Frustrated Hazardous Material: Military and Commercial Training Implications

摘要

The U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command has been investigating the efficiency of its cargo movements for decades. In response to worldwide deployments, the movement of hazardous materials (HAZMAT)--a category of material that ranges from simple cleaning solutions to the most dangerous munitions-- has increased. HAZMAT cargo provided by commercial firms and destined for overseas military installations often arrives at Aerial Ports of Embarkation (APOE) in the U.S., where they are accepted for shipment through the Defense Transportation System (DTS), or become 'frustrated.' Frustrated items include those shipments arriving at APOEs with missing documentation, incorrect labels, damage, or incorrect packaging (Ellison 2004; Christensen 2006). These frustrated items are delayed until the commercial firm responsible for the shipment can fix the frustration causes. Since almost every function within the military relies on HAZMAT to complete its mission, an increase in frustration levels at APOEs hinders the effectiveness of deployed troops overseas. In recent years, as the military has increasingly relied on commercial sourcing and shippers, its role in APOE frustration levels has becomedeven more of an issue for the Air Force. This study takes a direct look at the training and procedures used by commercial shipping companies as they ship HAZMAT to the Air Force's aerial ports.