SDDC's new deputy to the commander on board.

The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command welcomed its newest Senior Executive Service member.

Patricia M. Young, Deputy to the Commander, SDDC, began her tour on Feb. 7.

She is responsible for facilitating continuous improvement and innovation in the development of distribution policies, plans and programs supporting the SDDC global mission. This mission includes joint service deployments and logistics operations.

Gen. John W. Handy, commander of the United States Transportation Command. reassigned Young to SDDC. Senior executives are in the same category as a military flag officer and can be reassigned, normally every three to five years.

"Being at USTRANSCOM, I had the opportunity to work with SDDC, but now it is going to be much more personal and up close," said Young. "It is a great command and we have great people--I'm just excited to be part of it."

Young began her federal service career in 1985 as an intern in the Palace Acquire Career Program with the U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. After eight years with the Air Force Materiel Command, the command went through a reduction in forces and Young was notified that her position was caught in the reduction. She would have to find a new job.

USTRANSCOM was just starting to ramp up as a unified command and that intrigued her to apply for a position in the logistics directorate. She was hired in August 1993.

"I was not familiar with the joint world," said Young. "It was an eye opening experience. You gain an appreciation for the Warfighter, who your customer was and what the Services all contributed."

So far in her career, Young had worked for an Air Force Command and a joint service command, now she was given an opportunity to work for an Army major command. "This is a huge career broadening opportunity for me," said Young. "Still the focus is Warfighter support and you are still supporting all the services. I will gain a much better appreciation for the Army."

SDDC is a customer service organization--with the Warfighter as its customer. Young said SDDC has proven that nobody does military transportation better by the results of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Contributing to the command's ability to stay on the leading edge is what she is focusing on.

"I hope to bring from the senior leadership view an understanding and an appreciation of what is going on with deployment and distribution," said Young.

LaWanda York, Public Affairs Specialist

SDDC Headquarters