Personal property expert recognized for service

Translog: Journal of Military Transportation Management, Summer, 2004

As experts in personal property moves of the military go-Frank Thomas is at the top.

In separate careers in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and now, the U.S. Army, Thomas has excelled in the moving of the nation's service members.

All told, Thomas has spent over 22 of the last 30 years involved in military personal property moves.

"It has been good and great," said Thomas, a Titusville, Fla., native.

"The best part of it for me has been working with a young service member who is making their first move," said Thomas. "You help them--and you really feel great!"

Thomas' work for the military--in separate military and civilian careers-has been recognized by his current employer, the Army's Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.

Thomas was named the command's top employee for the first quarter of fiscal year 2004.

"Frank Thomas is at the top of our world-class professional ranked employees," said Col. Thomas Keller. "For years, he has assisted service members in their moves. Now, he serves as a policy administrator.

"Frank is doing the same kind of work, but, he has an even greater impact," said the Air Force officer.

At his desk at the Alexandria, Va., headquarters, Thomas provides oversight and review for long-term storage facilities for service members. The 300 or so storage facilities across the United States are used for storage of household goods for service members, typically, on overseas tours.

Thomas got in the personal property business by accident.

In 1979, Thomas considered enlisting in the Air Force. The recruiter in Titusville told him his first choice--weather forecasting--had a nine-month waiting list.

However, said the recruiter, if he enlisted in the passenger and personal property specialist program, he could join the military immediately.

Thomas joined up and has never looked back.

His initial schooling was at Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas.

"When I first got there, I was not sure I had made the right choice," said Thomas. "As we got further and further into the training aspects, the job became more interesting."

Thomas got a first-hand look at personal property moves in his first assignment: March Air Force Base, Riverside, Calif.

"A lot of our customers were frustrated," said Thomas. "They seemed to think they were told one thing, but their experience was different."

That was then.

In the three decades since then, Thomas says that has all changed.

"It is all different now," said Thomas. "There is a much greater level of professionalism in both the mover ranks and the military oversight.

Thomas has particular empathy for young service members. These men and women, often with family members, get to a new assignment and may be deployed before their family can even arrive.

"I feel the entire moving process weighs heavily on a young service member when they consider re-enlistment."

In his military service, Thomas moved five times.

"They were all great moves," said Thomas.

He applies his moving knowledge to help others.

Recently, an Army second lieutenant in Alabama told Thomas his moving problems would "affect" his decision to re-enlist. Thomas said he got personally involved and this led to a hasty resolution of the problem.

What does the future hold for personal property moves?

"We are moving to Families First and that will give more input from the service members into their move," said Thomas. "This is the future.

"Features such as full-value replacement and the enhanced customer survey will change the system in a positive manner. It is coming."

Thomas says he has years to go before retirement--he plans to be here to see the new program begin. Indeed, he plans to help run the new program.

Married for 22 years to his high school sweetheart, Tina, the couple has a son, Nigel, and daughter, Keyatta. They live in Alexandria, Va.