SUSTAINMENT: Logistics (Part 1)

Last week we covered the 8 Principles of Sustainment from ADP 4-0 (“A CRISIS E”) and the 4 Elements of Sustainment: Logistics, Finance, Healthcare and Personal Services.

This week we’ll get deeper into the nuts and bolts of those elements. Logistics is, by far, the biggest part of sustainment. Battalions of entire companies devoted to just a couple of aspects of logistics, while the other elements require small staff sections or a platoon. So, we’ll split up the loggies into two days, cover healthcare services on another, and combine personnel and finance into Thursday. The quiz will be

Friday, as is the routine

As always, italics added for our emphasis, and […] indicates we cut out stuff we thought was fluff. And, as always: you’re smarter reading the pub yourself to be exactly sure

The Big Ideas:

Logistics is planning and executing the movement and support of forces.

Army logistics include the following—

Maintenance.

Transportation.

Supply.

Field services.

Distribution.

Operational contract support.

General engineering support.

The major takeaways:

Logistics is planning and executing the movement and support of forces. It includes those aspects of military operations that deal with-

• design and development

• acquisition, storage, movement, distribution, maintenance, and disposition of materiel

• acquisition or construction, maintenance, operation, and disposition of facilities

• and acquisition or furnishing of services

Army logistics include the following—

• Maintenance.

• Transportation.

• Supply.

• Field services.

• Distribution.

• Operational contract support.

• General engineering support.

• Maintenance is all actions taken to retain materiel in a serviceable condition or to restore it to serviceability.

• Transportation units move sustainment from ports through the system to points of e

mployment, and they retrograde materiel as required. Transportation and distribution are not the same thing!

• Supply provides the materiel required to accomplish the mission

Diving deep in the doctrinal details:

LOGISTICS ELEMENTS

1-15. Logistics is planning and executing the movement and support of forces. It includes those aspects of military operations that deal with design and development; acquisition, storage, movement, distribution, maintenance, and disposition of materiel; acquisition or construction, maintenance, operation, and disposition of facilities; and acquisition or furnishing of services. For the sustainment warfighting function, explosive ordnance disposal tasks are discussed under protection and intelligence warfighting functions (ADP 3-37 and FM 2-0.) Army logistics include the following—

• Maintenance.

• Transportation.

• Supply.

• Field services.

• Distribution.

• Operational contract support.

• General engineering support.

1-16. Logistics involves both operational art and science. Knowing when and how to accept risk, when and how to prioritize a myriad of requirements and how to balance limited resources all require operational art. While, understanding equipment capabilities, consumption rates, operational contract support and host-nation support (HNS) require science. Logistics integrates strategic, operational, and tactical support of deployed forces while scheduling the mobilization and deployment of additional forces and materiel.

MAINTENANCE

1-17. Maintenance is all actions taken to retain materiel in a serviceable condition or to restore it to serviceability. The Army utilizes a tiered, two-level maintenance system composed of field and sustainment maintenance. Command teams, maintenance personnel and planners must have a complete understanding of two-level maintenance fundamentals in order to properly plan and execute their mission. Maintenance is necessary for endurance and performed at the tactical through strategic leve

ls of war. See ATP 4-33 for more information

TRANSPORTATION

1-22. Army transportation units play a key role in facilitating endurance. Transportation units move sustainment from ports through the system to points of employment, and they retrograde materiel as required. The tenets of transportation operations include centralized control and decentralized execution, forward support, fluid and flexible movements, effective use of assets and carrying capacity, in-transit visibility, pubulated movements and interoperability. For additional information, see FM 4-95.

SUPPLY

1-29. Supply is essential for enhancing Soldiers' quality of life. It provides the materiel required to accomplish the mission. U.S. Army supply classes are listed in table 1-1. Supply classes for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) differ from U.S. supply classes. Additional information on NATO supply classes can be found in the NATO Logistics Handbook.

FIELD SERVICES

1-30. Field services includes aerial delivery, food service, shower and laundry, contingency fatality operations, and water purification. These services enhance unit effectiveness and mission success by providing for Soldier basic needs. Field services maintain combat strength of the force by providing for its basic needs and promoting its health, welfare, morale, and endurance. Field services provide life support functions. ATP 4-42 has additional information on field services. A means of providing support is Force Provider, which can provide life support capabilities for Soldier sustainment during operations. It c

an also support humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and noncombatant evacuation operations. For additional details, see ATP 4-45.

DISTRIBUTION

1-36. Distribution is the operational process of synchronizing all elements of the logistics system to deliver the “right things” to the “right place” at the “right time” to support the geographic combat

ant commander (JP 4-0). It delivers the right quantity as determined by logisticians in synchronization with operational commanders and mission. Distribution is more than physical distribution of materiel; it also includes synchronizing the functions of warehousing, inventory control, outbound transportation, materials handling, packaging, communications, and services such as maintenance.

1-37. Distribution provides operational commanders with endurance and operational reach. It ensures that forces are receiving the materiel when needed and in the right quantities. Sustainment planners establish a distribution system in theater to support the needs of operational forces. The distribution system extends from the source of supply to the point of need (ATP 4-0.1).

OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT

1-38. Operational contract support encompasses the entire process of planning and o

btaining supplies, services, and construction from commercial sources in support of combatant commander-directed operations. The operational contract suppor

t process begins when a requiring activity ide

ntifies a need for commercial support, and it concludes with contract closeout. Both acquisition (contracting officers) and non-acquisition personnel and activities have operational contract support roles and responsibilities in this process. For more information, see ATP 4-10.

GENERAL ENGINEERING SUPPORT

1-39. General engineering consists of those engineering capabilities and activitie

s, other than combat engineering, that provide infrastructure and modify, maintain, or protect the physical environment (JP 3-34). It encompasses those engineer tasks that establish and maintain the infrastructure required to conduct and sustain military operations. Although primarily executed th

rough general engineering resources, engineers combine capabilities from all three engineering disciplines (combat, general, and geospatial) to enable logistics and force protection.

1-40. General engineering tasks that support sustainment include building, repairing, and maintaining roads, bridges, airfields, and other structures, facilities, and utilities infrastructure needed for ports of debarkation, main supply routes, and base camps. General engineering units also install, manage and maintain electric power systems, utilities, and waste management systems; plan, acquire, manage, and remediate real estate; and assess environmental impacts. Additional information on general engineering support is in ATP 3-34.40.

Want a complete supply of logistics doctrine? Take A Doctrine Deep Dive with a read of ADP 4-0 here.