Logistics soldiers see more streamlined process through demonstration
Story and Photos by Army Sgt. Matthew Thompson 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Afghan National Army Col. Hashim, the chief logistics officer for 201st Corps, discusses the Ministry of Defence request form 14 with a fellow officer during training at Forward Operating Base Gamberi, April 16.
Laghman Province, Afghanistan – Logistic operations mentors with the Flood Tactical Action Center at Forward Operating Base Gamberi provided Afghan National Army (ANA) counterparts a demonstration of ordering and distribution processes.
“The intent (of the training) was to demonstrate the supply request and distribution between the forward support depot and the Combat Service Support Kandak (Battalion),” said Capt. Ken Wilkerson, the mentor for the Regional Logistic Supply Command-East (RLSC-E). “The overall unit that is responsible for making this happen is the RLSC-E.”
The demonstration involved the logistics mentors for the CSSK, the Logistics (G4), Forward Support Depot and RLSC-E.
“It planted a seed that instigates them to interact with their mentor to say, ‘how can I make my part of that process work like that?’” Wilkerson said.
Each mentor described their portion of the process.
Although the Corps has been running delivery, transportation and maintenance missions for years, they haven’t always done it correctly according to Wilkerson.
Capt. Ken Wilkerson, the Regional Logistics Supply Command-East mentor, discusses the RLSC-E role and how it fits into the ordering and distribution process during a demonstration at Forward Operating Base Gamberi, April 16.
“I want my officers to be trained in correct procedures to do their job and meet our mission,” said ANA Col. Roshanghar, the RLSC-E commander. “If you could show me how to do it, it will be easier to retain it.”
“They know how the system works, however, due to lack of enforcement whether it may be by command or mentors hasn’t quite gone the way it should be by following the MOD decrees,” Wilkerson said. “The decree says this and for the sake of efficiency and best business practices were going to go do that.”
The major challenge the mentors faced was making sure what was taught was in line with the way the decree spells out the process.
“We had to make sure we weren’t telling them something that would make them fail or get them in trouble,” Wilkerson said. “I’m confident that we told them the right thing.”
The system they use currently allows for various options that cut corners and on occasion fail to record and track supplies, according to Wilkerson.
“I think they benefited by seeing the system, if used the way the demonstration went, can work,” Wilkerson said. “There are more advantages to using the system we used than using the system that they use now.”
Future training will touch on the rest of the decrees that the Ministry of Defense has published regarding logistics.
NTM-A is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.
Category: News - Afghan National Army, News - General, News - Logistics
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