The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association

November 17, 2023

The Source will be on hiatus next week. We wish each of you a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving.

Register Now for NDTA-DTMO GovTravels Symposium

The National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) and the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) in association with the General Services Administration (GSA), are excited to announce the opening of registration for the GovTravels Symposium taking place February 26 – 28, 2024, at the Hilton Mark Center, Alexandria, VA. GovTravels is the key event where decision-makers from government and industry gather to meet, learn, and collaborate on passenger travel issues.  […READ MORE…]

Strengthening the Defense Transportation and Logistics Enterprise

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

The 11th Annual NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting took place from October 31 through November 3, 2023, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Attendees from government, military, and industry convened to identify and solve logistics and transportation issues together, learn about new technologies, develop best practices, and build professional and personal relationships. […READ MORE…]

Your Source

New Defense Industrial Strategy, DLA Demand Forecast to Chart Road Map for Logistics Partners 

By Beth Reece

Resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence are priorities of a new National Defense Industrial Strategy set to debut in early December, a Defense Department leader told Defense Logistics Agency and industrial base members on Nov. 6. […READ MORE…]

Maritime Administration Announces More Than $653 Million Investments in Ports to Strengthen American Supply Chains

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced over $653 million to fund 41 port improvement projects across the nation under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda this funding will help grow capacity and increase efficiency at coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports, and inland river ports. […READ MORE…]

 

Editor’s Picks

Biden Signs a Bill Averting a Government Shutdown for Now, with Israel and Ukraine Aid Still Stalled

(Associated Press)  President Joe Biden signed a temporary spending bill a day before a potential government shutdown, pushing a fight with congressional Republicans over the federal budget into the new year, as wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel remains stalled.

Citizen Sailors: The Missing Link in Maritime Force Structure

(War on the Rocks)  While the U.S. Navy’s shifting battle fleet requirement gets the most press, the attendant manpower shortfall gets significantly less attention. The force structure of the Army and Marine Corps expanded to meet the challenges of the Long War. But, despite significant investments in unmanned technology, the Navy’s current projected need for 3,000 to 10,000 additional personnel over the next 30 years seems woefully inadequate given the prospect of high-end naval combat in the Western Pacific. 

Security Remains a Challenge as Pentagon Broadens 5G Plans

(Defense One)  5G communications could help U.S. military pilots fly better sorties and allow ground units detect and outmaneuver their adversaries—but only if U.S. telecommunications companies can find ways to keep that battlefield data safe from China, a top Pentagon communications official said.

Shifting Perspectives: Reframe Readiness with a Focus on Availability

(Defense News)  In the complex world of military preparedness and sustainment, metrics are integral to strategic decision-making, resource allocation and fleet health assessments. Traditional readiness measures have always been the bedrock of informing a commander about the readiness level of a unit. But do these metrics adequately serve the needs of the sustainer to assess a fleet’s health?

Airlines Predict Record Thanksgiving US Holiday Travel

(Reuters)  Major U.S. airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said Monday they expect record air travel over the Thanksgiving holiday air travel period. Airlines for America, an industry group representing American Airlines United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and others, forecasts 29.9 million passengers between Nov. 17-27, an all-time high and up 9% over the 27.5 million in the same period last year — and up 1.7 million passengers over pre-COVID record levels.

 

Welcome NDTA Corporate Members

Please join us in welcoming our newest President’s Circle member Ocean Shipholdings, Inc. and our newest Sustaining member Juvare Federal & Defense!

JB Hunt and BNSF Expand Intermodal Marketplace with Launch of Quantum

(BNSF)  J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. and BNSF Railway have announced the launch of Quantum, a breakthrough intermodal service that accommodates the service-sensitive highway freight needs of customer supply chains. Quantum provides the consistency, agility and speed needed to transport service-sensitive highway freight using rail.

AAR Launches 2023 ESG Summary Report

(AAR CORP.)  AAR launched its 2023 ESG Summary Report, demonstrating the Company’s continued efforts to focus on the environment, drive social responsibility, and govern with integrity. New to the 2023 report is an ESG commitments statement and overview of ESG governance enhancements.

24 Exciting New Hilton Properties Set to Open in 2024

(Hilton)  An increasing number of business travelers resumed globe hopping for conferences and events in 2023. Now looking ahead at the year of travel in 2024, the outlook is bright, with a bevy of new Hilton properties lined up to debut, setting records, marking milestones, and creating memorable stays.

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