Transitioning Army Logistics Officer, looking to pursue new goals and passions outside of the Military. But there are challenges all along the supply chain, addressed by different agencies and military commands in a complicated set of processes, and a collective reluctance to assume responsibility for the mission. As a result, the logistics enterprise is rarely debated outside the logistics profession with the same intensity as other more publicized warfighting needs, especially the need to regain our military technological advantage over major competitors like China and Russia, are debated. Of these ships, 26 were operated by federally employed mariners and 141, or 84 percent, were crewed by merchant mariners employed by commercial companies under contract with MSC. Many have written on the challenges of logistics in the 21st century, but Lieutenant General Michael Dana, Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics, has captured the requirement succinctly in his term hybrid logistics, which he defines as the era where old meets new.28 This is a period in logistics operations in which the combination of old and new technology and innovative concepts will provide precise logistics support to a widely distributed force instead of a large logistics footprint that delivers through a central hub. Personnel readiness is also affected by other logistics-related issues such as the lack of training throughput caused by insufficient, inadequate, or nonfunctional training facilities or the disruption caused by manpower transitions across the force that limit the availability of ready personnel. You simply cannot mount an attack or defence without a functioning logistics system. The manufacturer isn't a logistician and neither is the consumer; and both need the logistics middle man to deliver what they need. Fundamentals In the conduct of war, war-making activity behind the cutting edge of combat has always defied simple definition. Technologies such as additive manufacturing, improved manmachine interfaces, and advanced robotics will contribute significantly to improved survivability. In its simplest form, logistics is important because it is needed to supply raw materials, goods and equipment to both the maker and the consumer. Logistics is critical to success on the battlefield. For the U.S. to be able to sustain effective combat operations in the modern era, it must prioritize prepositioned forward stocks and munitions, strategic mobility assets, partner and allied support, as well as non-commercially dependent distributed logistics and maintenance to ensure logistics sustainment while under persistent multi-domain attack.16. Our logistics enterprise is absolutely vital for responding to emergencies while preparing for future conflicts." "I've been unwavering in my insistence that we cannot build a combat creditable deterrence if we do not have the logistics capability and capacity to realistically support the complex military operational plans we are likely . At the tactical level, one need only look at the various elements of readiness reporting reviewed by senior leaders to discern that the fundamentals of logistics directly affect the majority of elements that define readiness across the servicespersonnel, equipment, and supply readinesswhich in turn directly affect the ability of the services to meet the recurring needs of ongoing deployments and generate the forces needed for war. programs offered at an independent public policy research organizationthe RAND Corporation. The Military Health System will need to implement a portfolio of mitigation strategies to ensure an agile, resilient, and global network of capabilities and a robust industrial supply base to effectively treat combat casualties in future conflicts. Currently slated to graduate in . These are far from back office functions and are truly what sustain the force and support its warfighting readiness. In the MSC Sealift Program, 106 of 115 ships, including government-owned surge sealift ships, Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Fleet ships, and chartered commercial ships, were carrying equipment and supplies for the Armys 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions, 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, and V Corps and the Marine Corps I and II Marine Expeditionary Forces. 26. Is the Defense Acquisition System Postured to Solve National Defense Strategy Operational Problems? Efficiencies should be pursued to free resources for use elsewhere, but those efficiencies must never be taken at the expense of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, or Marines who have been committed to battle. Of the 141 ships, 127 ships were carrying combat equipment and cargo from the U.S. or Europe into the theater of operations or were en route to load cargo for the operation.20. Logistics owns the great privilege of . The combination of innovation and new technology is therefore critical to maintaining the competitive logistical advantage that U.S. forces have enjoyed since World War II. Ultimately, the effectiveness of any logistics capability is determined at the tactical level, but sustained success at the tactical level requires effectiveness further upstream at the operational and strategic levels. Success at the operational level requires the integration of logistics capabilities contributed by all entities involved in military affairs, to include service, coalition-partner, interagency, governmental, private/commercial, and host-nation capabilities. One such measure is deploying task-organized units, also referred to as provisional units. The span of that bridge was literally a ship every 72 miles from the US to Kuwait. It has the ability to improve the operational excellence which is necessary to grow and expand your business. The ability of the system to support the joint force in the event of major conflict is at best untested and could be problematic. In late March 2003 MSC reached a peak of 167 ships in the Steel Bridge of Democracy, carrying the torch of freedom to the Iraqi people in the words of Rear Admiral D. L. Brewer III, Commander, Military Sealift Command. This narrated presentation describes the project, including key findings. Mattis, Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the United States of America, p. 6. They are in charge of everything from buying new machinery to training of troops, and maintenance of vehicles and facilities. This can be done by developing the means to transfer logistics data systems seamlessly from digital-based processes to analog-based processes and back. Logistics touches every aspect of military strength and is the sum of the capabilities brought to bear by all of the U.S. military services and those of a wide array of international partners.6. Perhaps not so obvious is the interconnectedness of supply readiness to all other aspects of unit readiness. Logistics and supply-chain management Alexander's 35,000-man army could carry no more than a 10-day supply of food when remote from sea transport.1 Yet, In this report, the authors explore whether individual characteristics, economic and geographic factors, and the new Blended Retirement System can provide new insights into what predicts retention of maintenance, logistics, and munitions personnel. According to one account: In January 2003, MSC began the build-up for what would become Operation Iraqi Freedom. Not Sure if someone was looking for quotes on logistics so I will post a few here. It is the Army's responsibility to position the right assets for the joint force to seize the initiative in large-scale combat operations. The hybrid logistics attributes that Dana describes are a mixture of legacy and evolving technologies. The name . With the coming in of COVID-19, global concerns are rising, and it is necessary to take proper care of everything. 4. Many of its theories and applications have been efficiently put into practice in the business world. We propose interventions that accelerate concurrent development of new operational and logistics concepts. Once the 2 nd World War finished, enterprises and businesses within the United States took up this word and started implementing it within normal business . As cyber and electronic warfare capabilities are introduced to the forward edge of the battlespace, individual capabilities represented by on-hand quantities of various technologies and trained personnel will truly define a units ability to execute the mission-essential tasks demanded in the complex warfighting environment of a peer adversary. The end for which a soldier is recruited, clothed, armed, and trained, the whole objective of his sleeping, eating, drinking, and marching is simply that he should fight at the right place and the right time. The research findings summarize Patton's career and his exposure to the importance logistics plays in modern war. Military operations involve multifaceted threats, many with differing agendas, reactive capabilities, and adaptive competencies in a non-static environment. Ultimately, change must ensure both speed and reliability of logistics systems that build trust from the tactical level to the strategic level. The military supply-chain can be divided into three distinct chains, note military logistics experts. The report also offers recommendations for improved distribution monitoring. Three of 25 Special Mission ships were directly supporting Navy combatants with telemetric, hydrographic and acoustic data. To ensure Army readiness, the enterprise will continue to focus on its global logistics reach, which includes boosting Equipment on Hand rates by moving millions of pieces of equipment to the. Friday, June 25, 2021 A supply ship unloads supplies at the Port of Pusan. The United States might look at its support of Ukraine as a potential model for future defense strategy. "Leaders win through logistics. The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PardeeRAND.edu) is home to the only Ph.D. and M.Phil. At the same time, Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force oilers pumped more than 117 million gallons of fuel to Navy combat ships for bunkering and aircraft fuel. Imagine further that this must be accomplished against a force that has near-parity with our technological capabilities and the ability to engage us from fixed, friendly facilities with engagement timed on their terms. Nevertheless, changes that positively influence the agility, survivability, responsiveness, and effectiveness of logistics systems can and must be made. In addition to ensuring that modernized logistics capabilities are appreciated as central to regaining our military advantage, logistics capabilities must be considered in the ongoing discussion of solutions to overcome the current readiness shortfalls of todays military. Importance of Logistics 5. These historically rooted truths of the centrality of logistics to success in war are reflected in the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) in which Secretary of Defense James Mattis notes the criticality of logistical preparation to the resilience and agility of U.S. forces in any setting. 13. Prior to World War I, the German Army knew in detail what it would take to deploy the force via railroads to the frontiers. Lacking something as simple as power generation capability on a ship, on the ground, or on an aircraft can prevent a unit from establishing the command and control capabilities that are vital to modern warfighting. . Fact Sheet, Civil Reserve Air Fleet, U.S. Air Force, July 28, 2014, http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104583/civil-reserve-air-fleet/ (accessed May 29, 2018). By investing time into learning the different types of reverse logistics and the . This trend is very similar across the industrial capacity capabilities that produce aircraft and major land-component warfighting systems. From providing the facilities that house the members of the force and the ranges where they train, to sustaining the equipment warriors operate and wear, to providing fuel and ammunition in operations and training, the interconnectedness of logistics inextricably links logistics to military combat power. Military logistics is a mission-critical part of operations, and with global tensions becoming strained, improved planning, execution and contingency becomes a high a priority for all government defences agencies across the world. 19. Simply stated, supply readiness is the ability to have the right types and amount of equipment available for a ground unit, a ship, or an aviation unit. Logistics is an elemental component of all military operations; it is not only a major function unto itself, but also a vital consideration in every other aspect. Highlights Mathematical optimization of a common, periodically updated authorized stockage list for each of the U.S. Army's three types of ground brigade combat teams provides improved performance in support of equipment readiness and reduced transition costs. "The line between disorder and order lies in logistics". 31. The Army Strategic Logistics Plan ASLP is the Army Logistics communitys strategy to achieve the DCSLOGs Logistics Vision the Revolution in Military Logistics RML. 15. Unmanned platforms that support ground distribution will complement unmanned aerial platforms that deliver vital sustainment to widely distributed forces. 169180. The quotes are all related to war because logistics was practically invented by the military. Unlike commercial companies with global distribution operations, the military faces conflicts that usually erupt with very little warning and immediately create enormous demands for support akin to the Christmas rush, the Black Friday crush, and Cyber Monday rolled into one. Military logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement, supply, and maintenance of military forces. Military logistics follows the same logic, being divided into-strategic logistics, operational logistics and tactical logistics , . The U.S. military has seven geographic combatant commands set up around the world Europe, Africa, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East, South America, North America and even . Lovelace February 27, 2023. The core functions within logistics are supply, maintenance, deployment and distribution, health services, logistic services, engineering, and operational contract support (OCS).7 Logistics includes planning and executing the movement and support of forces as well as those aspects of military operations that deal with: Thus, military logistics defining attributesagility, survivability, responsiveness, and effectivenessare measured by the breadth and depth of these core functions, which affect the military from force generation to training to the readiness of units stationed at home and abroad. other words joint logistics. When the instability of funding that results from continuing resolutions and an inability to pass budgets on time is added to these challenges, one can see that the problems confronting the industrial base are magnified at a time when they most need to be reduced so that our ability to supply the force is responsive and resilient. John E. Wissler, Lieutenant General, USMC (Ret.). Logistics is primarily a military term, so the first applications were in military areas. He was the director of the Military Logistics Program in the RAND Arroyo Center from 2011 to 2016 and has worked extensively in supply chain management, logistics, and data analytics. It also outlines a range of options to deliver global mobility in dynamic threat and policy environments. The importance and the proportion of military logistics have developed at the same pace as the development of the industry of defence and the reassesment of the war concepts thus being forced to face bigger demands It's impossible to overstate the benefits of business logistics systems or the importance of distribution logistics. 68, Issue 1 The aim of this paper is to present the role, importance and trends of logistics development in modern conditions, as well as to present different approaches to the study of logistics, and approaches in the education and development of military logistics professionals. After the Cold War, U.S. logistics planners moved away from a focus on effectiveness to a focus on efficiency in the sense that little is left idle for significant periods and that commodities are delivered at minimum cost. Military logistics involves the interaction of military and government entities with private, commercial, foreign, and multinational organizations worldwide. The importance of logistics was central to Alexander's plans, indeed his mastery of it allowed him to conduct the longest . Obviously then, the logistics system must be in harmony, both with the economic system of the Nation and with the tactical concepts and environment of the combat forces.3. The Military Health System needs an agile, resilient, and global network of treatment and storage facilities and transportation assets, as well as knowledge of gaps and risks that could hinder effective medical support for future combat operations. The shrinking militaryindustrial base that provides the wherewithal of national power faces significant challenges because of unpredictable budgets and inconsistent program funding. During World War II logistics gained importance in army operations covering the movement of supplies, men & equipment across the border Today It has acquired the wider meaning and is used in the business for the movement of material from suppliers to the manufacturer and finally the finished goods to the consumers. Twenty-five of 33 Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force ships were providing combat logistics for the carrier strike groups and amphibious strike groups involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Topic: Logistics Quotes. Carl von Clausewitz, On War, ed. This dangerous assumption tends to exclude logistics from the conversation regarding the nations current and future warfighting needs. The planning done by the German general staff, and the recognition of the importance of railway-based logistics in moving the mobilized reserve, was such that their plans were dubbed, "war by timetable." The role and importance of logistics Vision, sure. Supply readiness has been the subject of various testimonies to Congress regarding the readiness of the force on land, in the air, or on the sea. 1. The U.S. has only 23 designated Strategic Seaports17 commercially operated and six under military controlthat make it possible to sustain overseas forces daily and keep them sustained during wartime. For this to happen, the U.S. government needs the appropriate license rights and actual possession of the data. [6] Further, uncertainty permeates operational plans, making it important that military leaders make timely and effective decisions based upon available information. "The Marine Corps' reverse logistics movement of equipment and material to support maintenance, re-acquisition, evacuation, and disposition thereof, has proven vital to its modern day mission and function of providing combat power through combined- arms task forces in an expeditious manner" (Wikler, 2009). The authors propose assessing the defense acquisition system's ability to overcome the operational problems outlined in the 2018 National Defense Strategy, discuss why the approach is valuable, and suggest next steps. Having greater logistics capability than the enemy is a force multiplier. Importance of Military Readiness. 10. To say the least, the challenges of military logistics are unique. Integrating simulators and virtual reality capabilities into range design will also help to reduce the logistical impact of home-station training and generate much-needed efficiencies in major range training opportunities while also improving overall warfighting readiness. /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/reports, /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/blogPosts, /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/multimedia, /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/caseStudies, How China Understands and Assesses Military Balance, Russian Military Operations in Ukraine in 2022 and the Year Ahead, Consequences of the War in Ukraine: A Bleak Outlook for Russia, RAND President and CEO Presenting to House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, RAND Experts Discuss the First Year of the Russia-Ukraine War, Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change, Measuring Wellbeing to Help Communities Thrive, Assessing and Articulating the Wider Benefits of Research, Military and Defense-Related Supply Chains, Common Authorized Stockage Lists for the U.S. Army's Brigade Combat Teams, Improving Precommissioning Assignments and Readiness on the U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter, Rapidly Detecting and Correcting Degradation of Military Supply Distribution Performance: Algorithms, Visualizations, and Case Studies, The Problem of Intra-Theater Lift: Moving Things Around in the Pacific Area of Responsibility, Assessing the Effectiveness of Future Concepts in the U.S. Air Force: Application to Future Logistics Concepts, Supporting Combat Power Projection Away from Fixed Infrastructure, Retention of Enlisted Maintenance, Logistics, and Munitions Personnel: Analysis and Results, Implementing Variable Cost Pricing in the Transportation Working Capital Fund, A Tradition of Service: Q&A with Two Veterans, Achieving Global Mobility: Future Force Design 2040, Global Mobility: Future Force Design 2040, An Analysis of Alternative Approaches to Measuring Multinational Interoperability: Early Development of the Army Interoperability Measurement System (AIMS). 12. 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