Alexandria operations center phases out work.

Change has come to one of the most venerable organizations in Military Traffic Management Command headquarters in Alexandria, Va.

After a run of almost 40 years, the Command Operations Center has phased out its 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation.

The last shift took place Dec. 23.

When workers locked the door and turned out the lights at 7 p.m. that day, the MTMC Fort Eustis Operations Center was totally in charge of the command--a single, worldwide operations center.

The rapid shift of critical operations to MTMC Fort Eustis was a surprise even to old-timers.

It was spurred by the immediate creation of a Crisis Action Center at MTMC Fort Eustis as the War on Terrorism erupted in early September. It was also hastened by the desire to eliminate the expensive duplication of two MTMC operations centers--only a few hours apart by highway.

Affected employees are getting ready for the future. Most of the Command Operations Center staff will be realigned to other vacant positions within the headquarters, and most are expected to compete for other positions within MTMC.

"I have many feelings--multiple feelings," said Gianni Scattolini, leader of the West Team. "I have been in different positions here at MTMC since 1980.

"I am looking forward to change."

The 11th floor operations center is strangely quiet on this winter afternoon in mid-December.

Only a half dozen of some 40 work stations are filled. Even the television screens, used to monitor world events, are muted.

Many of the center's employees have left for other positions, both within and outside MTMC. One, Carlos Tibbetts, now works in the Terminal Management Division, 599th Transportation Group, Wheeler Army Air Field, Hawaii. Billy Pierce works as a contractor with the Worldwide Port System. Pete Fejeran now works sealift issues at the Military Sealift Command, at the Washington Navy Yard.

Six Army Reserve individual mobilization augmentees brought in for the War on Terrorism have been transferred to other duties throughout the command.

"The challenge is a smooth transition to Fort Eustis--seamless to the customer," said Lt. Col. Cheryl Mann, former Chief of the center.

"The customer must see no difference in the operations' battle rhythm, regardless of the location."

The seamless move, said Mann, is partially the result of a two-member team--Kim Morrison and Isaac Smith--who worked at Fort Eustis for two weeks to ease the transition.

In spite of the work phase-out, Smith feels good.

"I'm feeling a whole lot better knowing the plan was carried out well," said Smith, of the transition of full operations to Fort Eustis.

"Today (Dec. 17)," said Smith, "is the first eight-hour shift I have had since Sept. 11."

Smith looks forward to his own career changes within MTMC. The former Army intern said he will actively seek a new position.

"We've forwarded the calls and e-mails," said Maj. John Schaeufele, an Air Force officer assigned to the command operations center for the past 18 months. "We've notified our major customers and other command centers. MTMC Fort Eustis has already done it.

"They've had full responsibility since November 7."

Schaeufele gives the following advice to transitioning employees:

"I tell them that when they're detailed to a position, to do the best they can and fully apply themselves," said Schaeufele. "The experience they gain by performing new tasks expands their knowledge.

"At some future point, they may be competing for the very job at which they're detailed--or a similar one."

Mann goes to a late afternoon meeting. Smith and Scattolini clock out.

The operations center is almost deserted.

As the computer screens go dark in the Alexandria center, what happens next?

Space planners are already hard at work.

In the coming months, MTMC employees on the 8th and 9th floors of Hoffman II will be consolidated into empty offices and work spaces on the 10th through 12th floors--a cost and coordinating efficiency achieved by moving MTMC to a single worldwide operations center.