Navy Visits Army Airlift Clearance Authority

By Nathan G. Forbes, AMC Logistics Support ActivityJuly 30, 2009

Comparing Notes
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The Navy Airlift Clearance Authority paid a special visit July 14-15 to the Logistics Support Activity to benchmark their program against the Army Airlift Clearance Authority. During the visit, Pat Edwards, chief of the NACA, and Debra Williams received briefings on LOGSA's Transportation, Operations, Plans and Security Division as well as the Special Assignment Airlift Missions.

The visitors also toured the AACA's Combatant Command Focus Team, Customer Support Team, and Transportation Analysis Team to learn more about communication with overseas counterparts and the methods the Army uses to handle large volumes of transportation shipments.

"This visit was an excellent opportunity to strengthen the working relationship between the two services in order to better serve the war fighter," TOPS deputy chief John Hall said.

While at Redstone the NACA representatives also took part in the LOGSA/National Guard Department of Defense Activity Address Code training conference in Bob Jones Auditorium, toured LOGSA's Corps Theater Automation Service Center, and received an overview of the AMCOM Distribution, Transportation and Packaging Division from Charles Reeves.

A highlight of the LOGSA visit was meeting with Cindy Fugate to better coordinate the No Hit IPT functions between the Army and Navy Air Clearance Authorities. The No Hit IPT, which is led by the AACA, facilitates transportation pipeline velocity by reducing the number of undocumented and frustrated cargo arriving at the aerial port for air transportation movement to the war fighter.

"The AACA has done an outstanding job of formulating the No Hit IPT which will result in a reduction of frustrated cargo destined to help our overseas Soldiers and sailors receive critical supplies in a timely manner," Edwards said.

Accompanying the NACA representatives was Kenya Roberts, an Army maintenance intern from Fort Lee, Va. Roberts received insights into Army transportation functions which she will be able to apply to future applications within the logistics field.

"This visit has helped me to better understand the role of transportation in the logistical life-cycle of Army items," Roberts said.

The Navy's two-day visit concluded with the LOGSA Race-Track analysis briefing from Adrienne Miller, LOGSA Soldier Support Center, OCONUS Division, who explained the end-to-end distribution cargo timeline.