MTMC reception draws industry supporters.

One of the first things Ragnar Meyer-Knutsen did at MTMC's third annual Industry Reception was leaf through a "Translog" magazine.

Midway through the July-August issue, Meyer-Knutsen found a surprise.

Several pages of the magazine were taken up with a story about a huge 840th Transportation Battalion deployment support team move of Kosovo peacekeeping equipment from Constanza, Romania--a new MTMC gateway into the Balkans.

"I'm very pleased to see it," said Meyer-Knutsen, one of four partners of Sealift Inc., an Oyster Bay, N.Y., shipping firm.

"I plan to give copies to all our people involved in the operation."

The Black Sea movement of a 10th Mountain Division task force in June was a challenge, said Meyer-Knutsen. None of Sealift's available ships had the cargo deck clearance to carry the task force's fully-configured CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

Sealift hired another ship, the Saudi Arabian vessel Saudi Diriyah, to carry the huge helicopters.

Meyer-Knutsen's enthusiasm was typical of MTMC's industry guests attending the third annual Industry Reception, on Sept. 23, at an Alexandria, Va., hotel.

Consider guest Maureen Beal, Chief Executive Officer, of National Van Lines, Inc., of Chicago, Ill.

In Washington, D.C., a week earlier for a board of directors meeting of the American Moving & Storage Association, Beal returned a few days later in order to attend the reception and hear from Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, Commander.

"We came here because it was his last reception," said Beal, who brought along associates Eileen Sherman and Patrick Johnson.

Sherman and Johnson knew Privratsky from a visit he made at the firm's Chicago office two years ago.

"He came in for a visit and insisted on shaking everyone's hands in the office," said Sherman.

"Something like that makes quite an impression."

For Privratsky, it was the final opportunity to speak face to face with industry supporters, who are a key component of MTMC's success.

"I want to thank you personally for the great support in the three and a half years I have been the MTMC commander," said Privratsky.

"I will tell you that it will not miss a beat with my successor, Brigadier General Ann Dunwoody."

The chief executive officers and Washington-based government-military marketing directors were impressed.

"His talk was excellent," said Wesley King, Chief Executive Officer, PESystems, Inc., of Fairfax, Va. "It was the talk a general gives when he's saying goodbye."

King, a 26-year Navy veteran who retired as a commander, pondered the future of the Defense Transportation System.

"The world changes," said King, who operates a firm that provides information management systems and staffing to customers.

"The military changes. We have to change with it."

Rao Anumolu's firm is part of that change.

ASR Management & Technical Services, of Hauppauge, N.Y., has been handling surveillance and inspection of some MTMC commercial cargo carriers since March.

"Things are going well," said Anumolu, Chief Executive Officer. "Our work has been recognized. They want more to be done."

Approximately 100 industry representatives attended this year's event, said Mike Bellafaire, MTMC's command historian, who coordinated the event.

"Most impressive," said Bellafaire.

"MTMC has a very supportive group of industry supporters."