Global logistics concept discussed during FORSCOM commanders forum
October 4, 2012
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Oct.3, 2012) -- Logistics for the Army of 2020 was a key topic discussed during the U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) commander's forum held Oct. 2-3 in the FORSCOM headquarters at Marshall Hall.
The session was facilitated by Maj. Gen. John R. "Jack" O'Connor, FORSCOM's deputy chief of staff for logistics, with Maj. Gen. Gustave "Gus" F. Perna, deputy chief of staff for logistics/operations, Army Materiel Command, as the guest presenter.
"This is an Army project, it is not an AMC (Army Materiel Command) project, a FORSCOM project or a TRADOC (Training and Doctrine Command) project, it is an Army project," said Perna. "It's about talking about the Army we're going to leave for those behind us and how we're going to support the future," he said.
The need for a Global Logistics Concept (GLC) generated from several senior Army leader engagements in which the Chief of Staff, Army expressed concerns of the future logistics posture supporting a rebalanced Army force that is expeditionary CONUS based.
"This is an inclusive process that Gen. Dunwoody (former AMC commander) promised both Gen. Rodriguez and Gen. Cone that we would make happen," Perna continued. "She said AMC would take a holistic view of logistics and then we would identify seams and gaps and provide recommendations on how to get there."
A deliberate approach to the process will be taken, he said. The Army will identify gaps, seams and redundancies, prioritize requirements, develop a risk mitigation strategy for logistics vulnerabilities and develop a strategy to address joint, strategic partners and Army requirements.
"The challenge is there are about 70 DOL's (Directorate of Logistics) out there and they are all different. At the end of the day, what they're able to do now is base-lining, creating a common-level of support," O'Connor said.
"You're going to see common-level of support with standard policies come out so that everybody understands this is what you get when you go to Fort Carson and Fort Bragg and Fort Riley, etcetera," O'Connor continued. "That's a big task that we're going to continue to work with AMC on from a FORSCOM perspective."
A GLC working group, drawing from DOD, the Joint Staff and joint agencies, Army Commands, Army Service Component Commands, Direct Reporting Units and Major Subordinate Command stakeholders has been established.
The working group will develop specific deliverables, including an integrated White Paper to shape the Army's Functional Concept for Sustainment, the development of integration strategies to close or mitigate strategic logistics gaps and to develop refinements to leader development and training strategies.
The GLC team has executed its first of three workshops, with the first workshop completing gap analysis and subsequent workshops will focus on course of action development followed by integration strategy development.
The FORSCOM Commanders Forum, held semi-annually, is an opportunity for commanders, senior enlisted leaders, members of the FORSCOM staff and select representatives from other Army commands and organizations to meet and exchange ideas and information to better lead, man, train, equip, maintain and resource FORSCOM units to ensure they are prepared to support geographic combatant commanders at home and abroad.