Departing U.S. Transportation Command Chief of Staff worked behind the scenes to move USTRANSCOM forward

  • Published
  • By Michael P. Kleiman
  • USTRANSCOM

During his more than two-year tour at U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. John “Jay” Flournoy, Jr., chief of staff, focused on relationship-building and accessibility to others.

His leadership and contributions are most visible in USTRANSCOM’s adoption of the Area Development Plan, which addresses facilities in the future for the command; implementation of the Department of Defense Enterprise Portal Service SharePoint, a collaborative electronic tool, which shares and stores organizational information; and the formation of the Commander’s Executive Board, which is comprised of senior military and civilian leaders, that evaluate, align, and advise on strategic events and initiatives.

As USTRANSCOM’s sixth Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Flournoy served as an adviser and assistant to, and enabler for, the commander and deputy commander.

“I worked selected projects and tasks such as the Area Development Plan and DEPS SharePoint behind the scenes, enabling the commander and deputy commander to serve more effectively and efficiently,” stated Flournoy.  “I have also enjoyed the scope and variety of the chief of staff position.  It has been a leadership laboratory, which has definitely prepared me for my next assignment.”

He departs today to become the deputy commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. 

Reflecting on his USTRANSCOM assignment, Flournoy, a 33-year Airman, emphasized the absolute importance of the joint force in fighting and winning future conflicts. 

“We do not fight wars as a service.  It is one joint team.  Similarly, I believe the Services should understand joint duty for our warfighters is necessary for the future,” Flournoy said.  “In 2003, National Defense University prepared me for a joint assignment, but it pales in comparison to what I’ve experienced during the past 28 months.”

USTRANSCOM accomplished several milestones during his tenure, including initiation of the Global Operations Center, rejuvenation of the Defense Personal Property Program, and implementation of cloud computing, Flournoy stressed every aspect of the command should be viewed through a warfighting readiness lens, ensuring its force-projection and sustainment capability. Likewise, he recommended the organization continue its emphasis on training – and exercising – for its wartime mission.

Maj. Gen. Flournoy, however, insisted it’s the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, civil servants, contractors, and industry partners comprising the USTRANSCOM team, that assure the command’s mission success in peacetime and war.  They are the people he has built relationships with, made himself accessible to, and worked behind the scenes with to enhance the command.

“While serving as the USTRANSCOM Chief of Staff, my priority has been making time for others, being accessible to help, and building relationships that benefit the command,” stated Flournoy.  “It’s been the people comprising the USTRANSCOM team, however, that have made my initial joint assignment meaningful and memorable.  They’ve set the example to follow.” 

USTRANSCOM conducts globally-integrated mobility operations, leads the broader Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise, and provides enabling capabilities in order to project and sustain the Joint Force in support of national objectives.