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USTRANSCOM has rich history

  • Published
  • By Peg Nigra
  • U.S. Transportation Command Research Center
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  The U. S. Transportation Command was established Apr. 18, 1987 and activated Oct. 1, 1987. 

Initially, its mission was to "provide global air, sea and land transportation to meet national security needs" in wartime only. Following its successes in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991), USTRANSCOM gained combatant command of its three service components--Military Airlift Command (replaced by Air Mobility Command in 1992), Military Sealift Command, and Military Traffic Management Command (renamed Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command in 2004)--in peace and war Feb. 14, 1992. 

The command also became the Department of Defense's single-manager for transportation, except for service-unique and theater-assigned assets, and was responsible for global patient movement for DoD. 

During the remainder of the 1990s, DoD called on USTRANSCOM again and again to support humanitarian relief efforts here and abroad and contingency operations such as Operation Allied Force in the Balkans and Operations Desert Fox and Desert Thunder in Southwest Asia. 

Sept. 16, 2003, the secretary of defense designated USTRANSCOM the Distribution Process Owner with responsibility for directing and supervising execution of the Department of Defense's distribution activities--deployment, sustainment and redeployment--in addition to its transportation role. 

DoD also assigned USTRANSCOM the mission of mobility joint force provider. Until Sept. 7, 2005, the commander of USTRANSCOM also commanded the air component command, Air Mobility Command. 

On that date, the dual-hat arrangement ceased when Gen. John W. Handy retired and Gen. Norton A. Schwartz took command of USTRANSCOM only. 

USTRANSCOM has proven its worth every day over the past two decades supporting its customers globally and participating in numerous humanitarian relief efforts and contingencies, including combat operations in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom), Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), and homeland defense (Operation Noble Eagle). 

With the most capable and ready air, land and sea mobility forces in the world, the support of its commercial partners, and the authorities of the DPO, USTRANSCOM will continue to support the United States and its allies, in peace and war.