Log Partner Review: Agility Defense & Government Services

 

Mallette joined Agility in April 2007 from American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier, where he was the general manager for American Logistics Network, responsible for executing logistics for its main non-sealift-related contract. He retired after almost 28 years in the U.S. Army in 2005 while serving as the chief of staff for the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. His joint duty assignment was as the director of operations (N3/5) for the Military Sealift Command from 2001–2003.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in general business from the University of Alabama, an M.B.A. from East Carolina University, and a Master of Science in national resource strategy from the National Defense University. He is currently engaged in executive education for supply chain management with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mallette is active in the National Defense Transportation Association, serving on the Distribution Committee, the Surface Committee and on the Washington, D.C., chapter’s board of directors. He is also a member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

My entry into the logistics world of the military, which led to my second career in commercial logistics, happened because of my initial decision to leave home to attend college. My family had enough money for me to attend a local school if I stayed at home and worked while going to school. My idea, upon entering high school, was to get a scholarship that paid everything and go away to school.

My father, a WWII paratrooper in the occupation forces of Japan, always spoke highly of the military and the Army in particular. As a result, I applied for and received an Army ROTC scholarship that permitted me to attend the University of Alabama, participate in a great ROTC program, study business and watch the Crimson Tide play football. This generosity on the part of the Army required me to give four years to the military upon graduation. I had no issue with this requirement as it would permit me to see the world, learn leadership skills and return home after only four years.

Commissioned a transportation officer in the Army, I began to love the military lifestyle with its adventure, training, learning and camaraderie. Though initially focused on transportation, I learned that one must understand all facets of logistics to be most effective. Consequently, I never considered leaving the Army until my ultimate retirement.

There are several lessons I learned while in the Army that have readily transferred to the commercial sector. First, understand and take care of the infantry soldier. This is the person that matters, the one without whom there would be no need for logistics. On the commercial side, one takes care of the ultimate customer because there is no use for your product or service if that person is not satisfied. Second, one must have a total commitment to excellence in performing the tasks needed to satisfy that infantry soldier or customer. One can never be satisfied with “good enough” when one needs to perform better. I had the good fortune to be in several outstanding units where we all had the same sense of purpose and vision for what we needed to accomplish. Third, mentorship must be practiced. It requires someone willing to accept mentorship and someone willing to actively give it. I did not understand this early in my military career—especially the receiving part—but now am able to receive and give it the appropriate way. Last, learning must be a continuous process to have the technical skills for the job with the strategic thought process needed for senior management.

My role with Agility Defense & Government Services is to identify opportunities needing an end-to-end distribution solution to improve the current process. Our technique is to identify the root causes of a problem or the key needs of a new customer. We then design the solution to either eliminate the problem or to satisfy the customer’s needs utilizing our knowledge from the commercial and military sector.

For example, we have a distribution network to Afghanistan that supports both military and commercial clients. The local knowledge and expertise of our country managers in the surrounding countries permit use of the best transporters, warehouses, etc., to accomplish the mission. Then the country managers provide the daily interaction with the agents of clients moving cargo through the regions. We also set up a regional relationship with our customers and, of course, a corporate relationship. It is the corporate relationship that maintains visibility over the two or three key metrics that determine the success or failure of a contract.

Agility’s worldwide network for freight forwarding, warehousing and project logistics is quite similar to how the U.S. Transportation Command [TRANSCOM] does business. Like TRANSCOM’s distribution process owner role within DoD, Agility provides end-to-end distribution solutions while maintaining visibility of everything within our system. We are encouraged to develop solutions that are cost effective, but, at all times, Agility realizes cargo must arrive at the right time to the right place regardless of cost, because someone is depending on us.

For more information, contact Rod Mallette at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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