SDDC bids farewell to outgoing deputy to the commander

Translog: Journal of Military Transportation Management, Wntr, 2005 by LaWanda York

The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command's Senior Executive Service member and Deputy to the Commander retired at a ceremony held in Alexandria, Va., January 27, 2005.

Mr. William Lucas retired after serving 28 years with SDDC and a total of 33 years of service to the U.S. government.

Lucas was the first civilian selected to serve as SDDC's Deputy to the Commander. The position was slotted tot a military officer when Maj. Gen. John R. Piatak decided to have it converted to a Senior Executive Service position in 1990. SDDC, previously know as Military Traffic Management Command, works hand in hand with industry and Piatak believed the position needed to have a civilian deputy for continuity, corporate knowledge, and an understanding of the civilian work force.

Lucas began his government tour of duty when he enlisted in the Army in 1967 to 1970. He held positions with the Interstate Commerce Commission in the Inland Traffic Directorate and in the Freight Services Branch. In the span of a few years, Lucas became the branch chief. When the Deputy Division Chief for the Inland Traffic job became vacant, Lucas was selected for the position.

"I have told a lot of folks over the years--I really have been a beneficiary of being in the right place at the right time, so many times throughout my life," Lucas said. "Because, when I look back, the people who held the branch chiefs jobs were people who had been in the position for a year. I just happened to hit it right, when they were retiring"

Lucas said that's probably good news for a lot of the folks in our workforce right now, with the aging of the workforce, that people like him are moving on and getting out of the way, and opening up opportunities. While Lucas was the Deputy Director of Inland Traffic, he was selected to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

"Attending the Industrial College of the Armed Forces was one of the highlights of not only my career, but of my life--it was a wonderful year," Lucas said.

Upon his return from the college he worked briefly in Inland Traffic and then was asked to work for the Army Staff at the Pentagon where he became the Assistant Director for Transportation in the Directorate for Transportation Energy and Troop in 1990. He started in July 1990 just as the Gulf War had begun. Once again proving timing is everything in a government career.

Three Senior Executive Service positions came open simultaneously towards the end of 1990. Lucas first interviewed with Gen. Richard Larson for a position at the Pentagon. During the interview, Lucas explained that he really wanted the position with MTMC. Piatak selected him for the position of Deputy to the Commander for MTMC in December 1990.

Lucas said one of his most significant accomplishments has been the ability to make people smile and feel good about themselves.

"To help them (the people) understand their importance not only to the command, but to our national military strategy," Lucas said. "SDDC is really quite impressive in what it brings to the table and you can get bogged down in the day-to-day and not step back and admire what it is you do for the country."

"Mr. Lucas' wisdom and genuine regard for people at all levels helps motivate them to aspire and do the best with the tools they have which always strengthened the organization," said Isaac Smith, traffic management specialist for SDDC.

"I have the utmost respect for Mr. Bill Lucas," said Virginia King, director of SDDC G1/4 (personnel and logistics). "I am always amazed at the wealth of knowledge he has in transportation. When he speaks, the words flow with such ease, it is as if he was born a transporter. I will personally miss his words of encouragement."

Accomplishments to Lucas were not his own but rather the command's accomplishments He said one that stood out was that the Global Privately Owned Vehicle Contract. American Auto Logistics was initially awarded the contract and it has sustained a customer satisfaction rating of 99 percent for a number of years.

"I still hold that out as being one of the finest examples of a public-private partnership," Lucas said. "They are committed to the quality of life of our service members."

Lucas said there were only two things he would have liked to see come to term during his tenure, Families First and having a single headquarters. Families First is a program that will change the way a service member's personal property is moved and is scheduled to begin October 2005. Currently, the command is divided with headquarters in Alexandria and the operations center located at Fort Eustis, Va.

During his tenure Lucas dealt with massive shipments during military operations in the Gulf War, Somalia, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lucas met his wife, Colleen, while working at SDDC. They have three daughters, Erin, Katie and Maureen Lucas, and a son, Sgt. Bill Lucas, who is currently serving in the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division with Task Force Saber in Afghanistan.