Cooperative Efforts Produce Distribution Efficiencies --
Joint Action Provides CENTCOM "Visibility" in Distribution Pipeline
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- Historic changes in the way the Department of Defense deploys, sustains and redeploys warfighters is producing immediate, positive results in Iraq, according to Maj.Gen. Robert T. Dail, director of operations at the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).
In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee's Readiness Subcommittee Maj.Gen. Dail said that only 90 days after Secretary Rumsfeld designated USTRANSCOM as his DOD Distribution Process Owner, a pilot team of more than 60 transportation, supply and logistics experts, from all services, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and Joint Munitions Command was formed and arrived in Iraq to connect CENTCOM with USTRANSCOM's command center.
"The intention is to provide a 'factory-to-foxhole' distribution system, linking the entire global DOD supply chain," Maj.Gen. Dail said. "The first-ever joint service distribution command and control function was deployed at the approval General Abizaid." One of the first DPO initiatives is to use information technology to make the transportation and supply pipeline totally visible to everyone who depends on it.
USTRANSCOM's designation as DPO came after years of discussions. The move makes USTRANSCOM responsible for improving synchronization and efficiencies in the strategic distribution system. It is the first time that a combatant commander has been assigned such responsibility.
DPO expands USTRANSCOM's traditional "port-to-port" responsibilities to a new and more efficient "factory-to-foxhole" paradigm that will - among other things -- synchronize the distribution pipeline, make it more visible and efficient to the user and increase the warfighter's confidence in the sustainment process, according to Maj.Gen. Dail.
"We feel that by naming a combatant commander to oversee the distribution system the SECDEF sent a clear message: he does not want a bureaucracy trying to solve this problem. General Handy (USTRANSCOM commander) has a clear mandate and is engineering transformational improvements to the distribution system," he said.
In the March 30 testimony, Maj.Gen. Dail said defense transporters, supply experts and logisticians will use the lessons learned from this pilot to form the basis for an enterprise approach to manage strategic and theater distribution, including the possibility of creating similarly deployed elements to other combatant commanders.
Another example of change in the distribution system is seen in the DLA's use of "Pure 463-L Pallets" containing only freight for a specific customer. Maj.Gen. Dail said the pallets eliminate the need to pack and repack the pallet for another customer.
VADM Keith Lippert, DLA director, told the Subcommittee that information technology, particularly the use of Radio Frequency Identification Tags, enables the defense transportation team to capture in-transit status information, " …to support end-to-end visibility of each container, case or pallet of material as it moves to and within the operational theater."
VADM Lippert said future battlefields will be different from those of today, and that one of the biggest challenges will be facing what he referred to as, " …the last tactical mile. Ensuring that the right item is delivered to the war fighter when needed, anywhere that warfighter may be located."
He added that the pilot organization (Central Command Deployment Distribution Operations Center) now in place in General Abizaid's headquarters, " …is just one of the ways we partner with other DOD elements, and its success gives you an idea of the immediate fixes we can be put into place when the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the combatant commander, services and defense agencies work together."
Although pleased with the progress that has been made, Dail said much work remains, "By designing a well thought-out and unified ordering and shipment priority system, we can take advantage of our tremendous potential. We have a unique opportunity to use the capabilities and peer influence that a combatant commander brings to the table to transform our strategic distribution system into a single-faced, reliable, visible and simplified strategic distribution system. Our warfighters deserve no less."
In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee's Readiness Subcommittee Maj.Gen. Dail said that only 90 days after Secretary Rumsfeld designated USTRANSCOM as his DOD Distribution Process Owner, a pilot team of more than 60 transportation, supply and logistics experts, from all services, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and Joint Munitions Command was formed and arrived in Iraq to connect CENTCOM with USTRANSCOM's command center.
"The intention is to provide a 'factory-to-foxhole' distribution system, linking the entire global DOD supply chain," Maj.Gen. Dail said. "The first-ever joint service distribution command and control function was deployed at the approval General Abizaid." One of the first DPO initiatives is to use information technology to make the transportation and supply pipeline totally visible to everyone who depends on it.
USTRANSCOM's designation as DPO came after years of discussions. The move makes USTRANSCOM responsible for improving synchronization and efficiencies in the strategic distribution system. It is the first time that a combatant commander has been assigned such responsibility.
DPO expands USTRANSCOM's traditional "port-to-port" responsibilities to a new and more efficient "factory-to-foxhole" paradigm that will - among other things -- synchronize the distribution pipeline, make it more visible and efficient to the user and increase the warfighter's confidence in the sustainment process, according to Maj.Gen. Dail.
"We feel that by naming a combatant commander to oversee the distribution system the SECDEF sent a clear message: he does not want a bureaucracy trying to solve this problem. General Handy (USTRANSCOM commander) has a clear mandate and is engineering transformational improvements to the distribution system," he said.
In the March 30 testimony, Maj.Gen. Dail said defense transporters, supply experts and logisticians will use the lessons learned from this pilot to form the basis for an enterprise approach to manage strategic and theater distribution, including the possibility of creating similarly deployed elements to other combatant commanders.
Another example of change in the distribution system is seen in the DLA's use of "Pure 463-L Pallets" containing only freight for a specific customer. Maj.Gen. Dail said the pallets eliminate the need to pack and repack the pallet for another customer.
VADM Keith Lippert, DLA director, told the Subcommittee that information technology, particularly the use of Radio Frequency Identification Tags, enables the defense transportation team to capture in-transit status information, " …to support end-to-end visibility of each container, case or pallet of material as it moves to and within the operational theater."
VADM Lippert said future battlefields will be different from those of today, and that one of the biggest challenges will be facing what he referred to as, " …the last tactical mile. Ensuring that the right item is delivered to the war fighter when needed, anywhere that warfighter may be located."
He added that the pilot organization (Central Command Deployment Distribution Operations Center) now in place in General Abizaid's headquarters, " …is just one of the ways we partner with other DOD elements, and its success gives you an idea of the immediate fixes we can be put into place when the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the combatant commander, services and defense agencies work together."
Although pleased with the progress that has been made, Dail said much work remains, "By designing a well thought-out and unified ordering and shipment priority system, we can take advantage of our tremendous potential. We have a unique opportunity to use the capabilities and peer influence that a combatant commander brings to the table to transform our strategic distribution system into a single-faced, reliable, visible and simplified strategic distribution system. Our warfighters deserve no less."
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