Surface Deployment and Distribution Command formally takes new name.

The redesignation of the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command is official.

In crisp winter air, the command's new flag was slowly unfurled by Gen. John Handy, Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, and Maj. Gen. Ann Dunwoody, SDDC Commander, at a ceremony Jan. 29 at the Operations Center at Fort Eustis, Va.

Spectators applauded heartily. While the name change was official Jan. 1, the ceremony officially incorporated SDDC into the Army's ranks.

The new name replaces that of the Military Traffic Management Command, the organization's name for the past three decades.

The name change is a result of the organization's changed missions to meet the demands of the Global War on Terror and Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom. The name change reflects the organization's increased emphasis on deployment operations and end-to-end distribution of surface cargoes from depots to the warfighters.

"Absolutely magnificent," said Handy, about the command's enhanced mission and redesignated name.

"To couple with the mission change--the name has to change," said Handy. "Deployment and distribution is what we are talking about."

The name change follows closely on the heels of the U.S. Transportation Command being designated as the Defense Department's Joint Distribution Process Owner.

The name change is one of a number of achievements of Maj. Gen. Ann Dunwoody, SDDC Commander, who joined the command in October 2002.

"The new name reflects our No. #1 focus," said Dunwoody, "supporting the warfighter. The War on Terrorism has demanded we change ourselves."

Dunwoody praised SDDC employees.

"Talk about flexibility," said Dunwoody. "Talk about agility. There is absolutely nothing they won't do."

The Surface Deployment and Distribution Command will be a key enabler of a new and improved joint distribution system envisioned by the combatant command, said Dunwoody.

"It is a great day for SDDC," said Dave Larson, vice president, of Landstar's Government Transportation Services, of Springfield, Va.

"It is more than a name change," said Larson. "It is a sweeping statement of the tremendous mission the command is working day in and day out worldwide."

Command employees were highly supportive of the command's new name and new mission.

"I enjoyed attending the redesignation ceremony and think the ceremony went very well," said Edward Williams, Chief, Field Support Branch, at the Operations Center.

"I really appreciated elements from Headquarters Alexandria attending because it provided me the opportunity to see some of my coworkers in person."

Jane Holbrook, an administrative support worker agreed.

"With the exception of the cold weather, it was a good ceremony and it was a nice event to bring the Alexandria and Fort Eustis elements of the new organization together.

"Some of those who came down from Alexandria had no idea what Fort Eustis was like and it was a perfect opportunity for them to become familiar with the area," said Holbrook.

Two buses carried 70 employees from the Alexandria headquarters. The buses were organized by Michelle Davis, of SDDC's Personnel and Logistics directorate.

"It worked great," said Davis.

"The participants who I talked to said they liked seeing the installation and meeting people who they only dealt with on the phones."

The same was true for Davis. The ceremony was the first time Davis had visited Fort Eustis.

"Very nice," said Davis.

"It was good to participate," said Linda Wilson, who works in SDDC's G-S/Resource Management, and traveled to the ceremony by bus. "We need more of this."

"There is a great deal of transformation changes affecting SDDC employees and we need all the information possible," said Wilson, who coordinated the preparation of SDDC's 2004 Strategic Plan.