U.S. Transcom's Top Officer Says Allies, Government, Private Sector Partnerships All Key to Mission Accomplishment

Today, U.S. Transportation Command's new leader, Air Force Gen. Randall Reed, credited the command's strong partnership with allies, commercial industry partners and other government organizations with empowering Transcom to accomplish its mission.

Reed, who assumed command of Transcom from Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost on Friday, spoke on the topic while delivering remarks at the National Defense Transportation Association's Fall Meeting in St. Louis.

"As I look at the world and how we need to get things done, I can't start with Transcom; I actually have to start with our allies and partners," Reed told the audience.

"It is our allies and partners that are like-minded with us [and] that have a shared view of what security should be that actually provides us the local and regional access and basing oversight," he continued.

Reed then praised Transcom's commercial transportation partners - the private sector businesses that are commonly referred to as the "Fourth Component" of the command - with providing the network necessary to enable Transcom to successfully engage with allies and partners.

"You are the ones that are operating globally every day; you are the ones that know what the alternatives are and where the ports are; … you are the ones that know how to get access to the fuel," Reed told the transportation partners in attendance.

"But you also have the perspective of the world, which is our responsibility at Transcom," Reed continued.

"And the best way for me to be able to learn about that [worldly perspective] and to make decisions is to work with you … learn from you, and always be in a position to fall in on the excellent network that you already have," he added.

In addition to lauding Transcom's strong relationships with allies, partners and the Fourth Component, Reed also praised the whole-of-government approach that he believes contributes to Transcom being able to execute its mission on a global level.

"When the whole-of-government gives us the resources to do what we're being asked to do, and when the whole-of-government gives us the authorities we need to actually get it done, tremendous things happen," he said.

As one of 11 unified combatant commands, Transcom "conducts globally integrated mobility operations, leads the broader Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise, and provides enabling capabilities in order to protect and sustain the Joint Force in support of national objectives," per the command's mission statement.