Moving personnel in the military and their personal possessions is not something that is new. The need to move military and their families to their new units has been happening for many years, with different names and different actions, which have all been an improvement on the preceding systems used.
The provision of providing a service has its roots buried in the past and can be traced back as early as the 1950’s. The military decided to put the needs of the personnel at the forefront of this campaign by giving this job to just one department called the MTMA, the Military Traffic Management Agency. It is just the first name change that would be part of the process of improving the service; by giving it a new name created the image of a new era and an improved service.
With a new name and a new focus the TOPS, Transportation Operation Personal Property Standard System, department developed. This process took time with the idea for the concept coming to the forefront of the military in the late 70’s. Yet it was over ten years before this department took over the running of the military movements of the personnel, in all of the different military options, for all three military services.
This department brought the structure to a department that was often lacking; whilst at the same time bringing the whole of the military under the one department. It gave the personnel a place to sort out their intended move, whilst the system could be in complete contact with the moving unit, as well as the military unit that would be expecting the arrival of new personnel and families, too.
As with all history, it is interesting to see how the moving of the military and their families has progressed and developed over the years.
Leave Your Response