The Exceptional Release

REPAIRING AIRCRAFT FASTER AT LOWER COST Heather Wilson

FROM THE E-RING: OUR CHARGE Lt. Gen. Warren D. Berry

DESIGNING FLEXIBILITY INTO GOVERNMENT SPRING 2019 MODERNIZATION PROJECTS ER Mr. Steven Lane CHARLESTON: LOGISTICS READINESS REDEFINED … IN THE TOWN OF TRADE WELCOME TO PHASE III LTC Abby Johnson & CPT Homar M. Marval Col Kirk Peterson & Capt Douglas Ruark LOGISTICS AGILITY & RESILIENCEY: TRAINING TROOP SUPPORT EVENT THE SUPPLY CHAIN POSES QUESTION: Capt Evan Hanson HOW AND WHERE CAN BLOCKCHAIN HELP? COMBATTING John Dwyer III COUNTERFEIT PARTS IN THE DOD RESILIENT SUSTAINMENT SUPPLY CHAIN Dr. Daniel W. Steeneck Capt Jason M. Leighton & Maj Timothy Breitbach

THE EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE

THE AIR FORCE PROFESSIONAL LOGISTICS JOURNAL THE EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE EXECUTIVE BOARD EXECUTIVE STAFF LOGISTICS OFFICER ASSOCIATION MILITARY JOURNAL President Chief Acquisition Officer Carol Howitz Jeff Hamblin [email protected] Symposium Director Vice President Greg Lowe, Lynda Lowin, Jason Kalin Holly Gramkow [email protected] Membership Officer Table of Contents Chief Financial Officer Jason Kalin Laura Holcomb Evin Greensfelder [email protected] [email protected] 4 Repairing Aircraft Faster at Lower Cost LOA Historian Chief Information Officer Jeff Decker 6 From the E-Ring: Our Charge Ryan VanArtsdalen [email protected] Charitable Program Officer 8 Designing Flexibility into Government Modernization Projects Tammy McElhaney Chief Operations Officer 15 Readiness Redefined … Welcome to Phase III Jondavid DuVall, Lt Col (Ret) AOA Representative [email protected] Shawna Matthys 18 Troop Support Event Poses Question: How and Where Can Blockchain Help? Zachary Matthews Executive Senior Advisor Casey Kleisinger 20 Resilient Sustainment Lt. Gen. Warren D. Berry Chief Learning Officer 28 Charleston: Logistics in the Town of Trade Jared Stewart [email protected] 32 Logistics Agility & Resiliency: Training the Supply Chain Board of Advisors 38 Combatting Counterfeit Parts in the DOD Supply Chain Judy Fedder, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret) THE EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE Kevin Sampels, Col, USAF (Ret) 42 Edwards AFB Muroc Chapter Visits Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Art Cameron, Brig Gen, (Ret) Editor in Chief Scott Fike, Col, USAF (Ret) Gerard Carisio 44 Troop Support Hosts Logistics Officers Association Chapter [email protected] Legal Advisor William Rogers Assistant Editor Ms. Mary H. Parker, Col (Ret)

Managing Editors Mr. Robert Bosworth, Montanna Ewers, Richard P. Schwing, Col (Ret), Andrew ON THE COVER Kibellus, Holly Gramkow, Nathan Elking, Lisa Mccarthy, Corbin Aldridge, Nicholas F-16C Fighting Falcons with the 13th Fighter Squadron, assigned to Hufnagel, Alexander Barden, Damiqua Misawa Air Base, Japan, sit on the south ramp at Andersen Air Force “Champ” Champion Base, Guam, Feb. 28, 2019. Misawa AB’s F-16s were among the nearly 100 aircraft participating in this year’s COPE North exercise in Guam. Director, Publishing & Online Production (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrod Vickers) David Loska

Director, Graphic Design & Art Jenny Jones

Secretary of the Air Force We are testing – and in some cases already using – 3D casing for a B1-B Lancer. 3D printers are also used to printing to create replacement parts in a process known produce and test more quickly and at much lower cost as additive manufacturing. Expanding this capability prototype replacement parts. will allow the Air Force to print parts on-demand parts across our global operation. 3D printing is, perhaps, the most well-known new technique, but it isn’t the only one being adopted by the Air Force. The Air Force is increasingly using cold spray technology to repair high cost parts that in an earlier era would have been replaced. Cold spray applies Repairing Aircraft metallic powders at high speed that, upon impact, Faster At Lower Cost adhere to the surface. This technology is being used The Air Force now has more than to repair hydraulic lines and skin panels for the B-1 Air Force Adopting Predictive Maintenance “fifty 3D printers in use at 17 bomber. and Advanced Manufacturing locations... We expect 3D printing As with predictive maintenance, additive manufacturing can simplify a supply chain and give us A US Air Force C-5 Galaxy cargo plane equipped with predictive maintenance replacement parts faster and at lower cost. sensors made history recently when it “told” aircraft technicians that a part was of spare parts, particularly for older about to fail and maintenance was needed. Understated as it was, the episode aircraft, to change the way we do It’s important to recognize too that the flightline of the marks another significant moment for the Air Force and our effort to develop new future is much more than simply changing the way we tools for maintaining aircraft in a way that increases readiness and lowers cost. maintenance. make replacement parts.

Predictive maintenance involves analyzing aircraft on-board sensor data, telemetry At Sheppard AFB, Airmen are using what’s called the data, and historical maintenance data to develop usage-based algorithms to identify The Air Force now has more than fifty 3D printers in use Adaptive Gaming and Training Environment to reduce degraded components or systems. By utilizing onboard prognostics and diagnostic at 17 locations. We also have 16 printers that produce the time required to train maintainers by 30 percent. If sensor data users can provide recommended actions via alerts to the appropriate metal parts. The C-5 is using nine parts produced by it works, we want to spread the idea across the service. stakeholders as to the right time and place to change a component. While the additive manufacturing, and this is only the beginning. While the particulars and details vary, the thread current predictive maintenance system is still in its early stages, the goal is for We expect 3D printing of spare parts, particularly for Predictive connecting all of these efforts is a tireless focus aircraft to tell us, in real time, what parts are about to fail before they fail. older aircraft, to change the way we do maintenance. maintenance is on improving the readiness of the force by driving “ Achieving that will translate directly to improved readiness and reduced cost. Among the parts being produced or being tested innovation in the way we maintain aircraft. We have no only one of the time to wait. The Air Force’s early results show a potential 30 percent reduction in unscheduled include armrests and switch knobs for microphones, new tools we are maintenance on the subsystems of the aircraft we are testing. We intend to move crew compartment panels and in one case, a dashboard testing to build a to conditions-based maintenance approach for all aircraft as rapidly as possible. more lethal and Predictive maintenance is only one of the new tools we are testing to build a more ABOUT THE AUTHOR lethal and ready Air Force. ready Air Force. Heather Wilson is the 24th Secretary of the Air Force and is responsible for the affairs of the Department One of the most time-consuming steps in maintaining airplanes is removing paint. of the Air Force, including the organizing, training and equipping and providing for the welfare of 685,000 Working with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Advanced Technology active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian forces as well as their families. She oversees the Air Force’s annual and Training Center, the Air Force is developing lasers to replace hazardous budget of more than $138 billion and directs strategy and policy development, risk management, weapons solvents and elbow grease to strip paint off of airplanes. Where the old technique acquisition, technology investments and human resource management across a global enterprise. filled a 55-gallon drum with hazardous waste, using lasers sharply reduces the amount of waste. It also reduces the labor needed to remove paint, which saves both time and money.

4 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 5 FROM THE E-RING Think of the power of this tool when applied ever more to document maintenance at the point of need. The broadly. We’ll change unscheduled maintenance into first iteration of Virtual Forms for G081 is available scheduled maintenance, allowing us to change parts at a across the mobility enterprise, and the IMDS mobile time and place of our choosing. We’ll have better parts app (called BRICE) is in test with our A-10s at Davis- demand data, helping us eliminate time you’re simply Monthan. Imagine not having to re-enter your waiting for a part in order to green up an aircraft. We’ll maintenance actions in multiple IT systems. A novel Lt. Gen. Warren D. Berry reduce down time, and prevent MRTs which take seasoned concept, right? It’s here, and we are committed to scale Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, maintainers and equipment away from scheduled sorties. up quickly. Engineering and Force Protection, In the end, it gives us more predictability…for the aircraft and for you. And all of this is just the beginning. We’re exploring Headquarters U.S. Air Force, how to tap into even more of that unrealized capacity Arlington, Virginia We continue to push forward in Additive Manufacturing. across the sustainment portfolio. We’re bringing Like CBM+, this will alter the equation of how long you’ll Theory of Constraints to sortie generation, mimicking have to wait for a part. In fact, coupled with CBM+, this the successes we’ve seen across other industrial becomes a true game changer. While we have not yet 3-D processes. We’re looking at ways to implement more printed flight/safety critical parts, rest assured we are of a fleet management approach to our weapon Our Charge close. In fact, our AFLCMC experts at Wright-Patterson systems, much like commercial airlines. We need to additively manufactured a small, fully functional turbine collapse our supply chains and unlock the potential engine. Commercial industry leaders like GE have made of our entire repair network, removing some artificial Re-Thinking Sustainment the leap to safety critical parts, and as you can see, we barriers between retail and wholesale and between are not far behind. This is yet another milestone that will on-equipment and off-equipment. And we need You make it look easy! We know it isn’t, maintaining and supporting a 28-year old, materially (pardon the pun) impact our ability to re-think to provide you with training tools like virtual and 5,000+ aircraft fleet. But the fact that you do is a testament to our Airmen’s ingenuity, sustainment and improve your ability to deliver readiness. augmented reality that enhance your learning and help dedication and enthusiasm in generating lethal, combat-ready equipment in support of you become more productive, more quickly. our national interests. You are an amazing cadre of talented professionals, and I thank Laser depaint, another initiative we are actively pursuing, you for what you do every day. I’m honored to be the AF/A4 charged with helping you is in use at our depots today. As we mature the technology Our charge is clear, and we have our work cut out succeed. and the procedures, it will be coming to the field as well. for us. But all of this is within reach, and we have a Imagine a far more environmentally friendly process that unique opportunity to scale these initiatives rapidly to Secretary Wilson clearly lays out several of the initiatives we’re pursuing to improve the doesn’t require cumbersome PPE and massively reduces impact our readiness and, just as importantly, impact way we sustain our fleets. In her article lies our charge: to fundamentally re-think how environmental hazards. That’s a process that’s not just your ability to work smarter and not harder. You are we sustain our aircraft in order to improve readiness and, ultimately, reduce cost. I would easier and quicker for you, but far safer as well. instrumental in how we re-think sustainment, but we also propose that there is an implied task that can’t be lost or understated. We must also won’t recover readiness on the backs of our Airmen. make it easier for you to help us recover that readiness faster. Whether you work on the Quite frankly, we also owe you a 21st century information These initiatives are key to all of us moving forward flightline, the backshop, the parts store, the aerial port, or any other facet of logistics and system. With AMC and AFRC leading the way, we’ve together…faster…as our National Defense Strategy sustainment, we owe you the tools that will help you succeed—tools that will help unlock developed and deployed mobile apps that will allow you demands. Thanks again for all you do! It’s an exciting the unrealized capacity in our sustainment enterprise. time to be in our business! Those tools are certainly highlighted in the Secretary’s message. But let me take a moment or two to expand on some of these a bit more and tell you exactly how they will help you. In December, we experienced our first truly predictive alert from the C-5 ABOUT THE AUTHOR CBM+ effort. An on-board sensor reported a condition where the thrust reverser was on the verge of failing. The sensor didn’t trip any on-board indications to the aircrew, but Lt. Gen. Warren D. Berry is Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the underlying aircraft data that we downloaded after flight told us the thrust reverser Arlington, Virginia. General Berry is responsible to the Chief of Staff for leadership, management and integration of Air Force performance was clearly degrading. Rather than flying to fail, AMC sent a message to logistics readiness, aircraft, munitions and missile maintenance, civil engineering and security forces, as well as setting policy and preparing budget estimates that reflect enhancements to productivity, combat readiness and quality of life for Air Force people. the unit recommending the aircraft be restricted to local sorties and generated a work order to troubleshoot the condition at the C-5’s next scheduled maintenance (10 days later). Sure enough, the sensor checked bad.

6 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 7 Designing Flexibility into Government The raw data was collected through interviews, Table 1: Interview Breakout Modernization Projects observations, and historical documentation. It was organized and structured in preparation for analysis Commercial Government by systematically typing and storing the transcripts of By: Mr. Steven Lane 9 8 interviews. The observations were broken into sections P&G DLA based upon location. The historical documentation likewise received preparatory scrubbing and sorting. The Kohl’s NASA My case study looked at the Eastern Distribution Center study conducted sought to understand the feasibility data was then read to frame the researcher’s mind. After Huskey Refinery (EDC) for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). A report of large DoD warehouse technological modernization reading, the coding effort began and was conducted in Best Buy conducted by the Government Accountability Office efforts and implement a flexible approach towards future Excel. The themes and codes came from the reading of Elder Beermen (GAO) conducted in 2017 stated that, “The Department warehouse modernizations projects. The study developed the data. The codes were then assigned and interpreted. Eddie Bauer of Defense (DOD) manages about 4.9 million secondary a construct to aid DoD leaders in implementing flexible Evaluation style interviews were the primary structure Northrop Grumman inventory items, such as spare parts, with a reported design for warehouse modernization projects. The key utilized in the research. In these interviews, “the -NNS value of $91.7 billion as of September 2015”(GAO, comparison in my study is flexibility. The adaptability to researcher learns in depth and in detail how those 2017a, 1). A GAO Study stated that DLA generated an ever-changing market and rapidly growing technology involved view the successes and failures of a program Respondents were professionals involved in large- $23 billion in revenues from supply chain services in allow advantageous decision making. How then can the or project” (Rubin & Rubin, 1995, 122). The knowledge scale modernization projects; specifically, those 2015. The study applauded efficiency improvements DoD rapidly flex its options when bureaucratically and sought was highly experiential and particular to the seeking to include innovative technologies into their taken by DLA. However, inefficiencies across DLA’s financially constrained? interviewee’s personal experiences on projects. designs. Respondents were contacted through mutual US distribution centers remain and must be analyzed Questions were developed to hear detailed descriptions, connections, site visits, and from the sponsoring by the existing authorities. The GAO postulated the Case Study those that go beyond surface knowledge of observation organization. The respondents were either directly underutilization of the DLA distribution capability limits The following section outlines the case study conducted and are derived from the experience (Rubin & Rubin, working on a distribution center or a multi-million/ effectiveness in the enterprise supply chain. In response to answer this question. Case studies focus on answering 1995). This experience sharing allowed the researcher to billion-dollar project that took place over several to this DLA leadership are pushing for modernization to the why and how; specific to an instance, scenario, or in deduce meaning and repeatable lessons from another’s years. Considering the timeline and large-scale budget better utilize their assets (GAO, 2017b). this case a government entity attempting to modernize experience. was imperative to drawing conclusions from sources a warehouse. The case study centers on five key tenants The current Defense Logistics Agency’s Eastern outside the distribution and warehousing field. For of design outlined by Robert Yin’s Case Study Research: The data collection of the research came from semi- Distribution Center in Susquehanna, PA boasts $13 example, the respondent from Northrop Grumman questions, propositions, units, logic between data and structured interviews. These interviews included billion of inventory over 770,000 stock numbers. The Newport News Shipyard worked modernization propositions, and the criteria to interpret (Yin, 2014). The engineers designing the DLA EDC warehouse EDC was designed and built in the 1980s, which is projects and procurement for aircraft carriers for 30 case study relied upon three elements of data: interviews, modernization, DLA management, industry-comparable the last time any study was completed for efficient years. The object is different, but the considerations of observations, and historical or archival data surrounding personnel, and observations from site visits. The experts operations. The EDC recently underwent a $62 million obsolescence and investment were similar. Each project the project. interviewed all worked modernization efforts for their roof project, which prolonged the EDC’s life by 30 years. took a decade to complete and had to consider flexible perspective organizations. They ranged from project The estimated cost to modernize the warehouse is $107 options developed throughout the life of the project. The questions being addressed come from a gap of managers to industrial engineers and operational million. DLA hired St. Onge, an engineering consulting knowledge in the literature as it pertains to DoD agencies. managers. Each person was interviewed in person or From the 17 interviews conducted there were firm, to conduct a study developing an estimate and The research question itself focuses on propositions over the phone. Transcripts of the interviews are held common themes developed and within those theme’s possible options to modernize the warehouse(s). to be gained throughout the process to apply to future by the researcher. Each one is anonymous and only nomenclatures of categories. The following table shows projects. Linking these propositions to data will provide a The proposed modernization is a multi-year, multi- differentiated by government or commercial respondent. these themes which guided the creation of the flexible framework for decision makers to engineer flexibility into million-dollar project to completely overhaul the current Table 1 provides the stakeholder group breakdown framework. their designs. The interpretation will decipher the analysis warehousing operations. Such projects rarely behave in a as well as the individual’s organization. The site visits into usable constructs. For these reasons a case study manner predicted from the onset. They are subjected to included the DLA EDC, an Amazon Fulfillment Center, provides the best approach of research. Within the case uncertainty at myriad points throughout, which cannot and a P&G Mixing Center. study research design, semi-structured interviews were be ignored (de Neufville & Scholtes, 2011). The case used to collect qualitative data.

8 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 9 Environment of Organization THEME 1 (7 CODES) THEME 2 (8 CODES) THEME 3 (7 CODES) Across the discussion of the organization’s environment The scorecard method relates ROI and timeline to Design Elements Environment of Organization Executability several key characteristics stood out. The strategic goal one another and is a direct result of developing option Codes having to do with the The organization’s views and goals; their Considerations that functionally describe alignment of that organization drives the purchasing comparison criteria. The scoring of projects in this physical design considerations. operating mentality when approaching new whether the project will be successful based off power and agility. Rapid changes are required for method is an attempt to judge their executability and modernization projects criteria and how that criteria is developed. flexible decision making. The environment that is directly pulls from several attributes within the topic of Detailed Design’s Elements Purchasing Power Pilot Study aligned strategically to consider these changes and executability. The timeline and ROI commonly rank at the Agile Support System Purchasing Agility Cost of averages/contingency money make determinations throughout the project will remain top of an option comparison list and judge whether the

Green Field vs. Reno Preferred Vendors / Sources Payback Requirements (ROI) the most flexible. An aspect of that organization is the organization can truly execute the proposed project. relationship throughout the supply chain. Organizations Breaking into Parts/Phases Single Source Contracting Cast Cutting that support long-term, strong relationships with Benchmarking Regulations Timeline suppliers and contractors are able to adjust more rapidly Automation Integration End Goal Alignment Risk Mitigation on projects than those continually using new sources. Competitive Advantage Work Force Option Comparisons Throughout the project each phase and decision should Payment Method relate to an overarching goal of the agency. Goals then drive and justify continuing or ceasing project phases. “The EDC was designed and built Executability of the Project in the 1980s, which is the last Thematic coverage proved the best organization automation to meet their needs. Finding the balance of Every option was tied to a certain ROI. The ROI was of thoughts to group together intent behind the automation to labor was a critical consideration, which time any study was completed developed by the engineers designing the plan, but interviewees’ responses. It gives stages of considerations. was determined largely by the investment required the executives also considered the value-added and for efficient operations. Namely, flexibility relies upon three things: the physical versus the gain from the technology. new capabilities the said modernization would offer. design, the organization’s environment, and the This is one of the option comparison criteria required executability of a design. In the following chapter these The government respondents discussed their frustrations The major themes and their subcomponents led to by successful decision makers prior to bid. Without an concepts will be explored and contrasted based upon with lengthy, unclear and poorly designed projects. They developing a framework of flexible decision making. The end scorecard to hold up against other designs it will government or commercial similarities and differences. felt the contracting office and decentralized nature of idea of developing a flexibility scorecard arose several prove fruitless to try and assess one against another. procurement led to poorly articulated bids and designs. times in the literature and interviews. A simple additive A commercial respondent stated, “There was a lot Design Elements There was a consensus of proper team formulation as a model of key components can provide a quantitative requirement for success. The government viewed phased of scrutiny of the vendors and the team developed a The first theme uncovered similarities and differences value; however, the ranking of those attributes proves approaches completely differently than their commercial scorecard.” Aligning end goals with criteria of value between the commercial and government sectors vastly more difficult when considering the different counterparts. The government did not consider stopping helps quantify the decision. When comparing designs pertaining to physical design factors. The main focal options. The model assesses flexible attributes for the a project from full completion. They fully committed to commercial experts relied upon a scorecard developed points were physically designing flexibility, phasing the decision maker to consider. a project from the beginning and counted the different internally. One organization gave the researcher a copy projects appropriately, benchmarking from industry, and phases of construction or implementation as a phased of their scorecard and the top priorities were: confidence The model relies heavily upon the input from decision the balance of automation integration. The commercial approach. The government respondents also relied in design, references/comparable projects’ successes, IT makers. They will need to develop an internal condition of respondents relied upon knowledgeable expert upon benchmarked practices from industry but did not capability, schedule, confidence in approach, and total each element. This model merely represents key themes contractors and teams to develop a design envisioning consider the prototype methodology of modernization. cost. These highlight their top concerns, but the total and attributes based upon the interviews conducted growth. The commercial respondents built their contracts Each project developed individually. The design elements scorecard was made up of 39 considerations. This criteria with commercial and government personnel familiar with and phases to be broken into portions that could be or technological benchmark considerations were sourced for analysis helps their executives quantify differences large-scale modernization projects. stopped upon a certain level of utility gained. That utility from the industry for consideration in their design. A between somewhat subjective areas. determination came from executive decision makers similarity between the government and commercial responsible for project execution and the firm’s future sectors was the integration of automation. Neither state. The commercial sector relied upon a benchmarking agency wants to overcommit to an automation process and prototype method of modernization. Upon and overly invest in a technology. Both agree that the determining a successful design, it was repeated and decision makers must determine the correct balance and adjusted dependent upon location-specific requirements. implementation of automation. Commercial respondents considered the integration of

10 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 11 Figure 1: Flexibility Framework Phased Approach metrics as defined by the organization. Furthermore, A common theme amongst the commercial sector the end goal alignment will provide criteria for option and literature from de Neufville (2011) was a phased comparison not only from the onset of the project but Physical Design: Executability: Organization’s Environment: approach. The government responders believed in a throughout its development and execution. Do you have flexible Are you ready to Is your organization set up to phased approach but only in so much as there were Timeline physical designs? execute? support flexible projects? several phases of the overall project execution. The commercial sector relied upon the ability to continue The timeline can be viewed as a strength. An elongated Do you have a detailed Can your project meet the Can your organization make or cease the overall project at the completion of each timeline allows for further design development and goal design and diverse team? required timeline? purchasing decisions at the local level? phase for flexibility. With this knowledge a prudent alignment while letting the technology develop within

Are there benchmarked Is the return Does your organization have strong decision maker can gain benefits from considering these the industry. The assessment would be whether or not designs or prototypes? investment sufficient? relationship with vendors? top attributes to provide flexibility: timeline, phases, the agency can reap benefits during the timeline of the design, net present value or discounted cash flow, and project. If the timeline is short, then the flexibility will Do you have a truely Do you have quality Is your organization aligning its most likely be lower and thus a lower score should be phased approach? criteria to judge options? projects with its end goals? benchmarked success. given. A longer timeline, if cost-free adjustments can be Local Purchasing Power made during it, should give a higher score allowing more Throughout the research many responders commented decisions and changes prior to execution. The phased The model framework builds off the three themes. Each Prototype approach relies on the ability to break decisively between question can be answered yes or no and provide guidance on the level of purchasing power within an organization. The idea of prototyping modernization efforts allows The lower the level of purchasing power, the more stages of the overarching project. The modernization of for areas to consider improving flexibility. There are not for decision makers to start with a past success. Starting an entire distribution center could be segmented in order specific values assigned to rank projects because doing rapidly an organization could respond to developing at this point then allows them to adjust based on the technologies, benefits, or avoidance of overages. The to invest smaller individual amounts and potentially reach so is subjective to the decision makers. Rather this model specific criteria for that specific project. Responders the 80% benefit sufficient to stop the project. provides a framework of considerations for decision larger the chain of command between purchasing power overwhelmingly rely upon industry leaders to develop and execution, the larger the timeline for decisions and makers to assess if flexibility can be designed into and smooth technologies and processes. Judging whether Return on Investment warehouse modernization efforts across the Air Force often larger cost for mistakes or missed opportunities. a project has been completed within the industry will An evaluation of investment consistently touts the largest and DoD. There are feedback loops, but it is shown as a Delegating portions of purchasing ability to the lower reveal its ability to provide the required benefits with consideration by decision makers. It must be included straight linear process for simplicity. The physical design levels allows for more flexibly designed execution of a lower risk. The more proven out a technology or to weight the score. A short and long-term view of and organization structure questions can and will most projects. In turn this affords the lower-level expert team improvement is, the more flexible responders judged it. investment should be considered. The money invested likely occur correnspondingly. Neither one is prioritized the power to maximize the return on investment. Many respondents in the commercial sector attested or set aside early on for one project but not “costed” over the other and dependent upon the organization to their own company’s ability to benchmark and Vendor Relationships until later in the project could potentially earn benefits utilizing the framework. Finally, the third column helps prototype methods for modernizing within its own Maintaining a small pool of vendors or suppliers elsewhere. Understanding the value of money long-term decision makers determine their ability to carry out the organization. Examining Real Options Exercise Decisions consistently allows for relationships between the buyer will help when considering a truly phased approach. If proposed project. in Information Technology Investments. Journal of the and supplier. The chain becomes a symbiotic relationship the project is broken into smaller projects, albeit costlier Association of Information Systems, 18(5), 372–402. where each is working to benefit the other because it will individually, then the investments can be spread across Design Features and Team The prototype or benchmark gave decision makers eventually benefit them. Strong, repeated relationships more platforms or a longer timeline. The division of The design of the modernization can be judged on its a platform to begin with and adjust depending upon pass information quickly. They adapt to arising situations investment allows decision makers a more diverse and ability to adapt to further technological predictions specific location requirements. Having a model to work with the other organization’s benefit as a core driving flexible option for project continuance or secession. and surge for growth requirements. Additional open from provides shorter design requirements and more factor. If the organization has strong relationships with space, redundancy in potential bottlenecks, and “knock- agile decision-making abilities. A commercial responder Criteria for Evaluation its supply chain, then it will flexibly alter its course more down walls” are a few of the characteristics described stated of his company, “We put together a prototype efficiently and successfully. The organization and decision makers specifically, need to by responders that provided flexibility to their designs. because we didn’t know exactly what we would need have an upfront understanding of their evaluation criteria. The more characteristics present in the design, the but we had an idea so that each one would be somewhat End Goal Alignment The quantitative comparison categories that will be higher the score in this category. Finally, there must be interchangeable at least. Going forward that became the The modernization project for each organization must judging the project’s phases must be laid out to properly an expert team to assess these designs. The team must prototype for the whole company.” If the modernization directly improve or strengthen the end goal of that assess the outcome. Without an understanding of critical be able to articulate needs consistenly for contract and project is well benchmarked or prototyped, then its organization. Aligning decisions to goals can maximize components and values there will be no determining bid communications. The commercial sector relies on overall assessment of flexibility would be more favorable. value and allows decision makers to directly evaluate factors to flexibly plan a course of action. Using valued a launch team mentality, the same personnel repeating investments. As decision makers evaluate options, they components from the overall goal and strategy should processes to execute similar functions. They not only can consider different phases and options for their provide a starting point for decisions to be evaluated. prototype design features but also team aspects. project. Each option should improve their end goal

12 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 13 Closing Remarks Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 7.1 -- Acquisition Plans. (2017). Retrieved from http://farsite.hill. The EDC requires modernization to maintain the af.mil/reghtml/Regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/Far/07. Readiness Redefined ... Warfighter support that DLA demands. The facility htm?zoom_highlight=renovation and project can be used as a beginning template for the Welcome to Phase III DoD to model further modernization prototypes. The GAO. (2017a). High Risk Series: Progress on Many decision makers can plan for flexible options within this High-Risk Areas, While Substantial Efforts Needed By: Col Kirk Peterson & Capt Douglas Ruark project that allow them to capture the most value for on Others. Report to Congressional Committees, (February), 1–684. the least cost. It will require investments, expertise, and time. Through proper evaluation of design, organizational Picture a busy Thursday afternoon in the Deployment NDS impact on Installation Readiness GAO. (2017b). Supply Chain Management DoD Control Center. Your installation has been spinning up factors, and executability, DLA can flexibly adapt to Could More Efficiently Use Its Distribution As logisticians, it is important to think about how for a major deployment as part of a Joint Task Force some uncertainties. DLA and the DoD can further Centers. Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/ we prepare for conflict, and the role that our improve upon their initial modernization as they move assets/690/685377.pdf aimed at deterring a major near-peer adversary. You installation exercises play in doing so. Recently, we forward. Keeping their end goal in sight at all times, they are tasked to deploy 24 fighters with 38 chalks of sat down with Col Patricia Csànk, Commander of can support the Warfighter while flexibly designing Greenough, J. & Camhi, J. (2017, February 3). Amazon cargo and passengers to three different operating the 673d Air Base Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf- modernization efforts across the enterprise. Accounts for 43% of US Online Retail Sales. Business locations. You have missed a few LOGMOD DSOE Richardson (JBER). She described this shift as “a Insider, p. 1. Retrieved from http://uk.businessinsider. start times, but thanks to some amazing teamwork, call for us to be agile in our thinking about what com/amazon-accounts-for-43-of-us-online-retail- you think you can get the final chalk out the door on References sales-2017-2 logistics is, and how we might bring our capabilities time. Then, you see the breaking news, the adversary to bear.” This mindset is not about just having agile Alessandri, T. M., Ford, D. N., Lander, D. M., Leggio, K. B., just launched an all-out offensive campaign against & Taylor, M. (2004). Managing Risk and Uncertainty Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management: A Systems logistics capabilities, but “practicing agility through a in Complex Capital Projects. Quarterly Review of Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling the US and allied forces in the region. This is no larger and more holistic lens where the entire base Economics and Finance, 44, 751–767. https://doi. (10th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. longer a deterrence mission, you are now deploying is itself a weapon system – the pacing unit for all org/10.1016/j.qref.2004.05.010 forces into a contested combat environment. A few missions operating on the installation.” With this in Khan, S. S., Kumar, R., Zhao, K., & Stylianou, A. (2017). days later, while your entire package is still in transit, mind, we must examine how we train our logisticians Argyris, C. & Kaplan, R. S. (1994). Implementing New Examining Real Options Exercise Decisions in you receive word that two of the three planned Information Technology Investments. Journal of the to be practitioners of agility, while reflecting on Knowledge: The Case of Activity-Based Costing. deployment locations were damaged in the initial Accounting Horizons, 8(3). Association of Information Systems, 18(5), 372–402. how we operate our systems to enable lethal attack. Your wing receives orders to divert its forces combat support. We must also incorporate these to new operating locations. Just as you finish relaying Benaroch, M., Kauffman, R. J., Benaroch, M., & Kauffman, R. Knight, F. H. (1921). Risk, Uncertainty, and Profit. aspirational concepts and critical thinking elements J. (1999). A Case for Using Real Options Pricing Analysis Washington D.C.: Beard. that message to the Commander, you receive word to into our readiness exercise planning process. At to Evaluate Information Technology Project Investments. prepare for a Noncombatant Evacuation Operation JBER, the installation has created a new exercise Information Systems Research, 10(July 2015), 70–86. Mellahi, K. & Johnson, M. (2000). Does it Pay to Be a First (NEO). You are told to plan for somewhere between task-set to examine our installation readiness. This Retrieved from http://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/ Mover in e-commerce? The Case of Amazon.com. 2,000 and 10,000 personnel over the coming weeks, concept, called Phase III, is specifically scripted abs/10.1287/isre.10.1.70 Management Decision, 38(7), 445–452. https://doi. some of them require medical attention. Is your org/10.1108/00251740010373458 to challenge our critical thinking and leadership installation ready? Busch, A. L. G. (2014). Defense Logistics Agency. Defense abilities during an operational shock scenario. Logistics Agency Strategic Plan 2015-2022. Retrieved Meredith, J. & Mantel, S. (2003). Project Management: A Redefining Readiness from http://www.dla.mil/Pages/default.aspx Managerial Approach (5th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The past 18 years of conflict with violent extremist In the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS), Former organizations has created a predictable pattern of Contract Termination, DAU Federal Acquisition Regulation Nelson, C. A. (1986). A Scoring Model for Flexible Secretary of Defense James Mattis wrote “Today, exercising at many installations. Logisticians plan for 54.249 § (2009). Retrieved from https://www.dau.mil/ Manufacturing Systems Project Selection. European we are emerging from a period of strategic atrophy, months to execute a Phase I deployment exercise. Journal of Operational Research, 24(3), 346–359. acquipedia/Pages/ArticleDetails.aspx?aid=97fe4c19- aware that our competitive military advantage has We conduct and end the exercise 72 hours later 3c0d-4103-882d-f09483dde9ed https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(86)90028-7 been eroding. We are facing increased global disorder, when the last of the chalks are “wheels up.” Or, we may move on to conduct a Phase II to exercise de Koster, R., Le-Duc, T., & Roodbergen, K. J. (2007). Project Management Institute (Ed.). (2000). A Guide To characterized by a decline in the long-standing Design and Control of Warehouse Order Picking: A The Project Management Body of Knowledge. Newton rules-based international order, creating a security our capability to deploy a handful of aircraft and Literature Review. European Journal of Operational Square, PA: Project Management Institute. environment more complex and volatile than any personnel, to then employ them in a contested Research, 182(2), 481–501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. we have experienced in recent memory. Inter-state environment. We conduct our operations in the ejor.2006.07.009 Rubin, H. & Rubin, I. (1995). Qualitative Interviewing. strategic competition, not terrorism, is now the “contested” environment for a few days, and end the London: Sage Publications. primary concern in US national security.” This marked exercise to evaluate what went right or what failed. de Neufville, R. & Scholtes, S. (2011). Flexibility In a significant shift in US military policy and had a direct Engineering Design. Cambridge: The MIT Press. Yin, R. K. (2014). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (5th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications. impact on the daily life of the logistician.

14 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 15 While this pattern fit with the needs of past NDS daily, sometimes instantly, and they have to be ready you may have just sent 20% of your Airmen on an AEF range of agile combat support options. As we deliberately iterations, we cannot let ourselves think that these to adjust fire rapidly when necessary to address new, rotation. Despite these obstacles, what matters is how exercise them, it is important that we also consolidate the exercises are how an “inter-state strategic fight” would unexpected challenges.” Phase III exercises focus on this the Airmen on the ground, at that moment, can respond installation’s capabilities into a compressive Joint Base unfold. We must prepare ourselves to fully empower our mindset, and enable leaders to develop Airmen who are and adapt to the challenges ahead. Support Plan.” Airman and ready our installation’s capabilities to absorb ready and empowered to act in a variety of situations. the operational shock of a more dynamic scenario. How to Build a Phase III Exercise The concept of Phase III will look different for every Treating our installations as weapons systems will help base, and for every unit. However, the principle theme The traditional way of thinking about an exercise is rooted The NDS is clear: the primary focus of the Department drive the way we think, and shape how we exercise our will remain the same: As logisticians, we must be ready in looking at the unit’s most stringent O-Plan tasking, of Defense is to be READY for whatever may challenge capabilities to better perform our operational resiliency to execute our deployment mission and maintain the and testing whether the installation could meet that our lethality – whether it is an inter-state strategic and readiness. Going beyond the traditional Phase I base as an effective weapon system. For Col Csànk requirement. The Phase III concept goes a step further, competitor, disaster response, or some other challenge and Phase II exercises will present an opportunity to and JBER, this centers on “making our Airmen resilient, by asking, “what’s next?” to base security and defense. We must evaluate how focus on the specific and implied mission tasks that may mission ready, and deliberately training our people to be units prepare for this. It may be difficult to conceptualize arise during a sudden operational shock. Whether an exceptional leaders.” the thought of going from steady state operations to a installation faces a contingency response, natural disaster high-intensity strategic conflict overnight. However, it or base defense scenario, it is important to train with When looking at these scenarios, the response is paced is important to keep in mind that the concept of Phase a Phase III mindset because each installation will still off the ability for logistics and base support to handle III is not preparing for a major war, it is about the entire have an agile combat support mission to execute after the operational shock. As logisticians, it is essential we concept of absorbing operational shock. A Phase III we deploy our tasked forces. The installation weapons advocate for an installation level O-Plan review that exercise can be built around any operational military or systems must be ready for whatever that scenario will be. examines what happens when you pace every action off disaster response scenario. The key is to develop ready, Exercising in this capacity will push decision making, risk the ability for the installation to support it. If you deploy resilient Airmen who are capable of facing the operational management, critical thinking, and mission command skills all of your Airmen tasked to that O-Plan, could you still shock of the initial series of events without breaking the down to the lower levels of your unit. support your remaining and follow-on mission sets with base. logistics, maintenance, engineering, security, services, Going further, it is important that we prevent Phase I, II, medical, etc.? and III labels from lulling our Airmen into a chronological The Installation as a Weapons System After the Airmen and equipment have deployed in event mindset. The concept of Phase III allows us to We need to organize, train, and equip ourselves to initiate Airmen assigned to JBER will tell you that a massive support of the conflict at hand, we must focus on the consolidate instances where multiple scenarios collide in a rapid and effective response. This is not just for the natural disaster challenging our readiness is not resiliency and readiness on the installation so that we an unpredictable chain of events. Think back to the DCC Port Dawgs pushing pallets, or the Knuckle-Busters inconceivable. JBER experienced a 7.0 earthquake on 30 do not break the base. Installation requirements will scenario, the team had started to deploy forces across generating sorties, this is true for every installation November 2018, and since then we have experienced continue, and the Phase III concept looks at this and the theater (Phase I), but the situation dictated a mindset Airmen. If we are to execute the 2018 NDS, we must be more than 4,500 aftershocks that continue to threaten identifies the gaps and blind spots in the planning process. shift from initial deployment to the operational shock more agile and ready to respond to a large scale conflict. our mission resiliency. Any Airman stationed along This forces installation leaders to examine where we may of full-scale conflict in a rapidly changing and dynamic This begins with the truth that the USAF must redefine the Southeastern coast knows the importance of the break, and how we can mitigate those risks to the mission. environment (Phase III). In Col Csànk’s words, “we may the installation as the weapon system…the pacing unit installation when executing hurricane evacuation plans. deploy and accomplish the mission in contested areas that enables all other missions. When lives depend on a These sudden and operationally shocking events occur One of the answers we have started to pursue at JBER downrange, but the home station mission will persist rapid and agile logistics response, will your installation be with little or no warning. As logisticians, we must treat is the concept of cross-functional Airmen; members able and likely morph.” When these scenarios happen in the ready? our installations, and the agile combat support capabilities to perform tasks outside their core AFSC. This concept real world, your wing may have significant portions of they provide as weapons systems. This will enable us to will enhance the effectiveness of our Airmen on the the team at RED FLAG, or a similar TDY off station. Or, deliberately plan how we make our Airmen, processes base, and be ready to fight. Another area we addressed and infrastructure agile enough to absorb numerous was local contract support. We looked at vendors in ABOUT THE AUTHORS and around Anchorage to fill potential gaps in food levels of operational shock. Col Kirk Peterson is a 23-year Air Force logistician who has services, shelter and other joint logistics requirements served as both an APS/CC and a LRS/CC and is currently This process starts with developing our Airmen’s that may arise during a contingency. Finally, we are the Commander of the 673rd Logistics Readiness Group at leadership abilities. In these large scale scenarios, revamping the Wing’s Base Support Plans. According Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), AK. we need effective mission leaders who can quickly to Maj John Harding, 773rd Logistics Readiness respond to the ever-changing situation and adjust Squadron Commander, it is important we organize how Capt Douglas Ruark is a Logistics Readiness Officer focus accordingly. The 673d Logistics Readiness Group we capture our capabilities, “As a mission partner on stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), AK. He is currently the Vehicle Management Flight Commander Superintendent, CMSgt John Smith believes that, “You JBER, it’s essential we have a common understanding of for the 673rd Logistics Readiness Squadron. can bet Murphy will have a say in what you are doing. the installation’s joint requirements. The 673 ABW is a NCOs must understand that mission priorities will change weapons system that offers the joint Warfighter a wide

By: John Dwyer III

During the 2017 hurricane season, the Defense Logistics can be challenging at times, and stakeholders have to Keenaghan referenced US and foreign agencies already This CPI office hosted the event under the Troop Support Agency Troop Support provided approximately 41,000 synchronize data to make sure they are all tracking experimenting with blockchain. Craig Fischer, for Campaign of Learning (CoL). The CoL sets conditions to power poles, 88.1 million meals and 1,264 generators in accurate, up-to-date information. example, is program manager with the Department of understand key challenges and conditions of the future partnership with the Federal Emergency Management the Treasury’s Financial Innovation and Transformation sustainment environment. Through readings and events, To help answer whether blockchain could have helped, Agency. Responding to three major hurricanes was Office. Fischer provided Keenaghan lessons learned in partnership with the military, industry, and academia, Construction and Equipment (C&E) deputy director a record undertaking for DLA, and the mission was a from a blockchain pilot he conducted for equipment the CoL provides an avenue of disciplined, deliberate Marko Graham used a process map of C&E’s actions success. But could the use of blockchain technology accountability, an application useful to any government learning and dialogue to facilitate understanding and linking FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, Troop improve DLA’s support even more? That was the agency. Keenaghan also shared that the United Arab promote recommendations for future supply chain Support, and industry partners—key stakeholders who question posed during a two-day presentation hosted Emirates has set a goal to have 50 percent of government solutions. by Troop Support’s Continuous Process Improvement would be peer users in a blockchain scenario—to review transactions processed via blockchain technology by (CPI) office from Dec. 3-4 in Philadelphia. CPI leaders, where this technology might improve associated logistics 2021. However, it’s still a while until the technology can by direction of the Commander, Army Brigadier General processes. Graham shared some challenging points in be put to use at DLA. “We’re researching the technology,” Mark Simerly, reviewed Troop Support’s processes the process and how C&E worked through them, such Londo said. “[We’re] getting as smart as we can about during their response to Hurricane Maria and recovery as the efforts that went into the maintenance of an what it is, what industry is saying about it, what the operations in Puerto Rico. After review, the CPI office internal spreadsheet tracking requirements sourced future might look like, how it applies to supply chains, presented how blockchain capabilities could have through multiple vendors as items are purchased and how other industries are using it. We’re doing our improved efforts. “We think there’s a lot of potential [in and delivered. He then discussed these points using due diligence.” Simerly’s plan is to take the research as blockchain],” CPI management analyst Elijah Londo said. blockchain capabilities like transaction processing and it applies to the hurricane response, a “use case”, and “Where do we want to be as an organization in shaping in-transit visibility of shipments to evaluate the process provide information for DLA to justify and apply research and influencing where the [Department of Defense] goes improvements. “This is where I can see where blockchain and development efforts with blockchain. A restoration of with blockchain?” would have been a big help,” Graham said. “Flowing power to Puerto Rico is a mission success, but advances [materiel specifications and tracking data] from the in technology offer potential improvements to what CPI process director Daniel Keenaghan described manufacturer buying the raw materials to…getting the Keenaghan says is “already amazing work.” blockchain as a digital, decentralized “distributed ledger” transportation and getting it on the barges.” where identical copies of data are stored across multiple That’s what the CPI office is after through their servers. Changes to the data, or “blocks”, such as updates According to Londo, the potential of blockchain evaluation and coordination with government and to the ordering and delivery tracking information key technology exists. “The potential is absolutely industry partners, such as the U.S. Transportation to DLA’s logistics processes, are linked in a “chain” that enormous,” Londo said. “Talk about blockchain, [and] Command and container shipping giant Maersk, who builds trust through peer-user validation within the chain. you’ll hear experts comparing it to transforming trust are already experimenting with blockchain technology. Changes are immediately viewable by all peers with or transactions in the same way the internet changed “There’s really no shortage of players out there,” Londo access to the block of data, improving transparency and communication. Other agencies and countries are also said. “At the very least, it’s a collaboration and knowledge auditability of agency transactions. Currently, processes looking into this technology.” share. And at its best, it’s actual partnerships and pilot are tracked through systems and databases that are opportunities.” centrally managed by one agency or another. Visibility

18 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 19 Figure 1, in which resistance is determined by severity Visibility of disruptions is the ability to quickly know of the initial dip in the performance graph and ability to that a disruption has taken place. One goal of the Air Resilient Sustainment recover is indicated by how performance graph increases Force Repair Network is to provide “enterprise visibility after its minimum. of like repair capabilities” so that throughput can be By: Dr. Daniel W. Steeneck & Figure 1. Network Performance vs. Time improved (11). One of General David L. Goldfein’s key Maj Timothy Breitbach initiatives is to have a common operational picture for the decision maker, so that we can make decisions at a speed our adversaries cannot match (12).

Adaptability deals with the ability of a supply chain to Supply Chain Disruptions modify or change operations in response to some type of disruption. This could include shifting combat sortie Seasoned supply chain managers know that supply chain probability, high impact events, we are exploring the generation to another base or even another service disruptions are going to happen. The devastation at concept of resiliency (4). Along with a team of students while the disrupted base recovers. Reduction of lead Tyndall Air Force Base due to Hurricane Michael is the and other researchers at the Air Force Institute of times has been identified as one way to add adaptability most recent example of how catastrophic events can Technology (AFIT), we are addressing the critical issue of to the supply chain. wreak havoc on operations, but as a large organization resilient sustainment by asking the following questions: We conclude that resilience is measured relative to with activities across the globe, recent history in the the system’s performance metric of interest (e.g., Anticipation involves the ability to forecast or 1. How can supply chain resilience be quantified? DoD is littered with disruptions—and not just those mission capable rate). However, there is no single discern future threats or disruptions. Big Data and of a natural type. A September 2012 attack on Camp 2. What operational strategies can be measure of resilience; it must be measured in terms Artificial Intelligence (AI) promise to help improve risk Bastion destroyed or damaged nine US Marine Corps employed to improve resilience? of both resistance (e.g., rate of system performance anticipation. In fact, former Deputy Defense Secretary AV-8B Harriers (1). On the technical side, Air Force post-disruption) and recovery (e.g., rate of system Bob Work invested heavily in this effort with the stand- generation of combat sorties has been disrupted due 3. How should sustainment networks performance recovery). up of the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team. to fleet groundings from safety concerns and common be designed for resilience? The team was stood-up in April 2017 to leverage AI to parts failures. Recent examples include F-15s grounded Strategies for Adding Resiliency to the Supply Chain maintain situational awareness on the battle field (13). 4. How much does resilience cost? at Kingsley Field for structural issues and hypoxia As identified by research conducted by Dr. Pettit, Dr. Recovery is the ability to return to normal state. Some challenges across three different airframes—the F-22, To answer these questions, we draw from academic, Fiskel, and Dr Croxton (10), Supply chain managers and ways to expedite recovery are based on the ability of F-35, and T-6. commercial and government sources to develop useful designers have many methods by which resiliency can be the service to manage a crisis, communication, and The challenge of dealing with supply chain disruptions are insights for Air Force decision makers. First, we explore increased in a system: the ability to mitigate a disruption before damage what resilience means and how different strategies not unique to the military. For example, a 10-minute fire Flexible sourcing deals with that ability to quickly change becomes wide-spread (10). For example, Repair affect resilience. Then, we discuss supply chain strategy in an Albuquerque, NM semi-conductor plant “shifted between suppliers. In general, flexible sourcing is difficult Network Integration supports AF repair network and the logic behind building resilient, but affordable the balance of power between two of Europe’s biggest for AF weapon systems since they are technologically recovery through routine communication between networks. Finally, we show model results that use electronics companies” and has become a classic supply complex, expensive and often produced in batches. This node and product repair group managers. This enables representative data from the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) chain case study (5). Though the negative effects of can make the AF supply chain fragile, e.g., some suppliers high visibility, and therefore quick resolution of repair Theater to demonstrate how the supply chain responds supply chain disruptions are known, many organizations for the F-22 supply chain shut down production before network issues. find themselves woefully unprepared when these to disruptions. the last aircraft was even off the production line. However, Dispersion involves the distribution of aircraft and disruptions occur. Quantifying Resilience our repair networks do feature flexible sourcing, i.e., repair capacity. Here, the adage “don’t have all your many bases have the option of both back-shop repair and One challenge is that forecasts based on historical While definitions abound for the term resilience, we eggs in one basket” applies. For example, the attack Centralized Repair Facility (CRF) repair. information may not predict the full range of possible find that the USAF definition is sufficient: “the capacity on Marine Corps’ Harriers shows what happens when future disruption types, timings and severities (4). of a force to withstand attack, adapt, and generate Capacity deals with reserve capacity or back up sources. aircraft are not dispersed. Granted, this is difficult to do While there may be uncertainty surrounding the exact sufficient combat power to achieve campaign objectives Of course, this is expensive due to the cost of our weapons in some locations (1). Also, it is interesting to consider nature and timing of the disruptions, we can model …despite disruption whether natural or man-made, systems, as Lieutenant General Lee K. Levy II mentions in a that the trend toward centralization for efficiency’s the consequences of disruptions across a wide range inadvertent, or deliberate.” Another way to put it is that recent ER article, (8). Additionally, deciding where to locate sake is at odds with dispersion. This tradeoff is one of possibilities, and we can test how different supply a resilient military system both (1) resists any change in the excess capacity presents a unique trade-off for military that we seek to model to provide decision makers chain designs perform against those consequences. performance due to a disruption and (2) recovers quickly supply chains: in-theater capacity reduces lead times, more accurate information as to the cost and value of Responding to this challenge of prepping for low- from a disruption. These key concepts are illustrated in however it puts that valuable capacity at risk! efficiency versus effectiveness.

20 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 21 Network Design and Resilience The Resiliency Dilemma repairable aircraft components. Some ALCs, e.g., Ogden ALC How do we Study and Measure Resiliency? at Hill AFB, have satellite repair centers in forward operating In an idealized setting, a network would never be subject to Many supply chain scholars have concluded that a more cost- Simulation is a tool well suited to gain insight into how network locations such as the Supply Center Pacific (SCP) at Kadena a disruption. In this case, from an efficiency standpoint, the effective approach is to build a resilient supply chain rather design decisions impact resiliency. We start by setting up a supply AB, Japan. The SCP was set up to provide faster support to network would have a few nodes of extremely high degree than prepare for specific events or disruptions that have a chain in Simio® with four bases, two centralized repair facilities, bases in the geographic region for which PACAF is responsible. (called hubs), and many nodes of very low degree (see Figure small probability of happening. Lt Gen Levy highlighted this a depot, and appropriate links between them. The simulation Furthermore, for engine repair, there is a CRF, which acts a hub 2a). This is called a scale free network structure (Barabási, 2016). conundrum in a recent ER issue when discussing the criticality produces broken engines via a statistically representative process in the network. In addition, the repair network consists of back Additionally, in many applications hubs enjoy economies of scale of the sustainment function (8). He added that the Air Force no intended to capture the historical engine break rate we would shops that perform intermediate level repairs. and therefore are overall more efficient at performing work than longer has the capacity it once had to surge due to “a diminishing expect during combat operations. The maintenance teams install other, more distributed alternatives. defense industrial base, scarcity of natural resources, and the A healthy repair network is critical to sustaining operations. a spare engine or wait for the broken one to be repaired per the gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics However, this network is vulnerable to offensive actions by an established rules for intermediate versus depot level maintenance. The disadvantage of scale free networks is that they are (STEM)-based human capital” (8) which is both increasing adversary (targeted) or other disruptions such as manmade or When the engine is repaired, it is installed on the aircraft to make susceptible to targeted disruptions (Barabási, 2016), i.e., attacks risk and exposing vulnerabilities in “the logistics kill chain” (8). natural disasters (random). For example, loss of, or diminished it mission capable again. The simulation can measure the mission made by an intelligent adversary who has knowledge of the Furthermore, current operations are “burning up weapons capability at the SCP would require affected workloads to be capable rate over time as well as the average flow time (break to network’s structure. Specifically, an adversary would target and ammunition at a ferocious rate, far beyond what the highly shifted to other facilities at great cost in both time and money. installed) for an engine. A picture of the model repair network is the hubs. However, scale free networks are extremely resistant consolidated and fragile US defense industry can produce” (9). Additionally, lead times, shipping costs, and inventory costs shown in Figure 3. to random disruptions, i.e., disruptions that are equally likely to Complicating this problem even more is that congress is reticent for replacement parts would increase to maintain the required affect any node of the network. The notional results show some promise in that it’s feasible, to pay for weapons that may be never used. Lt Gen Levy ends his throughput of repair parts. and perhaps useful with the right data and operational insight, On the other hand, network structures with fewer hubs, such as article with a challenge for the Air Force to “think about and make Furthermore, we must acknowledge that the likelihood of to measure effectiveness of different supply chain designs. random networks (see Figure 2b) are more resilient to targeted improvements to our supply chains, maintenance processes, and random and/or targeted disruptions depend on if the Pacific The competing designs have an incremental investment value attacks since very few, if any, nodes contain a disproportionate our ability to project requirements” (8). theater is at peace or war. During peacetime, an efficient repair attached to them, thus a return on investment in terms of mission number of connections in the network. However, these network With respect to resiliency, AFIT is looking into the following set of network is desirable. However, during wartime a more robust effectiveness metrics, could be at least be proposed given structures are less efficient than scale free networks since they questions: and resilient, albeit less efficient, repair network is needed. accurate cost data and mission requirements. do not have the same economies of scale without hubs. • Are we resilient enough? • How resilient should we be? Figure 2. Network Structure: Figure 3: Example Repair Network Simulation in Simio® (a) Scale Free, (b) Random • How can the Air Force properly measure resiliency? • If one or more Air Force bases was incapacitated (a) or destroyed, what would be the impact on our ability to conduct operations in the theater? • How can we design resiliency into the supply chain to better plan for disruptions that are difficult to forecast? • What are the tools Air Force leaders have available to build more resilient supply chains?

A PACAF Case Study While this case study is a work in process, AFIT faculty are developing a simulation that measures resiliency and begins (b) to answer the questions listed above. We focus on the Pacific Theater because of its geographic size and limited number of bases. Building resilience into such a supply chain is particularly challenging.

The Air Force repair network is a multi-echelon supply chain. At the top-level, it consists of several Air Force Logistics Complexes (ALCs) which perform specialized and equipment intensive types of repairs/rebuilds of engines, avionics, landing gears, and other

22 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 23 Initial Notional Results The chart in Figure 4 shows a typical performance pattern in any system that becomes tight on capacity following Figure 4: Illustrative Mission Capability Over Time a disruption. Prior to the disruption, we see that there are peaks and valleys of operational capability due to normal system variation. This is to be expected, and the fluctuations are indicative of a highly complex supply chain with high variability. With very little buffer capacity the system cannot respond to the normal variation in engine breaks and repair times. Then, following a period of normal activity, a disruption was simulated at Day 300. The disruption took a repair facility offline, thus reducing sustainment capability.

As Figure 4 shows, the up cycle was cut short and the down cycle was exacerbated. In this case the system pulled out of the nose dive but the new average is well below the normal capacity average. The number of mission capable aircraft in the system has been reduced. Figure 5 shows why: engine throughput drops off after the disruption.

The results above are simply estimates. Though realistic and useful for generating insights into how Air Force repair networks function, they are not interpretable without the context of parameters like break rate, repair times, repair capacity, transit times, and other policy decisions. With that context and proper data input, analyses could be performed to make actual decisions as to where we should add maintenance flexibility, excess capacity, adaptability, and dispersion assets. These decisions could lead to a network design that yields the greatest resiliency. With a cost model behind each potential network design, the investments can be compared against performance.

Conclusions As Lt Gen Levy stated, building a more resilient supply chain network depends on the critical thinking skills of future Air Force leaders. With our adversaries nipping at our heels, and the sky rocketing cost of high tech weapon systems, now is the time to think critically about improving our military supply chains. We at AFIT are looking for sponsors, data, and people passionate about logistics to help build this case study so that senior leaders can answer important strategic questions regarding building resiliency in the Pacific and across the Air Force.

Figure 5: Engine Throughput in 25 Day Increments

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Daniel W. Steeneck is an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain and Logistics in the Department of Operational Sciences at the Air Force Institute of Technology. His current research interests are in the use of analytical techniques to solve problems encountered in Supply Chain Management. Prior to joining AFIT, Dr. Steeneck was post-doctoral research associate at MIT’s Center for Transportation & Logistics. He completed his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. His dissertation, in the area of Reverse Supply Chain Management, won second place in the Council of Supply Chain Management Professional’s dissertation award competition. While at MIT, Dr. Steeneck’s research included topics in retail operations management and service supply chain inventory management. His writings have been published in the Wall Street Journal, Sloan Management Review (Frontiers), Operations Research Letters, International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Production Economics and the Journal of the Operational Research Society. Dr. Steeneck has also worked closely with organizations such as Procter and Gamble, OnProcess, Volvo North America, and the U.S. Navy.

Maj Timothy W. Breitbach is the Department of Operational Sciences Logistics Division Chief and an Assistant Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the Air Force Institute of Technology. Maj Breitbach received his commission in 2005 as a graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He graduated from logistics officer training in 2006. His operational assignments include all aspects of US Air Force logistics operations. As a logistics readiness officer, he has served as a materiel management flight officer-in-charge (OIC), assistant installation deployment officer, vehicle maintenance flight commander, and logistics flight commander. He also served as the Executive Officer to the Commander of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy. Additionally, Maj Breitbach was deployed as the operations officer for a truck detachment supporting convoy operations in Iraq.

24 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 25 References 1. Washington Post. “A Taliban fighter survived the attack on 8. Lee Levy II. “Readiness, Lethality, and Resilience Beyond the Afghanistan’s Camp Bastion. Will he get the death penalty?,” Flightline,” The Exceptional Release Summer 2018. last modified 12 September 2014. http://atloa.org/wp-content/uploads/ER_Summer_18_145. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/ pdf wp/2014/09/12/one-taliban-insurgent-survived-the- attack-on-afghanistans-camp-bastion-will-he-get-the- 9. Mark Cancian. “Long Wars and Industrial Mobilization: It death-penalty/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.cbdaf640d1f1 Won’t be World War II Again,” War on the Rocks 8 August 2017. 2. United States Air Force. “Homestead ARB and Hurricane https://warontherocks.com/2017/08/long-wars-and- Andrew: A Look Back, a Look Forward,” last modified 29 industrial-mobilization-it-wont-be-world-war-ii-again/ August 2012. https://www.homestead.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/ 10. Timothy J. Pettit, Keely L. Croxton, and Joseph Fiksel. Article/701110/homestead-arb-and-hurricane-andrew-a- “Ensuring Supply Chain Resilience: Development and look-back-a-look-forward/ Implementation of an Assessment Tool,” Journal of Business Logistics Volume 34, Issue 1 March 2013. 3. United States Air Force. “Keesler Air Force Base: One Year After Katrina,” last updated 25 August 2006. 11. Matt Sanford. “Repair Network Integration (RNI): The https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/129983/ First Step to True Enterprise Repair,” Logistics Symposium keesler-air-force-base-one-year-after-katrina/ Presentation 12 October 2016. http://www.logisticsymposium.org/paperclip/speaker_ 4. David Simchi-Levi, William Schmidt, and Yehua Wei. “From management/16LA/presentation_file_distribution/19321/ Superstorms to Factory Fires: Managing Unpredictable bf7136dcd762c53aa7d4bc4871b43cb0adf2f798.pdf Supply-Chain Disruptions,” Harvard Business Review January-February 2014 Issue. 12. Air Force News. “Goldfein: Future of War is Networked, Multi-domain,” last updated on 22 March, 2017. 5. Wall Street Journal. “A Fire in Albuquerque Sparks Crisis For https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1127212/ European Cell-Phone Giants,” last updated 29 January 2001. goldfein-future-of-war-is-networked-multi-domain/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB980720939804883010 13. Breaking Defense. “The War Algorithm: The Pentagon’s Bet 6. United States Air Force. “Air Superiority 2030 Flight Plan: on The Future of War,” last updated on 31 May 2017. Enterprise Collaboration Team.” https://breakingdefense.com/2017/05/the-war-algorithm- https://www.af.mil/Portals/1/documents/airpower/Air%20 the-pentagons-bet-on-the-future-of-war/ Superiority%202030%20Flight%20Plan.pdf

7. United States Air Force. “USAF Strategic Master Plan.” https://www.af.mil/Portals/1/documents/Force%20 Management/Strategic_Master_Plan.pdf

By: LTC Abby Johnson (Airforce) & CPT Homar M. Marval (Army)

Near the Vanderhorst Wharf, merchants congregated buying goods coming from Europe and Native Americans. It is 1803, and the shipping of butter, cinnamon water, cotton, and French brandy were very popular and in high demand. The Sally, like many other vessels, was docked in the pier, bringing goods from London and Guernsey, a tiny island in the English Channel near France. Since then, the history and development of trade on the east coast made Charleston a strategic economic, political and military focal point; tested during the Siege of Charleston in 1780, until becoming the major naval base during WWII. Little did we know about its eventual significance for the Armed Forces, our capability and capacity to deploy personnel and resources to support military CSX Locomotives located at Bennett Yard, SC. A C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., delivers humanitarian aid to St. Kitts and Nevis April 6, 2019. This 315th and operations, as we did in the Great War, and to provide 437th Airlift wing’s joint mission successfully delivered 70,000 meals to St. Kitts and Nevis. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Della S. support for domestic and international disasters requiring and defense contractors supports the city economy Creech) humanitarian aid. such as BAE Systems, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, Google, the Boeing Company, Bosch, Space and Naval For hundreds of years, the city has been the hub of the Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), and CACI To support the material movement for rail to the sidewall seats, and can carry a cargo load of wheeled Atlantic trade and logistics to Europe, the Caribbean, International. These companies take advantage of the ports, the 841st Transportation Battalion provides US Army vehicles in two side-by-side rows, including and the Americas, offering deep channels for any vessel logistics opportunities and attributes offered to increase professionals in logistics and readiness to rapidly deploy the US Army’s main battle tank, the M-1. As tested connecting with many other modes of transportation performance in material management and transportation surface mobility solutions that project and sustain combat last September 2017, The 628th Logistics Readiness such as ground, rail, and air. Today, Charleston is of supplies and parts. These opportunities include power, as stated in their mission statement. According to Squadron hosted Exercise BONNY JACK, a two- considered a top commercial and military logistics, the services from two major transportation suppliers LTC Chad J. Blacketer, Commander, the battalion offers day mobility exercise testing the cargo deployment distribution and shipping hub; home of one of the busiest converging in Charleston, CSX and Norfolk Southern, capability on rolling stock preparation, data management capabilities of the 437th Airlift Wing, members of Team and most efficient seaports on the Eastern Seaboard, connecting the Joint Base Charleston with sealift and using information systems such as TC-AIMS II and Charleston conducted 24-hour operations to move 95 along with more than 2400 miles of railroad in the State airlift capabilities. These two organizations provide RFID tags, and container management. The success of short tons of cargo. of South Carolina thereby connecting the whole country. services that allow the import and exports of shipments any mission depends on the capability to account and These type of exercises are also possible to the 628th valued in billions of dollars to the port. According to the preserve the materials from the point of embarkation to Air Base Wing; this organization provides mission-ready The logistics capabilities and capacities found here make US Department of Commerce, the port of Charleston debarkation anywhere in the world. personnel to support deployments by providing medical Charleston the premier choice for a military deployment imports as much as $48B in goods and export over $30B Additionally, to consolidate material and personnel support, contracting support, logistics readiness, and hub. Multiple Department of Defense organizations through a complex web of rail and ground transportation. movement, the presence of the 437th Airlift Wing security. The organization offers capabilities in facility are represented in the area; the US Air Force, US These capabilities ensure the capacity of any military provides and delivers global combat-ready airlift with 45 and infrastructure operations, refueling point operations, Navy, US Army, US Marine Corps, US Coast Guard, organization to deploy rapidly from any point on the east C-17s, expeditionary combat support, and aeromedical harbor security, lodging, and seaport operations. The Homeland Security, and the Military Sealift Command. coast. Along with military organizations, several commercial evacuation. The C-17 offers an enduring palletized 628th Logistics Readiness Squadron has comprised seating capacity of 80 pallets, plus 54 passengers on of five functional areas: fuels management, vehicle

28 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 29 maintenance, material management, deployments and distribution, and port operations. These functional areas, along with the command section, squadron readiness, quality assurance, training, resource management, and functional systems management sections comprise the total logistics readiness team. They also enhance rapid global mobility and sustainment by providing supplies, equipment, vehicles, war reserve material, port services, and fuels valued at over $500M to one air base wing, two air mobility wings, and over 60 mission partners.

The Charleston Military Port is located at the Cooper River near the Port of Charleston-North Charleston, many miles away from his original location in the 1800s. It can load and unload two vessels simultaneously, consisting in approximately 200 rail cars per day, and up to 2000 pieces of equipment depending on the brigade size and type, serving units primordially from 3ID, 1/1 CAV, and 2/82 ABCT. Additionally, the United States Transportation Command possess the capabilities to mobilize up to 27 vessels on the east coast in support of operations plans requirements such as crisis or contingencies in the United States and the Caribbean.

Charleston is one of the busiest Military Sealift Command detachments in the country, loading, and unloading of nearly 30 MSC ships a year at the port. Some of these ships are roughly aircraft-carrier size, requiring the loading and unloading of more than 300,000 square feet of tanks and other substantial military gear. The total square footage loaded in Charleston is equal to eight Soldiers from 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade football fields. conducted a Sealift Emergency Deployment Exercise at the Charleston Naval Center, S.C. The Soldiers moved more than Undoubtedly, the Charleston area provides unique 90 pieces of equipment and 200 Soldiers from Ft.Stewart, GA., capacity and capability for military logistics operations, To Charleston, SC., and onto a ship for overseas deployment. supported by a robust local economy. This tremendous Following the three-day exercise, they rolled all of the equipment growth has affected the military and considering back off and moved straight into a field training exercise, to Charleston as a deployment hub for the future. The simulate an actual deployment. (U.S. Army photos by SFC Ben K. possibilities and the potential capacity are enormous as Navratil) the Department of Defense continues to invest, through the US Navy and the US Air Force, and the State of South

Carolina strengthen this presence through the National ABOUT THE AUTHORS Guard Units. Providing personnel and equipment LTC Chad J. Blacketer, 841st Transportation Brigade, Military deployment operations by exploiting the potential of each Surface Deployment, and Distribution Command branch present in the “Towne of Trade”. Mr. Tom D’Agostino, Senior Military Sealift Command Manager Photography: 3IDSB SEDRE Operations, S.C. Air National Guard (180711-Z-OL711-1005), and Scott Keating Photography. Miss. Lucy Duncan, Chief Executive Officer of Safe Port Inc.

30 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 31 In addition to operational necessity, the design of the Air logistics readiness officers’ limited supply experience (due Logistics Agility & Force supply chain and recent organizational changes to the variety of core competencies that exist within the highlight the need for this training. In his Strategic Policy career field). Additionally, maintenance officers (both 21A Resiliency: Training Fellows paper titled “The Enterprise ‘Integrated Life and 21M) receive minimal supply chain training in their Cycle Management,’” Major Samuel Payne, Jr. describes technical training as company grade officers. the Supply Chain how the Air Force balances acquisitions and logistics functions between two distinct offices, which are usually By: Capt Evan Hanson combined under industry definition as a “supply chain” (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, 2018). While the Secretary of the Air Force staff On January 19, 2018, then Secretary of Defense James manages “acquisition and contracting professionals,” Mattis delivered a press conference introducing the policy for product support, and the supply chain, National Defense Strategy (NDS). A departure from While the structure of the Air Force Headquarters Air Force personnel are responsible “ previous editions, the 2018 NDS warns that “We are for “logistics readiness, maintenance, and aerial port supply chain is capable of “resilient emerging from a period of strategic atrophy,” and “inter- personnel”—including organizing, training, and equipping state strategic competition, not terrorism, is now the and agile logistics,” the design While centralization creates a as well as developing and implementing logistics policy primary concern in U.S. national security” (Office of “ (Payne, 2012, p. 18). Additionally, in 2001 the Air Force requires supply chain personnel the Secretary of Defense, 2018, p. 1). The strategic more cost effective supply chain, consolidated some base level logistics functions such as document calls for “accelerating our modernization it also increases vulnerability for materiel management, transportation, and distribution to have a common, base-line programs and devoting additional resources in a into Logistics Readiness Squadrons (LRS) (Johnson, sustained effort to solidify our competitive advantage”— degradation. To succeed in a cyber- understanding of organizational 2002). In 2008 and 2010, further consolidation naming “Resilient and agile logistics” as a priority (Office contested environment, logisticians occurred when functions traditionally managed at the roles and responsibilities as well of the Secretary of Defense, 2018, pp. 6-7). Unless Air base level were centralized in the 448th Supply Chain Force supply chain professionals—including logistics as the enterprise-level processes must understand how the many Management Wing (448 SCMW) and the 635th Supply readiness, maintenance, acquisitions, and contracting Chain Operations Wing (635 SCOW) (Haulman, 2016; crucial for ensuring mission personnel—have a fundamental understanding of how organizations within the supply Robertson, 2014). These reorganizations resulted in base-level, wholesale, and acquisitions processes work accomplishment. chain work together to reach back in manpower savings but restricted base level capabilities. together, the resiliency and agility called for within For example, the management of stock control, which the NDS will not be possible. This article advocates support of warfighters. are an organization’s authorized on-hand quantities of The above chart reinforces this need for greater supply for establishing a 2-week in-person training that specific parts, was transferred from the base level to chain expertise in the field, as it shows the overwhelming connects these functions to improve the resiliency and In the face of such threats, the Air Force needs to train these supply chain agencies. While centralization creates majority of Materiel Management and Deployment, effectiveness of the supply chain enterprise. supply chain personnel to have a clear understanding a more cost effective supply chain, it also increases Distribution, Transportation personnel had under 5 of how the enterprise is integrated. This training would years’ experience as of 2017. Efforts are underway While logistics has always relied on information vulnerability for degradation. To succeed in a cyber- enable the supply chain to adapt when faced with to increase this experience, but they will not solve the technology, the need for this advocated training is contested environment, logisticians must understand systems degradation and to effectively prioritize as problem. For example, recent efforts to robust the borne of the increasing threats posed by near-peer how the many organizations within the supply chain work units come back online. This would ensure rapid return Advanced Logistics Readiness Officers Course (ALROC) competitors, particularly in the cyber domain. Reliant together to reach back in support of warfighters. from degraded system functionality, minimizing lost will not be effective due to its limited annual number on more than 43 individual software systems, the Air transactions. Sister services also recognize the need for These organizational changes required maintenance of available seats and requirement to cover a wide Force supply chain functions because of data transfer precautions in cyber-contested environments. The Army and logistics readiness personnel to have an enterprise- variety of core competencies. Major Payne highlights through a complex network that few understand from recently set a goal to “double the standalone sufficiency” level understanding to communicate mission impact and how “The lack of a centralized [Integrated Life Cycle end-to-end. The many threats posed by offensive cyber of its brigade combat teams—acknowledging that cyber identify problems, as logisticians closest to the mission Management] curriculum means each career field expects effects create operational vulnerabilities, such as those attacks may increase the time before forward deployed remain the front-line customer service agency for a vast its professionals to understand the entire enterprise; within the Global Air Transportation Execution System units are resupplied (South, 2018). Such steps are supply chain. Despite this requirement for additional however, [current courses] fail to provide the necessary (GATES) described by Major Anthony Mollison in his necessary to ensure operational effectiveness moving knowledge, however, there is no single, end-to-end supply education and training to assist in this understanding” 2015 paper “Fighting Through a Logistics Cyber Attack.” forward and to deliver the resiliency and agility called for chain enterprise training for company grade officers (2012, pp. 21-22). While the structure of the Air Force The potential disruption or degradation of these systems in the NDS. (CGOs), senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs), supply chain is capable of “resilient and agile logistics,” will result in delayed parts deliveries and impact weapons and civilians. This training gap is further exacerbated by the design requires supply chain personnel to have a system readiness.

32 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 33 common, base-line understanding of organizational resources to the warfighter in accordance with supply chain. Additionally, the Air Force should rewrite logistics roles and responsibilities as well as the enterprise-level chain best practices. Additionally, this training would readiness, munitions maintenance, aircraft maintenance, processes crucial for ensuring mission accomplishment. equip personnel across the supply chain with the required and acquisitions officer technical training curricula to knowledge to ensure strategic priorities (such as demand include concepts that explain how the supply chain works To provide this enterprise-level understanding across data accuracy) are realized at the tactical level within the from end-to-end. While these mitigation strategies will the supply chain, the Air Force should establish a supply supply chain. With the enterprise perspective in mind, create benefit in the near term, they will not satisfy the chain enterprise course (SCEC) targeted specifically logistics and acquisitions professionals would be capable need for the SCEC. Specifically, they leave out critical for experienced logistics readiness (21R), maintenance of enterprise-wide networking and collaboration. Long- populations—such as SNCOs and civilians—who play (21A and 21M), and acquisitions (63A) CGOs as well term, this knowledgebase would enable personnel to key roles within the supply chain and must understand as their civilian and SNCO counterparts. The Air Force innovate within the supply chain—an area described by these concepts. Additionally, the best time to provide Institute of Technology’s Enterprise Logistics Course the Government Accountability Office as “high-risk” and an enterprise-level training is once officers, SNCOs, and (Log 420) covers many topics that need to be addressed in need of improvement (U.S. Government Accountability civilians have enough background knowledge to relate in the proposed SCEC—such as financial mechanisms in Office, 2017). These effects—cohesion, unity of effort, how their experiences fit into the supply chain as a whole. logistics, demand forecasting and planning, sustainment, and innovation within the supply chain—are required to Valuable at any point, this training would have more maintenance, logistics systems, and more (Air Force achieve the logistics described in the NDS. effect if supply chain professionals have the appropriate Institute of Technology, n.d.), but it’s currently offered to management experience. only Lieutenant Colonels and civilians in the GS-14/15 grades. Additionally, given the thousands of mid-level In conclusion, expanding enterprise logistics training managers who work within the supply chain, the SCEC to personnel across the supply chain is worth the should provide hundreds of seats on an annual basis. investment to achieve the resiliency and agility called for in the 2018 NDS. As the document recognizes, failure to While the number of students proposed may seem With the enterprise perspective act will critically impact “our military advantage” (Office audacious, other Air Force courses have demonstrated “ of the Secretary of Defense, 2018, p. 1), particularly similar models work. For example, the Contingency in mind, logistics and acquisitions in the face of unprecedented cyber threats. Many Wartime Planning Course (CWPC)—offered by the professionals would be capable of giants of military thought have described the crucial LeMay Center—trains nearly 700 students on an annual role of logistics in war. In future conflicts, the speed basis (LeMay Center for Doctrine Development, n.d.). enterprise-wide networking and of the supply chain will require a well-trained team of Incorporating both large lecture and classroom seminar professionals with strategic awareness. Logisticians with formats, this course provides key context on deployment collaboration. an effective understanding of the supply chain enterprise system mechanisms to war planners on command will make it more resilient during anticipated cyber staffs, installation deployment officers, unit deployment While a necessity, establishing the SCEC on the scale degradation in a conflict with a near-peer advisory. We managers, and others involved in planning and described comes at a cost. Using CWPC as a model and need this course to make that a reality. deployment execution. These large classes draw together assuming 700 students each year, SCEC operating costs a diverse set of personnel who work together in support would amount to approximately $1.96 million annually The views expressed are those of the author and do not of future contingencies. Like CWPC, the Installation (Benton, 2018). While this course would recoup some necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Deployment Officers Course, and the Transportation costs in the form of gained efficiencies within the supply Department of the Air Force or the U.S. Government. Fleet Managers Course, the SCEC would provide an chain, the substantial price tag associated with offering important networking opportunity for supply chain training on this scale comes with risk. To mitigate this, the professionals as well as an enterprise perspective on Air Force could implement two supplemental alternatives how the supply chain works. In addition, the SCEC would immediately and at low cost while senior leaders can ABOUT THE AUTHOR promote cohesion across the career field specialties and program resources in support of creating a SCEC. First, between the base- and wholesale-levels of the supply the Air Force Institute of Technology should organize Captain Evan Hanson is currently the Resources Flight Commander, assigned to the 790th Maintenance chain. existing distance learning programs in a sequenced, end- Squadron at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. He is a fully qualified Logistics Readiness Officer (21R3) and Missile and Munitions Maintenance Officer (21M1I) with experience in air transportation, deployment and There are several second and third order effects of to-end sustainment suite. Once consolidated, senior Air distribution, supply, and ICBM maintenance. creating the SCEC as described. Providing this training Force logisticians need to prioritize accomplishment of would unify supply chain personnel to deliver necessary this suite among mid-level managers within the supply

34 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 35 References Air Force Institute of Technology. (n.d.). LOG 420 - Enterprise Millard, J., & Hernandez, G. (2017). “That’s what AFPC said!” Logistics. Retrieved February 20, 2019, from AFIT: School of LMAP & new CFETP. (pp. 1-24). 21R Assignments Team. Systems and Logistics: https://www.afit.edu/LS/coursedes. cfm?p=284&accal=036841 Mollison, A. (2015, June). Fighting through a logistics cyber attack. Retrieved from Defense Technical Information Benton, J. (2018, October 2). CWPC Instructor. (E. Hanson, Center: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a619577. Interviewer) pdf

Committe on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Office of the Secretary of Defense. (2018). Summary of the 2018 (2014). The Air Force’s Expeditionary Combat Support National Defense Strategy of The United States of America: System (ECSS): A cautionary tale on the need for business Sharpening the American Military’s competitive edge. process reengineering and complying with acquisition Retrieved October 3, 2018, from Department of Defense: best practices. Washington, DC: United States Senate https://dod.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/2018- About Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Retrieved from National-Defense-Strategy-Summary.pdf THE SYMPOSIUM https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/PSI%20 The Logistics Officer Association (LOA) Payne, S. (2012). The enterprise “integrated life cycle REPORT%20-%20The%20Air%20Force’s%20ECSS%20 Symposium is this year’s premier event (July%207%202014).pdf management”. Maxwell AFB: Air Force Research Institute. dedicated to enabling interactive exchanges among logistics, acquisition and technology Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. (2018). Robertson, P. (2014, April 21). 448 Supply Chain Management professionals from across the Department CSCMP supply chain management definitions. Retrieved Wing (AFMC). Retrieved from Air Force Historical Research of Defense, defense industry and academia. October 3, 2018, from https://cscmp.org/CSCMP/Educate/ Agency: https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/ SCM_Definitions_and_Glossary_of_Terms/CSCMP/ Display/Article/862293/448-supply-chain-management- While there is continued focus on Educate/SCM_Definitions_and_Glossary_of_Terms. wing-afmc/ Leadership, Innovation, Velocity, Excellence aspx?hkey=60879588-f65f-4ab5-8c4b-6878815ef921 (L.I.V.E.), the 2019 LOA Symposium will School of Systems and Logistics. (2018). Enterprise logistics focus on “Increasing Lethality Today, Crooms, L. (2018, September 28). 21R Assignments Officer. (E. course (Log 420) course curriculum. Wright-Patterson AFB: Readiness for Tomorrow’s Fight“ which will Hanson, Interviewer) Air Force Institute of Technology. offer a forum where logisticians at all levels of leadership can collaborate to discuss Haulman, D. (2016, October 7). 635 Supply Chain Operations South, T. (2018, November 7). Forget the FOBs: Army challenges of operating in a dynamic global Wing (AFMC). Retrieved from Air Force Historical Reseach logistics must adapt or the modern battlefield. Retrieved defense environment and brainstorm Agency: https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/ from ArmyTimes: https://www.armytimes.com/ solutions to overcome them. Display/Article/432534/635-supply-chain-operations- news/your-army/2018/11/06/forget-the-fobs-army- wing-afmc/ logistics-must-adapt-for-the-modern-battlefield/?utm_ campaign=Socialflow+ARM&utm_source=facebook. Johnson, M. (2002, May 31). An assessment of the Logistics com&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR0OxsaWFEFWr85 Readiness Squadron’s performance indicators. Retrieved gHGJsgoVK3abglkU0tcq3JKsrNpBRd0RO-Vsq06 from Defense Technical Information Center: http://www. dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a407004.pdf U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2017, March 16). Defense logistics: Improved performance measures and Lemay Center for Doctrine Development. (n.d.). Air University. information needed for assessing asset visibility initiatives. Retrieved February 20, 2019, from Intermediate Courses: Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-183 https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/LeMay/Display/ Article/1099686/intermediate-courses/

36 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 37 Combatting Counterfeit Parts in the DOD Supply as how they apply to the logistics systems in DoD and commercial supply chains. The second and third order Chain effects of blockchain implementation will also be explored to bolster the argument that this new technology can By: Capt Jason M. Leighton truly have a positive impact on the supply chain. Blockchain is a relatively new Blockchain Technology “ Blockchain is a relatively new technology, most commonly technology, most commonly associated as the underlying framework for Bitcoin and associated as the underlying For a moment, imagine yourself as the pilot of a C-130 equipment to Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation other cryptocurrencies. It was conceived to prevent Hercules which you are preparing to land with a full load modules. In response to these findings, the Committee modification of historical transactions and allow for framework for Bitcoin and other of cargo. On approach, you extend your landing gear adopted an amendment to the FY12 National Defense an unbroken chain of custody from conception to cryptocurrencies. It was conceived and touch down with the rear wheels first, keeping the Authorization Act (NDAA) to “address weaknesses in termination. The way in which this is accomplished is front up and the nose landing gear off the ground. As the defense supply chain and to promote the adoption of by creating “blocks”, or individual records, each time to prevent modification of historical you ease the nose of your aircraft down and the front aggressive counterfeit avoidance practices by DoD and an asset changes custody much in the same way that a transactions and allow for an gear makes contact with the ground, the axle and wheel the defense industry”. ledger records transactional history. The difference with assembly break away and the underbelly of your $150M blockchain however is that these ledger entries, or blocks, unbroken chain of custody from As a follow-up, a 2016 Government Accountability Office cannot be modified and once created are added to the aircraft impacts the runway at over 100 knots. You conception to termination. finally skid to a stop and exit the aircraft to the noise of (GAO) report found that while the number of counterfeit end of the chain. Using this process depicted in Figure sirens as crash and recovery personnel respond to the parts in the DoD supply chain decreased significantly 1 allows for anyone (depending on adopted business ground emergency. After a thorough investigation, it between 2011 and 2015, there were still nearly 50 parts rules) to view the historical transactions along the chain is determined that a counterfeit front axle, which was per year that were identified as being counterfeit. As a which have each been validated and secured upon their made using inexpensive steel, had entered the Air Force percentage of total parts, this was a mere .006% of the creation. supply chain and had recently been installed on your DoD supply chain. However, as the opening scenario aircraft. How could this have happened? The axle looked illustrated, a single counterfeit part can have a disastrous Figure 1: Blockchain Design like the real thing. It was installed correctly and was a impact on the Warfighter, and identifying counterfeit perfect fit. Additionally, its record showed that the raw parts is extremely difficult when they are deliberately materials used came from approved sources, and it was manufactured to pass as the “real deal”. Moreover, built by a reputable manufacturer. Shouldn’t there have the threat of counterfeit parts being introduced by been a system in place to prevent a counterfeit part from US adversaries is thought to be increasing, and these traveling through the supply chain? subversive agents are good at figuring out ways to make their counterfeits blend in with other components. Counterfeits…A Real Problem This article outlines the problem associated with Counterfeit parts have found their way into every counterfeit parts in the DoD and will explore using branch of the DoD and pose a huge threat to our national blockchain technology platforms to address it. Blockchain security. A 2012 report released by the US Senate Armed platforms are one of a number of potential solutions being Services Committee, a congressional investigation found investigated by researchers at the Air Force Institute that in the Air Force alone, bootleg parts have been of Technology (AFIT) to address the supply chain identified in aircraft produced by Boeing, Lockheed security problem. Blockchain technology can improve Martin, and Sikorsky—in other words, they impact the the likelihood that transactional records associated with major Air Force Original Equipment Manufacturers critical parts are valid and increase the traceability of (OEMs). In total, 1,800 cases of counterfeit electronic parts across the supply chains. This article will explain parts were uncovered in items ranging from night vision blockchain technologies in their current form as well

38 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 39 The inability to modify any part of the blockchain comes blockchain would be nested into the first block of the final parts included in the system, the cost will be substantial. References from the decentralized way in which each transaction assembly as depicted in Figure 2. With such a robust Additionally, if the technology is adopted, the number and Blockgeeks. (2018, September 13). What is Blockchain is verified, and the sum of the records are stored. By transaction history associated to each part, algorithms validity of transactional records will increase dramatically. Technology? A step-by-step guide for beginners. Retrieved requiring multiple decentralized nodes to verify the could then be applied to the network to identify and flag With the increased number of records, the need for from Blockgeeks: https://blockgeeks.com/guides/what-is- validity of the transaction before it can be added to suspected counterfeit parts. more computing power and storage capacity will increase blockchain-technology/ the chain, the ability to falsify a transaction is negated. as well. The increased computing and storage capacity Figure 2: Nested Blockchain Diagram Additionally, by storing the chain on distributed nodes will require a significant financial investment but will Chakravarty, A. (2017, September 4). Here’s how I built a within a decentralized network, no single node or potentially require an investment in personnel to manage private blockchain network, and you can too. Retrieved computer has the ability to control the blockchain by itself and build the new network. from Hackernoon: https://hackernoon.com/heres-how- but instead must cooperate with the entire network. Adopting a technology such as blockchain may seem too i-built-a-private-blockchain-network-and-you-can-too- 62ca7db556c0 Blockchain for Air Force Supply Chains risky for a government organization. This is because the very principle that makes blockchain work, decentralized Applying blockchain to the DoD and Air Force supply records, is a vast departure from traditional records GAO. (2016). Counterfeit Parts. Washington DC: U.S. chain would allow for the decentralization and security keeping practices. The mitigation plans for this risk Government Accountability Office. of transactional records associated with critical parts. revolve around piloting programs before making large Blockchain can provide the capability to view the Marr, B. (2018, March 03). How Blockchain Will Transform The investments, developing sound business rules, and complete history of a given part from the time it was Supply Chain And Logistics Industry. Retrieved from Forbes: prioritizing the systems on which to apply the solutions created until that current moment. This is a major step https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/03/23/ by identifying and categorizing risks. Educating decision towards preventing the falsification or modification of how-blockchain-will-transform-the-supply-chain-and- Additionally, any counterfeit part that is identified can makers and drawing from industry lessons is the best documents for the purpose of passing off a counterfeit logistics-industry/#53e0005c5fec quickly be cross referenced to other parts that were way to overcome the hurdle of the new process. Then, part as the “real thing”. This would mean that all parts in manufactured, stored, or shipped from the same location testing the technology on a small scale or in a limited the DoD supply chain would have a provenance showing US Senate Armed Services Committee. (2012, May 21). Senate or during the same time. While this may seem like a environment to identify other issues which could be when and where they were created, by whom, the time Armed Services Committee Releases Report on Counterfeit futuristic use of the technology, it is not a new application corrected before full-scale roll out will be a key factor to and mode of transportation, and also where they were Electronic Parts. Retrieved from United States Senate of blockchain. Commercial companies have integrated avoiding large-scale failures that have derailed previously stored. Committee on Armed Services: https://www.armed- this capability as a tool to provide transparency across supply chain IT systems. services.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-armed-services- Using blockchain to record the history of an individual their supply chains and traceability as to where products committee-releases-report-on-counterfeit-electronic-parts part introduces additional issues which are not present came from. One such example is Walmart, which has Way Forward in cryptocurrency; the parts that makeup a part. Nearly adopted blockchain to track from individual suppliers in Blockchain is a new technology, and it is not a panacea every end item worth tracking will itself be made from China across its global supply chain. For example, they solution for the Air Force supply chain. It does, however, numerous subcomponents. For example, a simple use the blockchain to record where each piece of meat have great potential at helping us to identify and hydraulic actuator could be made up from dozens of parts came from, its process and storage location, and its sell- prevent counterfeit parts. New technology adoption ranging from hydraulic cylinders and tubing to electrical by-date. The blockchain records where the animal was and integration is a difficult endeavor, but the DoD— circuitry, nuts, bolts and washers. The possibility exists raised, where and when it was slaughtered, where and for although we all can provide examples of failures, has for a counterfeit subcomponent to be incorporated into how long it was refrigerated, the mode and duration of been a historical leader in developing and using new a legitimate assembly thereby making that assembly unfit shipment, and any other important information needed technologies. Examples within the private industry have for entry into the DoD supply system. To counteract for Walmart to ensure it sells a quality product. demonstrated that blockchain technologies can be used such scenario, a new kind of blockchain would need to be with great success, as companies like Walmart, IBM and ABOUT THE AUTHOR used--a Nested Blockchain. Nested Blockchains require Cost and Risk Maersk are already realizing the benefits. Introducing that each subcomponent be tracked using blockchain As the saying goes, “there is no free lunch” and there are this technology can help prevent the inflow of counterfeit Capt Leighton is a Course Director at the Air Force from the time that an individual bolt or electrical wire is both costs and risks of adopting blockchain technology. parts into the supply chain, a matter of national security, Institute ofTechnology’s School of Systems and Logistics manufactured, until such time that they are mated into a There will be a direct cost of developing and integrating and may also unlock other unintended benefits both Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. final assembly. At that time, each of the subcomponents’ blockchain platforms into the Air Force supply chain. inside and outside the logistics community. Depending on the number of equipment items and

40 | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | ATLOA.ORG | ISSUE 147 ISSUE 147 | ATLOA.ORG | EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE MILITARY JOURNAL | 41 Edwards AFB Muroc Chapter Visits Air Force Research Laboratory The tour was an incredible opportunity to witness past, (AFRL) “present and future research efforts that have helped shape military technology and United States history. By: Capt. Clinton Bialcak

On March 12th, the Muroc Chapter at Edwards AFB had the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with AFRL. The tour featured Areas 1-42, Altitude Facility, Steam Plant, Test Stand 2A, Test Stand 1C, Test Stand 1A (pictured), Motor Case Winding Facility, and their Spacecraft Propulsion Lab.

The tour was an incredible opportunity to witness past, present and future research efforts that have helped shape military technology and United States history. For example, the “Saturn V F-1 Engine” was test fired on Test Stand 1A in the late 1950s, early 1960s. “The F-1 engine, with 1.5 million pounds of thrust, was the powerplant for the first stage of the 363-foot long Saturn V launch vehicle that took the first astronauts to the Moon for six successful landing missions between 1969 and 1972 in the Project Apollo program.” (Rocket Engine, Liquid Fuel, F-1)

References Rocket Engine, Liquid Fuel, F-1. (2019, February 04). Retrieved March 18, 2019, from https://airandspace.si.edu/collection- objects/rocket-engine-liquid-fuel-f-1

Test Stand 1A

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Capt Clinton Bialcak is an aircraft maintenance officer stationed at Edwards AFB. He is the Officer-in-Charge for the 419th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, which supports test and evaluation for B-1, B-2 & B-52 operations. His leadership is critical to 26 Muroc Chapter - Test Stand 1A research developmental test and evaluation projects valued at over $87 million.

By: John Dwyer III

Leaders from the Defense Logistics Agency Troop the hands of the Warfighter. The LOA visit filled in many These types of immersions are invaluable for developing our Support hosted members of the Logistics Officer of our knowledge gaps about the DoD logistics enterprise Association’s (LOA) Pudgy Chapter from Joint Base and was truly fascinating.” logistics professionals, both junior and senior. It’s a chance McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to educate members on its “ mission and Warfighter impact during a visit on January During his presentation, C&T Director, Air Force Col to see how our piece fits into the larger strategic puzzle and 24 in Philadelphia. LOA members were provided an Melvin Maxwell keyed in on the shared interest in overview of DLA and DLA Troop Support, as well as joint solutions. He described the end-to-end logistics to be exposed to a broader perspective of how supplies and detailed presentations from each of Troop Support’s five processes within C&T, and explained the supply chain’s supply chains: Subsistence, Clothing and Textiles (C&T), coordination with military services, industry, and other material get into the hands of the Warfighter. The LOA visit Construction and Equipment, Medical, and Industrial DLA offices to provide the best service possible. “Big Hardware (IH). Each presentation touched on the picture, it’s about integrated logistics solutions. It’s not to DLA Troop support filled in many of our knowledge gaps importance of the Troop Support mission and finding just about acquisition,” Maxwell said. supply chain solutions for the Warfighter. The director of IH brought the point closer to home about the DoD logistics enterprise and was truly fascinating. for the group when he detailed DLA’s coordination “The main wording [in our mission] that always sticks We’re very grateful for the opportunity and look forward to out to me is ‘solutions,’” Janeen Hayes, Troop Support with the Air Force’s 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing (SCOW), whose mission is to develop logistics Corporate Communications Chief, said, “That’s our main continuing the partnership. goal…to make sure we’re there to provide solutions to our solutions and deliver capabilities to the Warfighter. “[The customers, and primarily that is you – the Warfighter.” SCOW] will reach out to DLA Aviation or DLA Land and The LOA is an organization comprised of current and Maritime,” Air Force Col Adrian Crowley said, “And if it’s a − MAJ JUSTIN HICKEY former military and civilian logistics professionals whose supplier issue, they reach out to us and we work with [the goals include logistics innovation and collaboration SCOW] to prioritize and find a solution.” – a parallel to one of Troop Support’s objectives: The tour ended with a visit to Troop Support’s flag room, “Collaborate with customers, industry…to identify where presidential and vice-presidential flags are hand- innovative supply chain solutions.” embroidered by seamstresses. As a member of the LOA, Air Force Maj Justin Hickey, 305th Maintenance Squadron Commander, appreciated the visit. “These types of immersions are invaluable for ABOUT THE AUTHOR developing our logistics professionals, both junior and senior,” Hickey said, “It’s a chance to see how our piece John Dwyer III is a public affairs specialist with fits into the larger strategic puzzle and to be exposed to a the DLA Troop Support Public Affairs Office. broader perspective of how supplies and materiel get into

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