SDDC--Pacific Personal Property, Passenger: Workshop attendees focus 'Eyes to the Future'.

The focus of this year's Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command's Personal Property Office-Pacific Training Workshop was "Families First- Eyes to the Future."

More than 250 transportation professionals gathered at the Ala Moana Hotel in Waikiki Jan. 24 to 27 to discuss programs, such as Families First, as well as learn about the latest initiatives in the personal property and passenger arenas.

The PPO-Pacific holds the training annually as a venue for Pacific Theater transportation offices to learn, discuss and solve issues affecting traffic management, said Mr. Walt Agena, traffic manager for the SDDC-Pacific.

Agena added that although program changes are not affected here, local and lower-level situations could often be resolved and provide an immediate benefit.

Air Force Col. Thomas Keller, Deputy Chief of Staff, Passenger and Personal Property, SDDC, served as the keynote speaker for the workshop and was excited to talk about the Families First program.

"Looking toward the future is good but, as you look," he told the crowd. "Focus on the servicemembers and their families who are serving you and me, and the way of life we have come to appreciate."

Keller said the Families First initiative is reengineering household goods management.

Families First is the future for the Department of Defense Personal Property program. The program will be implemented in three phases, with its launch scheduled for October 2005.

Keller noted in his opening remarks that families First will take the way personal property is currently handled and offer new aspects that are geared toward the quality of life for the servicemember.

"Families First is just one item people are learning about here. Attendees are also receiving the latest information on current programs, and gaining more information on pending program changes," Agena said.

The event also provided an outlet for many different organizations to come together and share ideas.

All branches of services are represented and other federal agencies, including the Defense Logistics Agency, Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of State attend and facilitate the workshop.

According to Agena, having so many different organizations taking part in the workshop lends to many valuable outcomes.

"One of the greatest aspects of conducting the workshop is the opportunity to gather transporters and receive the latest program and future program information from subject matter experts," he said. "We are all able to participate in discussions to learn, discover differences in procedures, offer solutions, and what the correct method should be. Additionally, people are able to interact, network, reacquaint, make new contacts--huge benefits that are only available in this type of setting."

Some other topics covered during this year's workshop were:

Per Diem 

Privately Owned Vehicles

Military Shipping Labels

Defense Travel System

For a full list of topics, or to view the presentations, visit http://www.sddc.army.mil.

Overall, attendees remarked in surveys taken during the week that they were pleased with the presentations and format of the workshop.

"The synergy created in the learning and sharing provides the greatest benefit to the attendee," said Agena. "The desired outcome of any workshop is that the attendee is better equipped to manage his or her traffic management responsibilities, not only at their individual offices, but that the knowledge gained is will be passed on to their responsible staff."

Robyn Mack, Public Affairs Specialist

599th Transportation Group