An Interview With Gen. Robert B. “Abe” Abrams Sustainment at the Forefront in the Future

90 Pages·2017·42.82 MB·English

THE ARMY’S OFFICIAL PROFESSIONAL BULLETIN ON SUSTAINMENT
MAY–JUNE 2018
WWW.ARMY.MIL/ARMYSUSTAINMENT
Inside
Ready Now:
An Interview With Gen. Robert B. “Abe” Abrams
Sustainment at the Forefront in the Future:
An Interview With Retired Gen. John Campbell
Soldiers Must Relearn Expeditionary Skills
for the Next Fight
Logistics Innovations and Getting the
Basics Right
What FM 3-0 Means for
Expeditionary Battlefield Sustainment
PB 700–18–03 Headquarters, Department of the Army • Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
S
T
N ON THE AMC COMMANDER
E
T COVER 2 Soldiers Must Relearn Expeditionary Skills for the Next Fight
N
O Expeditionary battlefield logistics takes us back to the basic responsibilities
C
of planning, synchronizing, and transporting commodities in support of
F
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maneuver commanders.

E
L By Gen. Gustave “Gus” Perna
B
A
T ARMY G-4
3 Logistics Innovations and Getting the Basics Right
The Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, has been making strides to enhance ma-
teriel readiness and ensure the availability of logistics support. Sustain-
ers can do many things to assist in these efforts.
By Lt. Gen. Aundre F. Piggee
FOCUS
5 What FM 3-0 Means for Expeditionary Battlefield Sustainment
Multi-Domain Battle will require sustainers to support independent oper-
ations over long distances while focusing on survivability and precision.
Mine-resistant ambush-
protected vehicles being trans- By Maj. Gen. Paul C. Hurley Jr. and Maj. Hugh H. “Hank” Coleman III
ported from Kandahar Airfield,
FEATURES
Afghanistan, await download-
8 Ready Now: An Interview With Gen. Robert B. “Abe” Abrams
ing from a C-17 Globemaster
FORSCOM’s commanding general discusses how the Army is raising its
III at Bagram Airfield, Af-
game by improving training, readiness, mobilization to counter emerging
ghanistan. Three of the vehicles
threats and sustain its global commitments.
were destined for the United
States to receive upgrades. (Pho- By Arpi Dilanian and Matthew Howard
to by Justin Graff) 16 Sustainment at the Forefront in the Future:
An Interview With Retired Gen. John Campbell
The 34th vice chief of staff of the Army discusses his experiences with
sustainment and the importance it will play on tomorrow’s battlefield.
By Arpi Dilanian and Matthew Howard
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
22 On the Road to Awesome: An Interview With Lt. Gen. Charles Luckey
By Arpi Dilanian and Matthew Howard
“The command mainte-
26 Forgotten Basics That Enable Decisive Action
nance program and the By Maj. Gen. Doug Chalmers and Maj. Craig A. Falk
command supply discipline 33 The Right Questions for Sustainers to Ask and Answer on the Battlefield
By Brig. Gen. Jeffery D. Broadwater and Lt. Col. Daniel Misigoy
program are absolutely key
36 CSSBs Must Prepare for Expeditionary Sustainment
commander’s programs. By Maj. Gen. Gary Brito, Lt. Col. Michael LaBrecque,
Lt. Col. Hughie Eugene Fewell Jr., and Capt. Joseph Langlinais
Commanders must be ruth-
41 Mission Command in a DSCA Event
less in enforcing standards.
By Brig. Gen. Christopher Mohan, Col. Patrick E. Taylor, Maj. Greg Darden,
The maintenance standard in and Maj. Tammy Johnson
44 Multinational Sustainment Is Essential to the Next Fight
our Army is 10/20, and that’s
By Col. Curtis A. Buzzard and Lt. Col. Steven M. Dowgielewicz Jr.
non-negotiable.”
51 Armies That Sustain Themselves Will Win: An Interview With
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey
Gen. Robert B. “Abe” Abrams, p. 8 By Sgt. Maj. Edward A. Bell
COMMENTARY
7 The Logistics Branch Needs More Company-grade KD Assignments Chairman
Maj. Gen. Paul C. Hurley Jr.
By Capt. Nicholas Amuna Commander
Combined Arms Support Command
OPERATIONS
Members
Lt. Gen. Aundre F. Piggee
Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4
56 USAREUR Supports Soldiers Through ACSA Orders
Department of the Army
By Lt. Col. Ned C. Holt Lt. Gen. Paul A. Ostrowski
Principal Military Deputy
60 Posturing Sustainment Forces for Rotations in Europe to the Assistant Secretary of the Army
Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
By Capt. Stephen I. DuCharme
Lt. Gen. Edward M. Daly
Deputy Commanding General
63 Managing Money as a Commodity Army Materiel Command
By Maj. Jose G. Cardenas Lt. Gen. Thomas A. Horlander
Military Deputy for Budget to the
66 A CRISIS Exists: An Easy Mnemonic to Remember the Sustainment Assistant Secretary of the Army
Financial Management and Comptroller
Principles
Lt. Gen. Nadja Y. West
By Mark Solseth and Col. Brent Coryell Army Surgeon General
Ex Officio
TRAINING & EDUCATION
Brig. Gen. Rodney D. Fogg
Quartermaster General
70 Support Rehearsals Are Critical for Maneuver Commanders
Brig. Gen. David Wilson
Chief of Ordnance
By Capt. Chad P. Scott
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey W. Drushal
73 The Simulation Training Center: Contributing to Army Readiness Chief of Transportation
By Capt. Liliana Tolliver Col. Stephen K. Aiton
Commander
Army Soldier Support Institute
TOOLS Brig. Gen. Paul H. Pardew
Commanding General
Army Expeditionary Contracting Command
77 Help Is Here: How to Change Equipment Authorizations
Maj. Gen. Barbara R. Holcomb
Commanding General
By James L. Kennedy Jr. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
81 An Environmental Assessment for Maintenance Support Device Version 4
ARMY LOGISTICS UNIVERSITY
By Gary J. Becquet, Adam Henry, and Daniel Moody
Michael K. Williams
President
David J. Rohrer
Civilian Deputy
Submitting an Article
Col. Jamal E. Wigglesworth
Submit your article as a Microsoft Word document to [email protected]. If you Commandant/Military Deputy
have questions, please contact us by email or call (804) 765–4761 or DSN 539–4761.
STAFF
Fred W. Baker III, Editor
Kari J. Chenault, Associate Editor
Julianne E. Cochran, Assistant Editor
PB 700–18–03 PHONE: [phone] (DSN 539–4761) Roger RyDell Daniels, Assistant Editor
Stefanie L. Antosh, Visual Information Specialist
VOLUME 50, ISSUE 3 [email protected] Louanne E. Birkner, Administrative Assistant
MAY-JUNE 2018 WEBSITE: WWW.ARMY.MIL/ARMYSUSTAINMENT
Army Sustainment (ISSN 2153–5973) is a bimonthly pro- change or supersede official Army publications. The mascu-
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M Soldiers Must Relearn Expeditionary
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Skills for the Next Fight
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Expeditionary battlefield logistics takes us back to the basic responsibilities of planning,
synchronizing, and transporting commodities in support of maneuver commanders.
 By Gen. Gustave “Gus” Perna
port, and connectivity are unlikely filling their roles as the backbone,
to exist in upcoming wars. Future warrant officers providing their
battlefields will require us to antic- technical expertise, and leaders un-
ipate warfighters’ needs, integrate derstanding planning and opera-
logistics support, and respond rap- tional risk.
idly with innovation, ingenuity, and Refining our expeditionary skills
agility. means grasping and executing the
As professionals, we must under- art and science of sustainment; it
stand the battlefield by studying means we work those math prob-
the terrain and the enemy situation. lems and understand those num-
Ammunition, fuel, and water can bers. We prepare our shipments
become simply computations to lo- with offloading in mind. Our equip-
gisticians, but they are more than ment is well-maintained, combat-
math problems; they are readiness configured, and ready for both
enablers. internal movement and external
At all levels, logisticians must in- support.
herently understand these numbers, Sustainment planning must in-
ore than 17 years of war recognize what it takes to support a corporate leap-frog capability for
Mhas taught us much. But brigade combat team, division, and scenarios in which sustainers are
as the Army’s senior lo- corps during an offensive attack, constantly moving and simul-
gistician, I am most concerned about and then execute. taneously supporting. These are
what we have forgotten and how it Over the past decade, we got into the expeditionary skills sustain-
jeopardizes readiness. the habit of merely managing com- ment organizations must perfect
Forward operating base logistics modities, and that behavior pattern and demonstrate to survive on the
separated logisticians from their should be wiped from our memory. battlefield.
core responsibilities. Decisions we We cannot wait for or rely on sit- When it is time to deploy, it is too
made under predictable conditions uation reports and logistics status late to practice battlefield sustain-
served us well but resulted in the reports. Logisticians must have bat- ment skills. Logisticians must exer-
atrophy of our expeditionary logis- tlefield situational awareness to be cise and train on those skills today
tics skills. Purposely or not, Soldiers able to use information from radio to be ready for the next contingency.
and leaders were removed from chatter and other traditional meth- When we merge our expedition-
readiness tasks. ods to anticipate requirements. ary sustainment skills with our in-
Now it is time for logisticians Expeditionary battlefield lo- trinsic expertise in forecasting, risk
to regain and exercise their expe- gistics moves us beyond supply analysis, and supply chain manage-
ditionary skills that will sustain management. It takes us back to ment, we will be well-positioned to
us moving forward. Expeditionary our core competencies and basic face our next challenge with cour-
skills include the fundamentals of responsibilities to plan, integrate, age and confidence.
_____________________________
deploying the force, opening ports synchronize, echelon, and transport
and airfields, and setting and sus- commodities in support of the ma-
Gen. Gustave “Gus” Perna is the
taining theaters in an evolving neuver commander. It means every
commander of the Army Materiel Com-
threat environment. Soldier doing his or her job, includ-
mand at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
Luxuries of time, contractor sup- ing noncommissioned officers ful-
2 May–June 2018 Army Sustainment
A
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Logistics Innovations and Getting M
Y

G
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the Basics Right 4
The Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, has been making strides to enhance materiel readiness and en-
sure the availability of logistics support. Sustainers can do many things to assist in these efforts.
 By Lt. Gen. Aundre F. Piggee
n my Army career, I have deployed combat teams reported filling 19 per-
Ito the National Training Cen- cent more demands for parts than they
ter three times. During a rotation had previously. This measure results in
when I was a young second lieutenant, the faster repair of weapon systems.
I proceeded to get lost almost every Army pre-positioned stocks. We have
night, but I eventually made it to my grown our equipment stocks all over
logistics release points because of the the world to serve as a deterrent and
basic skills I had learned at my home bring lethality forward. We are assem-
station. This experience has shaped my bling the equipment in ready-to-fight
thinking for 37 years. configurations to meet a fight tonight
Today, as the deputy chief of staff, scenario for early-entry forces. We also
G-4, I set policies that all Army lo- are working with the Army Materiel
gisticians will use on an expeditionary Command to update the facilities
battlefield, where our basic skills will be that store the equipment. Having the
put to the test. The Army may end up equipment already in place has anoth-
in a remote corner of the globe with- er advantage: it decreases demand for
out much infrastructure, where our strategic airlift and sealift so those as- pepperoni pizza, a chicken burrito
forces have to self-sustain and where sets can be used to move troops. bowl, and a teriyaki meat stick.
our adversaries have new approaches Logistics Civil Augmentation Pro- Leap-ahead technologies. Across the
to warfare. It will not be like the past gram (LOGCAP) changes. A new Army, we also are aggressively devel-
16 years of war, when our troops reg- version of LOGCAP will focus on oping leap-ahead technologies that
ularly arrived at well-established for- setting and surging the global theater will radically change sustainment on
ward operating bases. for Department of Defense contin- the battlefield. You can expect “spider
gency operations. LOGCAP has been web” sustainment with many modes,
Logistics Innovations
a critical force multiplier that enables nodes, routes, and suppliers that are all
The G-4 office and our partners have sustainment by leveraging contracts interoperable with joint and coalition
made strides in enhancing materiel awarded ahead of time and executing partners.
readiness and ensuring logistics sup- planned and deliberate responses to Spare parts will be manufactured
port is available to increase the lethality full-spectrum operations globally. The using technologies such as additive
of combat units. The next expedition- new program seeks to have a manage- manufacturing. We are examining
ary battlefield will have many improve- ment team on the ground within 72 technologies to produce water locally.
ments to help logisticians do the basics hours of notification. Lift platforms will fly farther and faster,
of supply and maintenance better. Field feeding. The old dictum, “An carry heavier payloads, and team with
Common authorized stockage list Army marches on its stomach,” is as unmanned systems. Sensors and power
(mobile). We have implemented an true today as ever. We are always try- management tools will monitor system
innovative approach to planning what ing to improve the quality of our meals performance and observe activity.
repair parts will be most needed in ready-to-eat to ensure that they meet Sustainers also will rely less on
austere environments. Units are now nutrition and calorie standards and echelons- above-brigade support. You
given a common authorized stockage that Soldiers like the food. With the will see a reduction in the “cognitive
list with the goal of being 100 percent help of warfighter evaluations, we are load” through the application of artifi-
mobile. Within three months of con- removing the less popular items and cial intelligence and machine learning
verting to the new approach, brigade will be adding new favorites, such as technologies.
Army Sustainment May–June 2018 3
A U.S. ARMY
HIP-POCKET GUIDE MAINTENANCE MEETINGS
LOGISTICS, G-4
PRODUCT
A BRIGADE MAINTENANCE MEETING IS A BATTLE DRILL THAT SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN ONE HOUR.
ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST KNOW THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO MAXIMIZE COMBAT POWER.
MEETING PLANNING FACTORS ACTIONS PRIOR TO THE MEETING
Discuss METT-TC (Mission, Enemy, Terrain, Troops, Time, and The goal is to synchronize efforts and resolve issues prior to the BCT
Considerations) Maintenance Meeting
Have an accurate equipment status report (ESR) available SPO and SPO MATO conduct pre-meeting
Maximize time maintenance managers have to build Scrub and distribute ESR
combat power
SSA Accountable Officer identifies critical parts awaiting
Choose a predetermined location and time so that,
if communications fail, units can still attend customer pick-up and critical parts on ASL
Identify jobs that require evacuation from the FSC to the FMC
ATTENDEES AGENDA
BCT XO Roll call ESR - EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORTS (FORMER 026 REPORT)
BCT S-4 BCT mission next
THE MOST IMPORTANT PROCESS
BN XOs 24/28/72 hours
Current combat power
FSC Commanders BCT priority of
SSA comments on parts availability
FSC Maintenance Officers support/maintenance
Logistics assistance representative (LAR) comments on long lead-time parts
TF Maintenance Technicians BCT XO issues
Contract generation
TF Maintenance NCOs Support operations Projected combat power based on contracts/maintenance meeting
BSB Commander issues
Support Operations Officer Requisition status/
SPO MATO volume END RESULT
SSA Accountable Officer Logistics information
All key maintenance personnel have a clear picture of who is conducting
Maintenance Control Officer systems issues
what actions, when these actions must occur, and who will close the loop
Brigade Logistics Support ESR scrub All maintenance resources are allocated to improve Combat Power
Team (BLST) Closing comments A functional and accurate ESR
LARs/FSRs
SOURCE: Brigade Sustainment In Decisive Action Operations | JAN18 FOUND IN THE MAY – JUN 2018 EDITION OF ARMY SUSTAINMENT
http://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/publications/18-10.pdf
A U.S. ARMY
HIP-POCKET GUIDE
ELEMENTS OF A SUSTAINMENT REHEARSAL LOGISTICS, G-4
PRODUCT
“THE BCT SUSTAINMENT REHEARSAL ENSURES THE SYNCHRONIZATION OF SUSTAINMENT EFFORTS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER COMBAT OPERATIONS.
THE SUSTAINMENT REHEARSAL VALIDATES THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW OF SUPPORT. THE SUSTAINMENT REHEARSAL USUALLY OCCURS
AFTER THE COMBINED ARMS AND FIRE SUPPORT REHEARSALS, WHICH SHOULD NOT LAST MORE THAN 90 MINUTES.” FM 3-96
ATTENDEES A rehearsal is a session in which a staff or unit KEYS TO SUCCESS
practices expected actions to improve
BCT CDR/CSM performance during execution. FM 6-0 Last opportunity for shared understanding prior to mission execution
BSB CDR Immediately before, during, or after the combined arms rehearsal
BCT XO Cover all classes of supply and services
BCT XO leads the rehearsal for the BCT CDR 90 minutes or less
BN CSMs
Scripted but not read verbatim
BCT S-4
Use speaker systems (not near generators)
BCT S-1 BCT S-4 and SPO organize the rehearsal to
BCT SURGEON ensure critical sustainment ACTIONS PRIOR TO THE MEETING
BCT MED PLNR events are rehearsed. BCT XO: Roll Call
BSB SPO MAXIMUM BCT CDR or BSB CDR: Opening Remarks,
BN XOs Priority of Support, Priority of Maintenance, CDR’s intent
CHAPLAIN BCT S-3: Overview of Terrain, Task Organization,
BCT S-2 REP K FULL DRESS Concept of the Operation by phase
BBBBCSNNMT SS SC--14- 3CssDR TIME USED RESOURCES ATIONS SECURITY RIS MASPKETCTEHR MRAAPINR EMDOUDCEELD FORCE BB BBRCCCCeTTTTp oSSSSr-P-Ut24iORn:: gG:OC ,Bo :vL eSmROrAobvG,li aeSeFt wYTI ,SCN RolPCafo, n Elaaetnn,n IeCddI,m L MCA yVTXa ICSPIi nPi Rtlto ueeLcangoateacitonaniontecin,reo asM nm tasiSo,ne RnLedsOt /tiGnrAiggSSgTRAe Trs
MED PLS PER NETWORK BCT S-1: Personnel Replacements-Casualty Estimate
CSSB REP O BN XOs: Maneuver actions during each phase
BN Med PLs: BN MSA/FAS Locations-POI to Role I
FSC CDRs
BDE XO: Inject Reaction Drills Throughout
BLST MINIMUM LEADUENRD PEARRSTTICAINPDAITNIOGN G /A IDNEETDAILED MAXIMUM BSB CDR: Final Guidance
SOURCE: Brigade Sustainment In Decisive Action Operations | JAN18 FOUND IN THE MAY – JUN 2018 EDITION OF ARMY SUSTAINMENT
http://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/publications/18-10.pdf
ARMY G-4
Logisticians will have improved maintenance discipline programs are the total force. Since the majority of
visibility of fuel supplies. Information commanders’ programs and, as such, sustainment units are in the reserve
systems under development will au- their results reveal units’ readiness to components, the readiness of citizen
tomatically collect and transmit data execute expeditionary sustainment. Soldiers is paramount. To help with
about how much fuel is on hand, in Focus on mission command. Logis- training, some high-demand Nation-
transit, and consumed. This data will tics chains of command are necessary al Guard units will receive 63 training
improve our operational energy man- to ensure the best sustainment and to days a year, which is more than the
agement, just as data from the Glob- enable supported units to achieve their standard 39 days.
al Combat Support System–Army is missions. What is essential is that the Leaders at all levels should spend
improving materiel management. Ef- commander’s intent is followed. Make time incorporating into training the
forts also are underway to re-e ngineer sure that intent is understood by all sub- lessons learned from other Soldiers
business processes to inform the ordinates, and discuss with your subor- who have experienced similar chal-
next-generation enterprise resource dinate commanders the circumstances lenges. We can learn from their hard-
planning environment. that may dictate a deviation from the earned experience.
ordered course of action. When facts Build relationships. Relationships
Improving Skills
change on a battlefield, courses of ac- and roles are key. Logisticians must be
These innovations will make us tion may need to change too. clear about what roles will be accom-
more ready as an organization, but in- Insert yourselves into the planning plished by the forward support com-
dividuals need to step up to the plate process. Upon receipt of mission or- pany, the brigade support battalion,
too. As I travel around the Army, I ders, be prepared to bring to the table and the combat sustainment support
continue to hear about and see a need a working concept of support. As a battalion. Start building relationships
to better adhere to strict standards and logistician, you must integrate your- in garrison to know what each unit can
discipline. Here are six suggestions on self into the larger planning process do and what each unit can do for the
how to improve your expeditionary and enter the process with accurate other units, both on the battlefield and
battlefield skills. numbers. in garrison.
Start by getting the basics right. All One of our greatest challenges is
the wizardry of technology does not reporting accuracy. Improper report- History teaches us that on an expe-
matter if Soldiers cannot do the basics. ing makes the provisioning of antic- ditionary battlefield the onus is on ev-
I recently visited units in Hawaii and ipatory logistics nearly impossible eryone to win. Seventy-four years ago,
was glad to see they were practicing a to accomplish and leads to wasteful U.S. forces that landed at Normandy
handy mnemonic I used to employ, and last-minute resupply efforts. So, had great difficulties maneuvering
35-Mike-Mike. That means sustain- develop running estimates with an Sherman tanks through overgrown
ers must focus on the necessities first, awareness of supported forces’ logis- thick hedges. For weeks, Gen. Omar
such as ensuring their customers have tics demands and how situations dic- Bradley and top leaders were baffled
the class III (petroleum, oils, and lu- tate specific commodity requirements about how to solve the issue until a
bricants) to get to where they are go- and services. skilled sergeant in an ordnance unit
ing, the class V (ammunition) to fight, Hold sustainment rehearsals. It is came up with a simple solution.
well-maintained and ready equipment, essential to validate readiness for a Sgt. Curtis Culin III took the steel
and necessary medical capabilities. combat operation by conducting sus- beams that the Germans had installed
With these four immediate priorities tainment rehearsals of what will oc- on the beaches (with the intent to rip
met, the basics of warfighter demands cur before, during, and after planned the bottoms off our boats) and welded
are covered. combat operations. They should be them to our tanks to slice through the
Make sure to focus on the basics of professionally run and cover the who, hedge rows. It was, as Gen. Dwight D.
blocking and tackling when dealing what, where, and how of support. It is Eisenhower said, “a godsend” for the
with maintenance and supply disci- the last opportunity to share knowl- invading U.S. forces.
pline. For example, when performing edge prior to mission execution and is That is why on an expeditionary
preventive maintenance checks and important to improving performance battlefield, everyone needs to get the
services on your unit’s equipment, you during execution. basics right, communicate up and
must have sufficient technical manuals This issue’s hip-pocket guide is a great down the chain of command, and be
for all of your Soldiers and mechan- checklist of important elements of sup- innovative in every mission.
_______________________________
ics. Also, when you call a maintenance port and how to use those elements to
meeting, all of your commanders and run a successful sustainment rehearsal.
Lt. Gen. Aundre F. Piggee is the Army
leaders must be present. Keep the guide in your pocket.
deputy chief of staff, G-4. He oversees
It sounds so obvious, but these Incorporate lessons learned into
policies and procedures used by all
are the basic standards we need to home-station training. Expeditionary
Army logisticians throughout the world.
adhere to. The Army’s supply and warfare demands contributions from
4 May–June 2018 Army Sustainment
S
Growing Talent in Tactical
U
C
O
F
Sustainment Leaders
 By Maj. Gen. Paul C. Hurley Jr.
orbes magazine recently ranked 20,000 students physically, mentally,
F the fastest growing career and professionally in order to build
fields in the United States. the competence and confidence nec-
The list includes careers in optome- essary to lead America’s sons and
try, physical therapy, genetic counsel- daughters into battle.
ing, and wind turbine services. The Combined Arms Support
Unfortunately, platoon leader did Command’s Sustainment Leader
not make the list, and neither did Development Implementation Plan
team leader, supply sergeant, sup- identifies the ends, ways, and means
port operations officer, or command to develop future leaders. It can be
sergeant major. The Army does not accessed here: http://www.cascom.
use job fairs, headhunters, or Mon- army.mil/g_staff/g3/SUOS/site-sus-
ster.com to fill our critical positions. tainment/pages/leadership.htm. This
As Gen. Eric Shinseki famously ob- work does not happen in a vacuum.
served, “We don’t hire out. We grow As the battlefield changes, so do our
our own leaders.” programs.
In the Army, leader development is The most noticeable change in our
a deadly serious business. The Army curriculum is more rigor. Across the
routinely asks our leaders to make university, instructors now challenge
Fort Lee is working to
life and death decisions, and we mea- students daily to achieve excellence.
sure our bottom line in blood, sweat, In the near future, for example, non-
provide the Army with
and tears, not market share and profit commissioned officers (NCOs) at-
margins. tending the Senior Leader Course
smart, resilient sustain-
The increased possibility that the will write papers, execute the military
Army will fight a large-scale combat decisionmaking process, and prepare
ment leaders who are
operation in the near future makes and brief a variety of staff products.
the leader development process more These assignments will receive a let-
well-equipped to con-
important than ever. U.S. armed forc- ter grade instead of the old “go/no-
es spent the past two decades waging go” evaluation. Beginning this fall,
front today’s challenges.
difficult campaigns against terrorist sergeants who fail to meet the stan-
organizations. Meanwhile, our ad- dards for effective communication
versaries grew in size and strength, will attend remedial training.
developing new capabilities that will At the Basic Officer Leader Cours-
make future conflicts faster, deadlier, es (BOLCs), new officers are being
and more unpredictable. To survive taught how to think and perform as
and win in this environment, the next junior leaders while simultaneous-
generation of tactical sustainment ly being equipped with an academic
leaders needs to be smarter, tougher, foundation for all areas of logistics:
and more adaptive than ever before. supply, maintenance, and transpor-
tation. To develop students’ critical
Institutional Training
thinking, BOLC examinations now
At Fort Lee, Virginia, we are work- ask questions based on specific tacti-
ing full time to develop the next gen- cal scenarios rather than generic sit-
eration of Army sustainment leaders. uations. Most importantly, to better
Each year, the Army Logistics Uni- cultivate their field craft and resil-
versity (ALU) trains more than ience, each lieutenant at BOLC now
6 July–August 2018 Army Sustainment
FOCUS
demand an agile sustainment force. and capitalize on our indiscriminate maneuver forces with the predictive
That requires the Army’s logistics electromagnetic spectrum signatures. analytics that enable the precision
community to reduce the size and We have become reliant on en- sustainment needed to fight over ex-
signature of the sustainment tail. Our terprise resource planning (ERP) tended distances with minimal resup-
sustainment units will need to rely on systems, such as the Global Combat ply. ERP systems allow sustainment
highly mobile mission command plat- Support System–Army, that require planners to conduct the in-depth
forms, disperse into well-c oncealed constant internet connectivity to analysis required to understand what
base clusters, and leave supplies and function properly. This ERP charac- units have on hand and what supplies
materiel on trucks instead of creating teristic increases the electromagnetic they will need to ensure the most ef-
sprawling support areas. signature of logistics nodes, which ficient use of our sustainment capa-
The focus on remaining mobile creates a vulnerability when facing a bilities and lift platforms.
and reducing our logistics signature near-peer enemy equipped with jam-
is paramount to survivability because ming and locating technology. Ultimately, the future battlefield
enemy forces will possess precise in- Because of the proliferation of will be incredibly complex and more
direct fires that can reach well into technology that can identify the lo- dangerous than the battlefields of
our brigade support areas as well as cation of logistics nodes by tracking recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghan-
the support and consolidation areas the electromagnetic signature, we can istan. To be successful, our sustain-
of the division and corps. This more no longer build large stockpiles of ment formations must embrace
lethal enemy, capable of reaching supplies on forward operating bases. ERPs and big data, but they must
farther than ever before, will require Further, the large and relatively im- also be mindful of the disadvantag-
us to change the way we think about mobile command posts of expedi- es these tools present, such as an in-
and plan sustainment operations. tionary sustainment commands and creased electromagnetic signature.
sustainment brigades, as well as sup- According to FM 3-0, our next
Increased Focus on Survivability
ply nodes at the brigade support area fight will occur in a widely dispersed,
The operational environment en- or division or corps consolidation fast-paced, chaotic, and highly lethal
visioned in FM 3-0 requires sustain- area, are prime targets for increas- environment. Consequently, our sus-
ment formations to generate security, ingly accurate, long-range precision tainment community must train to
not consume it. In other words, the fires. Sustainment units must be conduct sustainment operations over
requirement for sustainers to defend able to rapidly establish, move, and extended distances, where agility and
themselves, which has never gone re- establish support areas and small precision are the keys to survival and
away, will increase over time. supply nodes across the battlespace. victory. Finally, we must continue to
In recent operations, we have re- focus on the fundamentals of self-
Precision Sustainment
quested additional support from ma- defense and master expeditionary lo-
neuver forces for security, especially To achieve survivability, we must gistics to be prepared to sustain the
for convoys. Maneuver forces have rely more on precision logistics than high-intensity, large-scale combat
struggled to provide this assistance, on sheer volume. Precision logistics operations that we know we will face.
______________________________
and the new operational environ- allows us to sustain combat oper-
ment of FM 3-0 will only exacerbate ations while avoiding detection by
Maj. Gen. Paul C. Hurley Jr. is the com-
the challenge in the future. As a re- an increasingly lethal enemy. Such
manding general of the Combined Arms
sult, sustainment units must be able an approach represents a significant
Support Command and Sustainment
to defend themselves and continue to challenge in today’s environment.
Center of Excellence at Fort Lee, Virginia.
increase their focus on survivability. Maneuver force commanders are of-
One aspect of this requirement de- ten forced to make inductive decisions
Maj. Hugh H. “Hank” Coleman III is
mands that sustainment Soldiers and because they lack timely and accurate
a doctrine developer in the Combined
units get back to the fundamentals of predictive information that links pro-
Arms Support Command’s G-3/5/7. He
individual and crew-served weapons posed courses of action to projected
holds a bachelor’s degree in business
proficiency. However, survivability combat readiness. This lack of pre-
administration from Presbyterian Col-
includes not only active defensive dictive analytical capability precludes
lege, a master’s degree in transportation
measures but also passive measures maneuver commanders from realizing
and logistics from North Dakota State
such as physical concealment, agility, the increased agility and logistics re-
University, and a master’s degree in fi-
and electromagnetic concealment. sponsiveness required to fight, survive,
nance from the University of Maryland
The sustainment enterprise now and win within the combat environ-
University College. He is a graduate of
faces the challenge of a contested cy- ment that FM 3-0 describes.
the Combined Logistics Captains Career
berspace domain and a lack of digital New capabilities, such as ERP
Course and the Command and General
superiority. Our enemies can now tools and the big data ERPs produce,
Staff College.
degrade our digital communications will help sustainment units provide
6 May–June 2018 Army Sustainment