Retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, author of “Lone Survivor,” the story of Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in 2005, delivered the keynote address Tuesday at the 2019 Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
In describing his harrowing experience, Luttrell spoke candidly about the importance of training and teamwork in being successful in battle, business and life.
Luttrell says one thing he learned in his SEAL training and has carried with him throughout his life is the importance of training for any and all eventualities. He says fear comes from the unknown, from situations you haven’t trained for. He says the fire fight in which his team members of Operation Red Wings were killed was a physically, emotionally and psychologically draining experience, but during the battle Luttrell says he wasn’t afraid. His training educated him on what to do to complete his mission and survive and he used that to stay focused.
“If something gives you the heebie jeebies, that means you just haven’t been trained for it,” he says. “You can teach yourself to do almost anything.”
Luttrell says his time in the Navy also drilled into him the importance of resiliency, something he tries to share with anyone he encounters. Running a success business isn’t remotely comparable to running a covert mission in enemy territory, but that doesn’t mean both operations can’t be thwarted by a loss of focus or will. Difficult business conditions require focus and preparation, and Luttrell says proactive operations that think ahead are always at an advantage compared to competitors who are trying to change on the fly.
TRALA busy at 41st annual meeting
TRALA also reported Tuesday it has more than 450 attendees at this year’s meeting, its second highest attendee total in history after last year’s 40th anniversary event.
“The number of people here with us in Orlando is a clear sign that the renting and leasing segment of the trucking industry continues to grow and that TRALA is providing our members with quality information to help them succeed,” says TRALA CEO Jake Jacoby. “From our educational sessions to our policy committees, it was very encouraging to see how many people care about our industry and this association.”
TRALA says Government Relations and Security Committees and the Equipment and Technology Advisory Council (ETAC) on Monday all saw packed rooms for their meetings.
TRALA discussed a number of critical federal and state issues impacting the truck renting and leasing industry during its government relations committee meeting. The organization says topics featured the possible repeal of the federal excise tax, potential adoption of a federal infrastructure package, evolving security threats that could impact the industry, and a myriad of state issues that have dominated TRALA’s advocacy efforts so far in 2019.
Additionally, the ETAC meeting featured presentations by representatives from Go Power Fleet, Dana Incorporated and Duke Energy. The presentations focused on electrification and solar and how the new power sources can and will impact the trucking industry in the next several years, TRALA reports.
