2009 SDDC Training Symposium

April 7, 2009 Panel

"Meeting Expectations for Transportation, Distribution,and Logistics:
Optimizing Networks with Creative Solutions and Experience!"

Facilitator
Colonel (P) John R. (Jack) O’Connor
Deputy Commander
Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command

Colonel (Promotable) Jack O’Connor assumed duties as the Deputy Commander, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Ft. Eustis, Va., on April 25, 2008. The command provides global surface deployment and distribution services in support of the nation’s objectives.

Colonel O’Connor is a native of Toledo, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Miami, Fla., in 1984 with a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration and was commissioned in the Transportation Corps through ROTC. He holds masters’ degrees in both logistics management from Florida Institute of Technology, and strategic studies from the Army War College. His military education also includes the Transportation Officer Basic and Advance Courses, the Logistics Executive Development Course, Command and General Staff College, and the Armed Forces Staff College.

He has served in a variety of multifunctional logistics assignments to include: Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, 590th Transportation Company, and Battalion Maintenance Officer, 181st Transportation Battalion, Mannheim, Germany; Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, 3rd Corps Support Command, V US Corps, Wiesbaden, Germany; Assistant Battalion S-2/3 and Commander of Delta Company, 407th Supply and Transport Battalion, 82nd Division Support Command, Ft. Bragg, N.C.; Battalion S-2/3 Operations Officer (Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM-Saudi Arabia), 7th Transportation Battalion and Assistant S-3 Operations Officer, 507th Corps Support Group, 1st Corps Support Command, Ft. Bragg, N.C.; Division Transportation Officer, G-4, 82nd Airborne Division and Executive Officer, 782nd Main Support Battalion, again at Ft. Bragg, N.C.; J4 Logistics Plans Officer, J4 Logistics, Engineering, and Security Assistance Directorate, Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii; Commander, Troop Support Battalion, Ft. Bragg, N.C. (Operation ENDURING FREEDOM-Uzbekistan); Transportation Branch Chief, Human Resources Command, Alexandria, Va.; Commander, 402nd Army Field Support Command, Army Sustainment Command, Army Materiel Command (Operation IRAQI FREEDOM-Kuwait/Iraq); and most recently, Executive Officer to the Army Materiel Command Executive Deputy to the Commanding General at Fort Belvoir, Va.

Personal awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster), the Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (six Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal (one bronze star), Southwest Asia Medal (three bronze stars), Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Saudi.

Panel Members:
John E. Hall
Executive Director of Operations & Sustainment (J-31)

Mr. John E. Hall, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Executive Director of Operations & Sustainment (J-31), Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA.  The J-31 mission is to support the warfighter, engage the Military Service HQs and Major Commands, COCOMs and Service components around the world to facilitate the link between their mission needs and DLA’s capabilities, maximizing readiness and logistics combat power. The J-31 is comprised of the DLA Joint Logistics Operations Center (JLOC); a Military Service Center (MSS) facing each Military Service; a Supply Chain Integration Team; a CoCOM Support Team; a Retrograde Task Force Support Team and the Fusion Center Development Team. It also oversees the activities of three Regional Commands at DLA-Central, which is embedded with CENTCOM and supports Contingency Support Teams in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait; DLA-Europe, and DLA-Pacific.

Mr. Hall’s most recent post was as the Associate Executive Director for Supportability & Production
PM Future Combat Systems (Brigade Combat Team) at Fort Lee, VA.  He was responsible for developing and integrating supportability aspects of the Future Combat Systems (FCS) Program.

Mr. Hall served 27 years in US Army logistics units around the world achieving the rank of Colonel and culminating his career in 2004 as the Deputy Commander of the 3d Corps Support Command during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Redding Hobby
Deputy Director Logistics, Contracting and Engineering, US Central Command

Redding Hobby (SES) is the Deputy Director Logistics, Contracting and Engineering, US Central Command, MacDill, Air Force Base, Florida. He is the principal advisor to the Director, responsible for overseeing dally execution of the directorate functions, focusing on sustainment of deployed forces, distribution throughout the area of responsibility, supply maintenance, contracting, and engineering functions.

Mr. Hobby entered the military service in 1973 after graduating from the United States Military Academy. During his military service he commanded at platoon, company, battalion, and brigade level. He saw extensive service in tactical level organizations in Europe, Korea, and the United States. He became a logistician in 1984. Mr. Hobby's military service culminated in 2002 when he retired as a Colonel of Ordnance.

Mr. Hobby transitioned to civil service in 2002. He served as an environmental physical scientist, logistics specialist and Senior Executive Service member in the United States Army. Most recently, he was selected as a member of the United States Air Force Senior Executive Service and serves as the Deputy J4, Central Command.

Jeff Parsons
Executive Director U.S. Army Contracting Command

Mr. Jeffrey P. Parsons is the Executive Director of the U.S. Army Contracting Command, a new major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC). The Army Contracting Command provides global contracting support to the operational Army across the full spectrum of military operations and in garrison. Mr. Parsons commands over 5,500 military and civilian personnel worldwide, who award and manage over 270,000 contractual actions valued at more than $80 billion per fiscal year. He exercises command and procurement authority over two subordinate commands, the Installation Contracting Command and the Expeditionary Contracting Command, and also leads the AMC Acquisition Centers which support AMC’s other major subordinate commands and Life Cycle Management Commands. Mr. Parsons was appointed to the Senior Executive Service on December 15, 2003.

Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Parsons served as the Director of Contracting, Office of Command Contracting, Headquarters, AMC, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Responsibilities from the Office of Command Contracting transitioned into the Army Contracting Command. Mr. Parsons continues to serve as the Principal Advisor to the Commanding General of AMC and his staff on all contracting matters and as the AMC Career Program Manager for the Contracting and Acquisition Career Program, with responsibility for the recruitment, training, education, and professional development of the civilian and military contracting professionals who are part of the acquisition workforce.

Prior to his appointment to the Senior Executive Service, Mr. Parsons was the Director of Contracting, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he retired from active duty as an Air Force Colonel after 26 years of service. He was responsible for developing and implementing contracting policies and processes to annually acquire $34 billion in research and development, production, test, and logistics support for Air Force weapon systems. He was directly responsible for the training, organizing, and equipping of more than 3,000 contracting professionals.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), Todd C. Robbins
Executive Vice President, American United Logistics (AUL)

Todd joined AUL in the spring of 2007.  He graduated from Berwick High School in 1982 where he lettered in 3 sports and received a full athletic football scholarship to The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.  He received a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1986, after graduating with distinguished military honors from The Citadel.

After graduating from both the Transportation Officers’ Basic and Airborne School in 1987, LTC Robbins was assigned to the 104th Transportation Company (Medium Truck), Fort Devens, MA.  He then was assigned to the Military Traffic Management Command Eastern Area, Bayonne, NJ, where he served as a terminal operations officer.  While assigned to MTMC-EA, LTC Robbins deployed with MTMC Southwest Asia as a terminal operations officer during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  Upon his return he was assigned as the terminal operations officer, MTMC Gulf Outport, New Orleans, LA.

Upon completion of the Transportation Officer Advanced Course, LTC Robbins was assigned to the 45th Corps Support Group (FWD), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii as the assistant S-3 and shortly thereafter assumed command of the 5th Transportation Company (LSV-SPT) on Ford Island, Hawaii among other assignments.

2009 SDDC Training Symposium
April 6 - 9, 2009
Atlanta, Georgia