Distribution Academy: USTRANSCOM education grows to define the modern logistician

Translog: Journal of Military Transportation Management, Summer, 2008 by Mike W. Petersen

A 21st-century logistician has more to consider in the military deployment and distribution process than basic movement over air, land and sea. Accomplishing the complex missions faced daily at U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) requires a workforce prepared for dynamic, global logistical challenges.

As part of a developing human capital strategy to recruit, train and retain employees that can meet those challenges, a comprehensive curriculum known as the Distribution Academy is being created for logistics professionals. But what is being created to give USTRANSCOM personnel leading edge supply chain management competencies, had humble beginnings.

The Distribution Academy began as a "USTRANSCOM 101" briefing to help orient USTRANSCOM's new action officers to the joint distribution environment taught by subject matter experts (SMEs) within the Command. It came to be known as Course 1 of the Distribution Academy's curriculum.

"We wanted to share across the command the most important objectives to meet the commander's vision and explain the relation between the commands," said Diana Roach, a joint transportation specialist working closely on the program.

Two additional courses were added to comprise Phase I of the Distribution Academy program. Course 2 functions as an introduction to supply chain management for Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise (JDDE) personnel and is taught by two professors from National Defense University's Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Course 3, another course taught by in-house SMEs, serves as an introduction to the Fusion Center. The Fusion Center acts as a liaison between the transportation component commands and other DOD partners, enhancing collaboration throughout the JDDE.

The goal is to bring together agencies to create customer-based teams, according to Roach.

Roach's team, a branch within USTRANSCOM's Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics Directorate, is working on developing the next phase of the program.

"The second phase is aimed at developing employees through an end-to-end competency model," said Cynthia Robben, a change management specialist working on the program. "Our goal is to provide a blended learning approach in terms of instruction method and delivery format. We see training as 'how to do,' and education as 'how to think.'"

To identify the elements of an educated modern military logistician, the team has created the JDDE Competency Model. The model defines the knowledge, skills and abilities that lay the foundation to develop joint logisticians throughout the enterprise who can operate in a variety of disciplines and who understand the dependencies within the entire supply chain, according to Roach.

"The competency model was started with a catalog of high performance, best-practice Supply Chain competencies and was tailored to develop a framework of competencies specifically for the JDDE," said Robben. "We then worked with directorate-appointed subject matter experts to further define the competencies and develop a more detailed list of knowledge, skills, and abilities."

The Competency Model identified nine areas of specialization, 40 competency levels and 250 skills that JDDE logisticians should have. The model was reviewed by USTRANSCOM, the transportation component commands, and the Defense Logistics Agency. It was also sent to the regional combatant commands and the uniformed services' respective headquarters for validation.

Armed with a thorough list of the needed competencies, as well as an accounting of available education, Phase 2 has begun filling education gaps through a number of sources, both military and civilian.

"Phase 2 will tie together the best of university programs, commercial web-based courses, and DoD-offered courses to ensure our personnel receive the education and training they need," Roach said. "That includes supply chain management certification through civilian education resources such as St. Louis University, University of Tennessee, and Pennsylvania State University."

To further develop the Distribution Academy, the team is looking to grow partnerships with National Defense University, USTRANSCOM Component Commands and several other organizations across the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise.

"The Distribution Academy and the JDDE Competency Model are identifying the right education for the right people and making it available," said Navy Capt. David Meyers, USTRANSCOM's division chief overseeing the effort. "It's about reinvesting in the future."