Military's Logistics System Found Wanting in Iraq War

American Forces Press Service ^ | Jan. 21, 2004 | By Gerry J. Gilmore

[Calpernia]

The military's logistics system needs to be further modernized to better serve today's war fighters, a senior Defense Department transformation official asserted here today.

Retired Navy Vice Adm. Arthur K. Cebrowski, director of the Pentagon's Office of Force Transformation, pointed out to attendees at a downtown digital communications conference that U.S. ground forces racing toward Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom had often outstripped their supply chain. That happened, the admiral noted, in part because logisticians use separate information and command and control systems apart from those that warfighters use.

"The fact of the matter is that there is dysfunction from both of those things, and that has to change," Cebrowski declared.

To effect logistics change, he explained, the people in the supply structure have to have common metrics with the warfighters they support.

The admiral acknowledged that the U.S. military's "just-in-time" supply delivery system is more efficient than the old-style, mass-based supply warehousing system. Yet, although "just-in-time" supply is efficient and predictable in many cases, Cebrowski emphasized that that system is "wholly irrelevant to what actually goes on at the pointy end of the spear, where you do not have predictability."

On the battlefield "you have chaos … this means that some (logistics-related) things are going to have to change," he maintained. In fact, the Army reportedly is studying logistics shortfalls in the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns, and has put out a white paper on the subject, according to an article in the Jan. 15 issue of Aviation Week's NetDefense.

The white paper, published in December, "aims to provide clear guidance where we want to take Army logistics in the next two years," Lt. Gen. Claude V. Christianson, the Army Staff's logistics chief, noted in the article.

Recommended white paper solutions cited in the article include integrating Army logistics into the joint satellite-based, network-centric communications system; improving timely, flexible delivery of supplies to war fighters; improving logistical support for forces first entering theater of operations; and integrating the supply chain to improve communication with commanders and distribution of supplies.

Modern battlefields, Christianson pointed out in the article, are fast-paced and "not linear."

"What we have now is a rigid (logistics) support system that does not work well in a flexible, changing environment," the general noted.

[Calpernia]

Pro Military News!

Retired Navy Vice Adm. Arthur K. Cebrowski, director of the Pentagon's Office of Force Transformation, pointed out to attendees at a downtown digital communications conference that U.S. ground forces racing toward Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom had often outstripped their supply chain. That happened, the admiral noted, in part because logisticians use separate information and command and control systems apart from those that warfighters use.

Private Mail to be added to or removed from the GNFI (or Pro-Coalition) ping list.

[xzins]

"What we have now is a rigid (logistics) support system that does not work well in a flexible, changing environment," the general noted.

Makes sense. If the war is unpredictable, how can "just in time" supply what you need in a reasonable amount of time?

Good post.

[UB355]

I always thought about those in the rear supply lines they must have been busting their asses to keep up with the front deployed troups.

[r9etb]

Logistics is a problem in any war, so this is not anything Earth-shaking.

If I were a planner from some potential enemy, I would be very disturbed if it looked like our military was going to upgrade their logistics to match the indistinguishable-from-witchcraft capabilities of our fighting men and women.

If a logistical reorganization really works, it means our forces' fighting range and speed will be greatly increased even above what they are now. That's got to be troubling to, say, the Chinese, whose capabilities still depend on large masses of cannon fodder.

[blackie]

Military's Logistics System Found Wanting in Iraq War ~ Bump!

[DakotaGator]

Good catch.

Successful integration of logistics with real-time operations data will drive a quantum increase in our armed forces' effectiveness. This has been the hardest nut to crack in the armed forces drive for jointness. Looks as if they are on the right path to solving it.

[bert]

This is America at its best. Optimizing by the best logisticians in the business.

                            

A few years ago, I started in Independence Mo and followed the Santa Fe Trail through Kansas and Colorado, to Raton Pass and then south to Las Vegas New Mexico and on to Santa Fe. In New Mexico, I happened on Fort La Union. 

It is a semi restored ruin with lots of history and an excellent description of why the US Army built the place. It was a logistics center for parts west. There were warehouses, shops, horse facilities and everything needed to supply the forces operating in undeveloped the western territories. 

I bring this subject up because since day one, the US Army has been very concerned with getting all the stuff needed to the troops in very far flung places. Army logistics won the west and had a major role in building America. They have been moving stuff around in the desert for 150 + years.

I think Iraq will easily fit into the American southwest. A piece of cake.

By the way, a good vacation is to buy some of the mile by mile Santa Fe trail books and follow the trail and the adventures of the traders and settlers from Independence to Santa Fe.

[68skylark]

"...the indistinguishable-from-witchcraft capabilities of our fighting men and women."

Great phrase!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[woerm]

yup that sums up their tactics pretty well....

r