The Military Units' Logistic Support Principles

Land Forces Academy Review Vol. XXIV, No 1(93), 2019

THE MILITARY UNITS’ LOGISTIC SUPPORT PRINCIPLES

Sorin PÎNZARIU “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy, Sibiu, Romania [email protected]

Costel-Dorel MÎNEA Ministry of National Defense, Bucharest, Romania [email protected]

ABSTRACT The fundamental objective of the military units’ logistic system during peacetime is ensuring necessary logistic support for the military personnel to properly carry out the training and instruction activities in order to fulfill the missions assigned to the military units at every hierachical level. Concurrently, the logistic system of the military units during peacetime tracks the supply of material assets for emergency situations, crisis, mobilization and war. Achieving logistic support for military units during peacetime depends on a number of principles that underpin the provision of high-quality logistic support necessary for the fulfillment of the basic mission and the fundamental objectives of each military structure.

KEYWORDS: logistics, logistic sistem, logistic support, principles

1. Introduction adapt to the states, situations and processes The permanent transformation of the that take place during military action. national defense system at the same time Military actions, and especially war, generated the modernization of the military are the confrontation between opposing and logistics system, perceived not only as a hostile forces, where moral factors such as central point of the future of military fear, courage, will, spirit of sacrifice are actions, but also as a point of support for often more important than physical and the struggling forces effort to train and mental factors. Logistics and logistic prepare in time peace with the same logistic support during military action and support and under the same conditions especially at war play an important role in generated by the battlefield. the cohesiveness of the fighting forces, but The Romanian Army’s fighting the same importance and influence also forces, irrespective of the hierarchical level have on the training and training of troops of the military unit, are constantly evolving in peacetime. We believe that by providing due to the changes imposed by the modern, the necessary for living and struggling, multi-national military actions. For this logistics and logistic support make it reason, the logistic systems that follow and possible to provide personal needs, support these forces must evolve in a allowing the military to concentrate their similar way, is quickly and efficiently. efforts on fulfilling the mission. A flexible An optimal logistics system will always be logistics system led by logisticsists who a stable structure with components easy to possess economical knowledges, meaning

20 they are correct and have an innovative spirit, the main purpose of their use is to plan and can give commanders and commandments execute the training and training of the fighting from all echelons the moral authority over forces. At the same time, the basic principles those who lead them in action and who thus of logistic support “can be supplemented with feel they are useful. other principles specific to functional logistics In other words, an optimal and efficient logistical support of the military areas” (NATO, 2014, p. 1-5). units to peace, based on clear and coherent In the light of the above, we believe principles, strengthens the moral authority that the principles of logistical support to of the commanders, but also has a profound peace must be considered in the light of two effect on the morale of the combat forces important objectives of the “Principal being trained for military action. Action Plan” of each military unit, namely: That is why the principles of logistic training and training of combat forces; the support are very important in delivering creation of peacetime supplies and war quality logistic support to each military supplies. Based on these considerations, we unit, regardless of the scale they are in. appreciate that the logistical support of Their importance also results from the fact peacetime military units is carried out and that the logistic support in time, comes operates on the basis of principles, which from the use of the logistics principles by are not specified, defined, explained in any all the logistic structures involved in the regulation national, and therefore we military activity or action. These properly propose to adapt those specific to military applied principles underpin the implementation actions as follows: of effective logistical support and, when 2.1. Efficiency can be a basic strictly adhered to, increase the chances of principle of logistical support in peacetime successfully completing the planned military as it implies the rational use of material activities and actions. assets at its disposal through careful planning and careful planning of the tasks 2. General Principles of Logistical set out in the “Plan of Main Activities” and Support of Peacetime “List with the essential requirements” for The principles of logistical support of the fulfillment of the basic mission for each peacetime military units are based on the military unit, regardless of the hierarchical principles of logistical support for military level in which they are located. action or war and are applicable to activities Material resources of good quality planned through the “Plan of Main needed to prepare and train peacekeeping Activities” of each military unit. Analyzing forces are usually difficult to obtain due to the principles of peacetime logistics support limited funds allocated through the revenue and NATO logistics documents, we have and expenditure budget. In this case, the use noticed that the principles of logistical of stocks and stocks of material goods is support are the same and apply to both used, but filling them up is a problem military activities during peace time and caused by the insufficiency of funds from military actions during a war, such as: the approved budget and complicated authority, coordination, efficiency, procurement procedures. accountability, flexibility, visibility, In this respect, the logistic cooperation, sufficiency, transparency and microstructures of the military units draw simplicity. These principles are found in the up and submit annually requests for Romanian legal framework and can be completing the reserves and stocks, as well applied by the commanders of the logistic as requests for endowment/endowment with support and peacetime structures, noting that material goods used in the training and training of peacekeeping forces. In their

21 turn, the superior echelons have, through the 2.2. Visibility is an important specifications they send to the military units principle used in the process of developing for the “Plan with the main activities”, that the “Main Activities Plans” of peacetime the endowment of the fighting forces and the military units, as this principle must lead to filling of the reserves and the stock of the achievement of sufficient, efficient materials are made on the basis of the logistic support, taking into account all “Essential Requirements List”, the one that changes in the activities underlying the the basic mission received. training and training of combat forces. We believe that this principle is Regardless of the nature of the fundamental important because the material resources are objectives and the basic mission of each exhaustible and the economy is permanently military unit, visibility and transparency of represented by the reality of the purchase of resources are essential for the smooth cheap materials. Heads of logistics structures running of the tasks outlined in the “Main in military units must identify from time to Activities Plan”. Visibility involves the time the real needs of the fighters being trained provision of accurate and timely exchange to optimize the use of material assets available of information between peacekeeping at a certain stage of military action. Material militaries in order to prioritize resources planning should take into account supply/replenishment activities at the same the saving and optimization of the use of time as fulfilling the core mission and core logistical support to ensure the fulfillment of objectives set out in the “Main Activities the basic mission of the military unit in Plan” of each military unit. peacetime, regardless of its hierarchical level. We appreciate that the application of By doing so in parallel with multinational this principle is based on the military operations, we note that this principle implementation of an integrated logistics requires a broader approach in the sense that program that allows for the permanent logistical capabilities and resources are used in exchange of data in order to prepare order of priority, with minimal consumption, in situations with the necessary material goods order to optimize the existing logistic support, to meet the real needs of the fighting forces to eliminate the doubling of the quantities of but to ensure the availability of the material material goods in the area of the joint goods at any time and in time, regardless of operations. This optics is supported by the the mission entrusted in peacetime. techniques and methods used in the 2.3. Sufficiency highlights the ability multinational logistic support, which can to provide essential, qualitative and ultimately result in the rational use of goods sufficient material resources in due time, so materials and reducing costs for their purchase. as to ensure that the basic mission of the NATO’s logistics documents have peace units is fulfilled in peacetime. called this “economy” principle, a term also From our point of view, we support used in the Romanian Armed Forces logistics the idea that the logistical support of regulations. At present, the name of peacetime military units must be efficiency is used in NATO documents, this dimensioned so as to be available in the term being considered more appropriate, quantity/quality required by the operational given that the ultimate goal of applying this requirements of the mission when and principle is the efficiency of logistical support where it is needed. Peace-based logistical of peacetime units. Finally, analyzing the support and logistical support must be arguments presented above and the existing permanently and consistently ensured for NATO concepts in this respect, we consider each task and task that emerges from the that this principle should be used as the Military Unit’s “Master Plan”. That is why efficiency of logistical support. we believe that there should be no training

22 activities in every military unit training association agreements with other logistic combat forces and missions without creating structures, of the material goods needed to adequate and sufficient logistical support to support the fulfillment of their core allow for the achievement of the fundamental missions. In all military units, the logistical and specific objectives planned through the support of the combatant forces in the “Main Activities Plan”. training and training process is carried out 2.4. Responsibility, considered another through its own logistic support forces, but basic principle of logistics, involves taking it is very important that these forces interact all measures to achieve the orderly logistical through unitary coordination with the support at the right time and place. logistics. This principle is realized by identifying, We are of the opinion that the head of realizing and maintaining minimum the logistics of each military unit is quantities of material goods, military responsible for determining the tasks of the equipment and services necessary for the logistic support for the proper development satisfactory fulfillment of the initially planned of the training and training of the fighting military activities and actions. In order to forces and for the efficient planning of the apply this principle, clear tasks should be logistic support necessary for the execution drawn up to the logistics management of all the military activities approved by structures at each military unit level, to “Plan with the main activities”. achieve their own logistic support, but also to Analyzing the importance of subordinate structures, so that the mission of logistical support principles, we emphasize the military entities in peacetime is that in peacetime training and peacekeeping successfully accomplished. activities, and in wartime military action, We appreciate that the responsibility “standardization, co-operation and involves building a well-defined and interoperability in logistics ensure the unambiguous command unit of the military strengthening of responsibility for peacekeeping logistic support, whereby the providing flexible and efficient logistic commander and chief of logistics of each support that contributes to the success military unit have permanent control over operational” (NATO, 2003, p. 2-1). the logistic execution structures, but allows 2.5. Cooperation seeks to integrate the same while the decentralized planning and execution efforts to achieve deployment of specific activities of these adequate logistical support to achieve the structures, planned in time through the ultimate goal of the activities carried out. In “Main Activities Plan”. this sense, “cooperative activities are In the case of joint missions of carried out in a coherent manner, several military units, we can consider depending on the situation” (NATO, 2012, collective responsibility, which must be p. 37). In the process of achieving military perceived by assuming individual tasks of logistical support to peace, cooperation the components of the fighting forces, with involves all areas of logistical support. the common objective of providing logistic Cooperation is an important principle quality support and sufficient to conduct underlying the planning of training and training and training activities, taking into training of peace-keeping forces in account the initial requirements and peacetime, the adoption of a common restrictions applicable to each military logistic system whereby the logistics entity. The logistic structures of the military operators have common visions on the units at peace have the responsibility to establishment of a high-quality logistic endow the fighting forces and ensure the support to underpin the successful supply through the forces own or through completion of the main mission of each

23 military unit. We believe that this principle the coordination and harmonization of the must be based on the mutual trust of logistic requirements of each logistic support participants in military exercises and unit. Therefore, we conclude that according especially in multinational operations, so to the basic missions of the military units we think it would be more appropriate to participating in multinational operations, rename this principle as follows: logistical support should be coordinated at the “cooperation and trust”. level of each military entity, but also between 2.6. Coordination ensures the the structures of the governing force at all synchronization of activities and efforts to levels. achieve maximum efficiency in providing 2.7. Flexibility involves the permanent logistical support to all military units. adaptation of logistics planning and Coordination between the structures management structures as well as of logistics providing logistical support is essential and implementation structures to the change of must be done at all the echelons involved in military activities in the “Main Activities these activities, as appropriate. Plan”, which underlies the training and In peacetime at the level of military training of peacekeeping forces in peacetime. units, the coordination of the logistics The “Main Activities Plan” is developed on functional domains is necessary for the the basis of the annual plan of logistics efficient use of the infrastructure, facilities activities, and the latter must be flexible and and material assets at its disposal. Applying correlated with the material resources at its the co-ordination principle implies the disposal, in order to be able to support from establishment of close relations between the the point of view of the logistic support each logistic support structures of the unitary activity initially planned or not foreseen and units that will contribute to the successful was introduced during the fulfillment of the accomplishment of the basic peacetime basic mission of each military unit in peacetime. mission of each military entity. We We appreciate that this principle must consider that the materialization of this also be applied with the utmost responsibility principle requires the establishment of for the planning of logistical support for all appropriate links, through agreements training and training activities of combat established and initially arranged which forces (exercises, marches, etc.), which must support the facilitation of coordination of include the dislocation of these forces when subsequent logistics activities. the situation requires the continuous We appreciate that in the national assurance of logistical support both during the territory, in peacetime, fighting forces are deployment in the new district and during the trained and trained in specialized and well- stops. We also believe that logistics structures equipped military units, but in multinational and their commanders must be flexible and operations there are situations in which they make effective use of the material resources have to act from unfit positions, and in allocated to the deployment in good those situations they are used in share many conditions, of these peace training and material goods and logistic support training activities. services. Therefore, in this situation 2.8. Simplicity entails reducing the coordination is the responsibility of the host complexity of the underlying activities of nation (HN) or a leading nation (Leader delivering efficient logistic support for all Nation - LN). The function of a host nation or foreseeable and unforeseen situations. a leading nation involves the appointment of Logistics planning and management national representatives and liaison officers documents that underlie the logistical support from different echelons, which are part of the of peacetime military units must be simple logistic management structure, established for

24 and correlated with modular logistics in countries and to the commanders from non- accordance with mission specifics, as well as Alliance countries, within the activities led clear and concise logistics procedures that by NATO. contribute to avoid confusion and to provide 3.2. Concentrating the logistics effort logistic support adapted to operational involves directing it, as a matter of priority, requirements. Because, we believe that the to meet the operational requirements and to activities underlying the achievement of successfully accomplish missions at the logistical support for peacetime military units strategic, operational and tactical level. In must be prioritized, so that material asset the multinational actions led by the provision and efficient service provision by Alliance, the logistical effort is a common logistics structures can simplify support for one of NATO and its member countries, military activities during the implementation being directed at the nations that have hired of “Main Activities Plan” approved. troops. Military units participating in such 2.9. Continuity in logistic support actions benefit from logistical support at the involves the identification and early same time and in a similar way as similar evaluation of the needs of all military units structures of the other involved states. as well as the possibilities of logistic 3.3. The Priority of operational support for their satisfaction by the requirements refers to the fact that the structures with responsibilities in the field. entire effort to ensure logistical support is This principle also presupposes the geared towards fulfilling the mission's uninterrupted assurance of the optimum operational requirements. Based on this conditions for the living and struggle of the principle, “logistic structures, at all fighting forces in any geoclimatic hierarchical levels, are responsible for conditions and unexpected situations. providing the logistic resources required to provide logistical support to the forces” 3. The Specific Principles of (NATO, 2013, p. 2-2) involved in military Logistical Support in Crisis, Mobilization action. We consider that this principle and War Situations presupposes the provision of a logistic During the military actions, quality support and sufficient even in the respectively in crisis, mobilization and war beginning of the military actions, on the situations, the logistic support of the basis of which the commander of the joint military units respects the above-mentioned principles, but we also consider that other force is assured “that an operation should principles specific to the armed struggle can not start until risk mitigation measures are be considered as follows: taken and that essential minimum support levels are at hand” (NATO, 2013, p. 2-2) 3.1. The Authority highlights the fact to meet the operational requirements of the that the heads of the military units and the mission. heads of the logistics structures have full 3.4. Multinationality. From the name rights to the logistical resources made of this principle, it can be inferred that, available from time to time. In this respect, depending on the situations where the the manager of the serviced structure must multinational operations are carried out, it be given sufficient authority over the aims at harmonizing the logistic support logistical resources necessary to enable him to use them in order to support the actions modes of the forces participating in the in the most efficient way. We want to deployment of these multinational military emphasize that this principle applies both to actions. The harmonization of these the commanders of NATO member logistical support, based on understandings between the participating nations’ armies,

25 as well as between the armies of these promptitude is contained in NATO nations and NATO, “optimizes the logistical regulations, dealing with the principle of capabilities of each member of the alliance operational requirements, according to and reduces duplication and competition which “logistics must provide support, even among nations” (NATO, 2013, p. 2-3). in the right quantity, at the right place and After the deployment of the forces at the right time” (NATO, 2013, p. 2-2). combatants in the theaters of operations The mobility principle targets the “dislocation/redistribution capacity, in a will analyze the optimal variants of the short time, to maintain the fighting capacity realization of the common logistic support of the forces” (NATO, 2013, p. 12), by the and specialized through the logistic logistic support structures, which must have structures of the participating forces and the same level of mobility as that of the seek the adoption of adequate multinational fighting and combat support forces. In the solutions in order to achieve logistic spirit of NATO principles, nations must support proportionate to the operational provide, either individually or through necessity. cooperative arrangements, the provision of The principle of multinationality has logistical resources to support structures from not been dealt with in the Regulation of strategic to tactical levels in conflict situations. Logistics of Joint Operations, but in the The prediction principle is dealt with Romanian Armed Forces Doctrine, a only in national specialized regulations and reference regulation for other national aims at identifying and assessing in advance doctrines, multinationalism is presented as an the requirements and possibilities of logistic important principle underlying the joint support, as well as possible deficiencies and operation of national forces with the forces of delays, in order to anticipate and solve them. other states, within alliances, coalitions or We believe that this principle can be international commitments to meet common substituted by the simultaneous application of goals. Another specialty regulation the principles of visibility and transparency, concerning the calculation, creation, storage which aim at a clear picture of the and exchange of combat stocks in the requirements and possibilities of logistical Romanian Armed Forces establishes as a support and the principle of efficiency, the measure to streamline the planning and application of which is conditioned by early stocking activity, respecting this principle. identification logistics support needs to We believe that this principle must take optimize the use of limited material into account agreements and understandings resources. In explaining this principle, the between the armies of the nations Romanian Army’s logistics of Doctrine participating in multinational military actions underscores the necessity of correlation with so as to optimize the logistical capabilities of the NATO principle, meaning that the entire each nation, thus reducing the doubling of the logistic effort, both military and civil, is quantities of military goods and military focused on meeting the operational equipment to meet the operational requirements of the mission. requirements initially set. At present, the military units of the From the analysis and study of some Romanian Armed Forces undergo a new NATO and national documents, we have process of structural and conceptual found that principles such as foresight, transformation, which will bring new mobility and promptitude, which we do not transformations of the logistic system from encounter in NATO regulations, are dealt tactical to strategic level. In this respect, with in national doctrines, or are principles regulations will be developed that must be dealt with in NATO doctrines, other in line with the future structure of forces, principles, but they are not found in and on this occasion will need to develop national doctrines. Thus, the principle of

26 logistic support regulations that can update (multinationals, etc.). The widening of the and harmonize the principles of national spectrum of joint military actions tailored to logistics with those of NATO documents. NATO requirements generated the approach In this process we believe that it is of the logistic support principles in necessary to study carefully the incidence accordance with the missions and tasks of logistics principles on the many received by the fighting forces. In this sense, logistical support requirements that arise in we consider that the logistical support of the times of peace, crisis, mobilization and war. peacetime training and training activities of During the process of updating the the peacekeeping forces, as well as the regulations with new concepts taken from logistical support underlying the constitution NATO documents, in order not to create of war material stocks, depend on these confusion, it is necessary to analyze the principles, which are partly found in logistic interaction of newly introduced principles doctrines and have been deepened by with some concepts already used in the different specialists, but the approach has respective field, in order to understand and been taken only for multinational operations clearly implement taking into account and for crisis, mobilization and war military activities and actions over time peace, crisis, mobilization and war. situations. In this way we propose a clear stipulation in the existing doctrines, 4. Conclusions instructions, logistic regulations of the The logistics system of peacetime common principles of logistical support in military units must be flexible, react quickly peacetime, in crisis situations, mobilization and efficiently in providing logistical support and war and introduction of those with for the smooth deployment of the military novelty character. activities planned through the “Plan of Main As a final conclusion, considering the Activities”, but this involves knowing the issues under consideration, we appreciate basic mission of to each military entity at the that studying, analyzing and harmonizing same time as the logistic support dimension the principles underpinning the logistical support of the military units to peace and to be achieved in this respect. By addressing the principles underpinning logistical the logistic support principles of military support in military action are topical and activities, we highlighted the implications, high-profile themes interest because the multiple determinations and peculiarities uniform application of these principles putting them into practice in the logistical would lead to the creation and development support of peace training and training of a flexible and efficient logistics system, activities. What is important is the which is a top priority for logistics understanding of the interdependence specialists in the Romanian Armed Forces. between the principles of logistic support In this sense, we support the idea that the and the fact that they interpenetrate and current logistics system must be mutually condition each other requires modernized through high-performance constant adaptation and development so as to analysis, sensor-based technologies, correspond as fully as possible to the automatic data collection, data storage and application possibilities. That is why we dissemination based on standardized consider that part of them can be applied in replication mechanisms and supported by all situations, namely peace, multinational management information systems. This idea operations, crisis, mobilization and war of modernizing the current logistics system (efficiency, sufficiency, etc.), and others can is the future, and close to this idea is the only be applied in multinational operations provision of efficient logistic support for and in crisis, mobilization and war situations which we should have as a starting point

27 the reconsideration of the principles modernization tendencies manifested in the underpinning the logistical support of the national and international economic military units to peace both internally, in environment at the level of the North the sense to be normally, structurally and Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and procedurally related, as well as externally, those within the European Union (EU). to be in close connection with the

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