The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., hosted its biannual Commanders' and Command Sergeants' Major Conference April 2 and 3 in Dallas, Texas.

About 100 commanders' and command sergeants' major from SDDC and the Army Reserve Deployment Support Command gathered discussing best practices, campaign strategies and the future evolution of the command. SDDC provides expeditionary and sustained end-to-end deployment and distribution to meet the Nation's objectives.

"Though we conduct video and teleconferences several times a year, the ability for us to meet face to face is invaluable," said Maj. Gen. Kevin A. Leonard, commanding general of SDDC. "Especially for an organization that is spread across the globe and includes both active and Reserve components,"

At the last Commanders' and Command Sergeants' Major conference, SDDC leaders started initial discussions addressing the command's Campaign Plan and Lines of Effort among other agenda items. Those two issues took center stage at this year's conference as a way to explore advancing the command's support to the Warfighter.

"You cannot completely substitute for human interaction," Leonard said. "It is necessary to get together every now and then and meet face-to-face and discuss best practices. That is what this conference is all about."

Leonard also said they were tackling today's challenges and looking for tomorrow's opportunities.

An important component to SDDC is its Army Reserve Deployment Support Command. DSC's mission is to command, control and technically supervise SDDC-aligned Army Reserve units performing terminal, rail, and deployment/distribution support missions and functions among other responsibilities.

"Without meetings such as this, it would be hard to envision the all-encompassing picture of SDDC, of where it has been and what it is evolving into," said Col. Mark Anspach, acting commander of the Army Reserve Deployment Support Command in Mobile, Ala.

In 1985, when Anspach joined SDDC (then Military Traffic Management Command) he said all they worried about was 'kicking boxes and getting cargo out the door.' He said they didn't think too much about processes or contracts.

Anspach talked about the importance of the Army Reserve being integrated into the overall organization of SDDC. He also mentioned the DSC represents a tremendous part of SDDC's capability to do things.

"Now we are a team of business process owners," Anspach said. "We're looking at the big picture and trying to run this enterprise like a business."

SDDC is a diverse global organization including both Reserve, active and civilian components accomplishing a complex mission. Leonard mentioned it is important to focus on the core of SDDC's identity and purpose, and that is, serving the individual servicemember.

"It's all about that individual Soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine," Leonard said.

"With one mind focused on the mission, one heart willing to serve, and one purpose to keep Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines alive," he said. "We focus the energy and capability of this very large, very diverse organization on its real reason for existence."

SDDC is a unique Army command delivering world-class, origin-to-destination distribution solutions. Whenever and wherever Soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are deployed, SDDC is involved in planning and executing the surface delivery of their equipment and supplies.