A new report by CSBA finds that a robust maritime industry, and the policies that support it, are increasingly important in an era of great power competition. However, the maritime industry and the broader national security innovation base face a range of pressures that undermine their long-term viability, ability to innovate, and capacity to support future military operations.

How Do the Candidates’ Infrastructure Plans Compare?
(Transport Topics) A helpful chart compares the infrastructure plans of the candidates who are running for president in 2020.

US Ocean Voyages Issue #1
(US Ocean, LLC) US Ocean has released its Voyages newsletter highlighting the latest news on the company’s people and projects.

Podcast: Technology and Data Drive Growth
(Landstar) Katie MacDonald, Vice President of Agent Development for Landstar Transportation Logistics, explains how freight agents can use technology and data to drive growth on the Inbound Logistics podcast.

Amtrak Names William Flynn as CEO and President
(Amtrak) Amtrak announced it has named William J. Flynn as its next Chief Executive Officer and President. Flynn, a seasoned business leader with four decades of transportation and logistics experience, most recently served 13 years with Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings.

Raj Subramaniam: Positioning FedEx for 2020 and Beyond
(FedEx) Raj Subramaniam, President and COO of FedEx Corporation, is charged with driving success for the company in the age of e-commerce, which is predicted to account for more than 90% of the incremental growth in the US Domestic parcel market between 2018-2026. Subramaniam is a key player in evolving the strategy to handle this growth.

AAR Signs Letter of Intent with Air Canada to Add New Aircraft Types and Establish Airframe Maintenance Center of Excellence at Trois-Rivières MRO Location
(AAR CORP.) AAR has announced that AAR Aircraft Services Trois-Rivières ULC (“AAR”) has entered into a letter of intent with Air Canada regarding a ten-year, renewable agreement for airframe maintenance. The long-term agreement should enable AAR to develop an Airframe Maintenance Center of Excellence at its Trois-Rivières MRO in Quebec, Canada, and to expand its heavy maintenance services for Air Canada, which will stimulate new investment in aerospace and create more high-quality aircraft mechanic jobs.

The Source is a free educational publication for NDTA members, conference attendees, and associates.