The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association

September 14, 2021

Resources

• Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 23) – DOD Guidance for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Attestation and Screening Testing for Unvaccinated Personnel
• DD Form 3150 – “Certification of Vaccination”

Recommended article

• Military Programs Aiming to End Pandemics Forever
• UPS Exec Sees Supply Chain Disarray Extending into 2022
• House Democrat Proposes Vaccine or Testing Mandate for Trains and Planes

NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting — Roundtable on COVID-19 Supply Efforts

The 2021 NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting will be held October 18-21, 2021, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD and feature an important roundtable on COVID-19 supply efforts: “COVID-19 Medical Logistics response – A Case Study from Masks to Vaccinations”   […READ MORE…]

By COL Craig Hymes, USA (Ret.), Senior Vice President of Operations, NDTA

During my time in the military, there was a saying I often heard that was validated as truth over many years of service, “Mission first, people always!” The idea was clear: Nothing is more important than the organization’s mission, but it is also true there is no way to accomplish that mission without all the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coastguardsmen and the organizations to which they belong. […READ MORE…]

If you have ever felt confused by the variety of supply chain risk management standards out there, some new research may help. Led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement (NASA SEWP), a working group of government and industry experts compared the Open Trusted Technology Provider Standard (OTTPS) that makes up ISO 20243 and NIST Special Publication 800-161. […READ MORE…]

Small businesses are the economic engine of our nation. They are our job creators, innovators and contribute daily to the mission of the Department of Defense (DOD). DOD is committed to increasing opportunities for small businesses, including those from underserved communities, to compete for defense contracts. […READ MORE…]

Editor’s Picks

2021 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
(Transport Topics)  From food to fuel to vaccines and emergency supplies and more, truck drivers are continuing to move the country forward, often at great sacrifice to themselves. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which runs Sept. 12-18, 2021, seeks to salute these efforts.

Lack of Access to Data During Afghanistan Exit Shines Light on Tech Gap
(C4ISRNet)  The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan prompted Pentagon officials working on the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept to ask: Do troops have access to data they need on the ground, absent of an adversary capable of disrupting that access? The answer was “no.”

White House Announces Target of 20 Percent Aviation Emissions Reduction by 2030
(The Hill)  The Biden administration has announced a series of industry-backed actions aimed at reducing the climate impact of air travel, with a goal of cutting aviation emissions by 20 percent by 2030.

US: Afghan Evacuee Flights Halted From Two Key Military Bases
(Military Times)  The U.S. has halted all U.S.-bound flights of Afghan evacuees from two main bases overseas for unspecified “health safety concerns,” a move U.S. officials warn will have a severe impact on the evacuation operation.

DoD Wants Transformational 2023 Budget, But Will Take Some Cuts to Pay For It
(Federal News Network)  The leaders of the military services are promising a transformative 2023 budget, even though it seems unlikely that the Biden administration will increase the Defense Department’s budget. What the services are teasing at for 2023 is a realization of about five years of work to modernize the military and develop innovative capabilities that use artificial intelligence, man-machine teaming, hypersonics, long-range precision arms, and other advancements.

Sum of Its Parts: Military Interoperability and the Future of Warfare
(Deloitte)  Today’s defense challenges exist at a scale and scope that no military can meet alone. Success requires militaries to operate outside themselves, to be interoperable with other nations, other government agencies, and even commercial industries.

Echo Global Logistics Enters into Definitive Merger Agreement to be Acquired by The Jordan Company
(Echo Global Logistics)  Echo Global Logistics, Inc. has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by funds managed by The Jordan Company, L.P., a global private equity firm. Through this transaction, Echo will become a private company which it expects will provide additional resources and greater flexibility to continue to build its technology and data science platform and enhance its value proposition to shippers and carriers.

Accenture Completes Acquisition of Blue Horseshoe
(Accenture)  Accenture has completed the acquisition of Blue Horseshoe, a supply chain management and strategy consulting firm and systems integrator specializing in fulfillment and distribution solutions.

Southwest Airlines Cargo Adds New Online Booking Platform For Award-Winning Cargo Service
(Southwest Airlines)  Southwest Airlines Co. has announced Southwest® Cargo, the airline’s Cargo division is now taking online bookings through a new booking portal accessed via swacargo.com. The new booking experience allows Customers to easily search for available space and book select Next Flight Guarantee (NFG) shipments up to 10 days in advance.

Norfolk Southern Grants $400,000 to Food Banks to Combat Food Insecurity
(Norfolk Southern)  Norfolk Southern Corporation has announced $400,000 in grants to 31 food banks located across the states served by the company. The funds will directly support local efforts to combat food insecurity, as well as other assistance initiatives supporting children, families, and senior citizens. This latest set of grants builds on Norfolk Southern’s longstanding commitment of giving to these critical community organizations.

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