Improving the Logistics Function for Warfighters

Army has been modernizing its logistics function for the past half century, and a wide range of legacy systems remain in place. For example, logistics automation systems, collectively termed the Standard Army Management Information Systems (STAMIS) have been deployed by the combat service support community to provide improved logistics support to warfighters. Although these systems have proven valuable to warfighters in the field, supporting these legacy systems has become a challenge for Army logisticians due in large part to their lack of interconnectability. These legacy systems also have a number of limitations that require updating and efforts have been underway to replace these systems with more efficient approaches to provide warfighters with the materiel and information they need to prosecute military actions on the 21st century battlefield. The purpose of this study was to provide empirical observations and views from Army subject matter experts to determine what constraints may be experienced and how these can be overcome in the future.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM

Introduction

Statement of the Problem

Purpose of the Research

Limitations

Definitions

Chapter 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

Specific Topics

Summary

Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

Specific Research Question

Operational Definitions

How Critical Items Will be Measured

Chapter 4

DATA ANALYSIS

Findings of Measurements

Chapter 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

Conclusions

Recommendations

Chapter 1

Problem Definition

Administrative Problem

Background

According to an article in Army Logistician (2005); "The speed and mobility of today's combat forces make logistics automation systems vital tools in sustaining an Army that can move farther and faster than any force in history. Logistics automation systems, collectively called Standard Army Management Information Systems (STAMIS), were developed by the combat service support community to improve logistics support to the warfighter." These systems are indispensable to the warfighter; however, supporting STAMIS continues to be a challenge for the logistics and signal communities. One of the challenges is the platforms do not interconnect with one another. This was noted in the Army Logistician when Army Warrant Officer Besaw (2007) explained:

As equipment in the Army inventory travels through its life cycle, the data associated with a single item affect several interconnected processes. Financial asset reporting, spare parts forecasting, force readiness, force development, future procurement, and even recruiting and training are all based on accurate visibility of the Army's property.

The STAMIS was created to perform transactions, distribution management, collect data, and generate reports for one process, such as maintenance, property accountability, and financial reporting. Now the Army is adopting new innovation. Or re-innovating the Army is going from STAMIS to the GCSS-Army. The Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army) will replace 30-year-old legacy STAMIS technology with an integrated, modular system that uses common hardware, software, communications interfaces, and protocols. This transition is highly congruent with the guidance provided by the Department of the Army as well as trends in the private sector. In this regard, Malham and Gabbard (2009) emphasize that, "Army leadership is leveraging IT to provide warfighters a competitive advantage as they conduct myriad operations in this dynamic, multipolar world" (p. 33)

There has been a growing recognition among the Army's top leadership concerning the value added properties of information technology and "winning the information war" has been designated as one of five modernization objectives that establishes the foundation for a capabilities-based force in the future that is able to dominate maneuver, conduct precision strikes, protect the force and project and sustain the force (Malham & Gabbard, 2009). In addition, U.S. Army Field Manual (FM) 1004, Information Operations, makes it clear that: "Information operations integrate all aspects of information to support and enhance the elements of combat power, with the goal of dominating the battlespace at the right time, at the right place and with the right weapons or resources" (cited in Malham & Gabbard, 2009, p. 34).

What this means for the soldier in the field is that timely logistical information is vitally important, but in the absence of other feedback, it is less valuable. In this regard, Malham and Gabbard emphasize that, "It is the warfighter's timely receipt and methodical application of information that increases his lethality. If information is sagely employed, warfighters have the capability to revolutionize information in ways their predecessors never fathomed" (2009, p. 34). The Army Battle Command System (ABCS) was developed for this purpose to facilitate information-sharing practices to provide a vertically and horizontally integrated force that allows warfighters to share a common battlefield perspective (Malham & Gabbard, 2009). For instance, timely information-sharing practices allows Army commanders to optimize crew workloads, conduct mobile automated command and control (C2) and secure automated targeting (Malham & Gabbard, 2009). In addition, timely information-sharing practices reduces the amount of time required for decision-making, thereby allowing warfighters to conduct operations within the enemy commander's decision-making cycle, facilitating the domination of the battlefield through synchronizing combat operations, the concentration of force effects and the prevention of friendly fire casualties and collateral damage (Malham & Gabbard, 2009).

To this end, ABCS provides digital communications between strategic, operational and tactical headquarters, down to the soldier/weapon system level using three subordinate battle command systems within ABCS as follows:

Global Command and Control System-Army -- the battle command system located at strategic and theater levels. It interoperates with other theater, joint and multinational C2 systems.

Army Tactical Command and Control System-enhances battle command capabilities by synchronizing the respective battlefield functional area (BFA) systems.

Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) the battle command system that operates at brigade level down to the soldier/platform level (Malham & Gabbard, 2009, p. 35).

The ABCS system also conforms to the Defense Information Infrastructure Common Operating Environment products, protocols and common hardware mandated by the Joint Technical Architecture (Army) (Malham & Gabbard, 2009). According to Malham and Gabbard, "The ABCS communication backbone is the Warfighter Information Network. Battle command systems enable warfighters to operate more effectively by addressing conditions of uncertainty surrounding four areas: Where am I? Where are friendly elements? Where are enemy elements? What is the status and activity of each element?" (2009, p. 35). The following three features allow a battle command system to address these uncertainty issues in an efficient fashion:

1. Report information in real time or near real time.

2. Access information in a user-friendly format.

3. Present information in a manageable format (Malham & Gabbard, 2009).

Therefore, the million dollar question that presents itself is, "How do the Army transitions into the new systems?" In his analysis, Besaw (2007) emphasized that:

As technology improves and the Army takes advantage of readily available commercial systems, the STAMIS we have used for over a decade are finally being integrated into the Single Army Logistics Enterprise (SALE). SALE is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, a software suite designed to integrate all data and processes of an organization into a unified system. Each process has a module tailored to its specific needs, but a single database records all transactions from all processes, and every activity is able to view the same data. The SALE will eventually consolidate all data associated with an item into a single database that is accessible through modules. The modules are each designed around a specific business process, such as maintenance, property accountability, and finance.

Department of Defense (DOD) defines its logistics mission, including supply chain management as supporting the projections a sustainment of a ready, capable force through globally responsive, operationally precise, and cost-effective joint logistics support for America's warfighters. Supply chain management is the operation of a continuous and comprehensive logistics process, form the custom's order for materiel or services to the ultimate satisfaction of efficient supply chain, and the department's current improvement efforts are aimed at improving supply chain processes, synchronizing the supply chain form end to end, and adopting challenging but achievable standards for each element of supply chain. From a higher prospective DOD has a plan for implementing corrective action for the shortfall in the Army supply chain.

Research Problem

The main issues are that the Army has an enormous problem with asset visibility and materiel distribution focus areas. The Army needs a standalone system that not only shows assets visibility, but is able to order materiel and circulate the distributions process. Analysis was conducted by combat service support automation management office (CSSAMO). They are they department responsible for overseeing this transition. They have determined some of the challenges that they will face switching systems include the following:

Ensuring that software updates are implemented.

Maintaining hardware and software data on all STAMIS within their area of responsibility.

Ensuring information assurance compliance.

Integrating databases for new units.

Coordinating signal support requirements with the signal officer.

Assisting supported units with STAMIS continuity of operations planning.

Recording and reviewing system problem reports.

Preparing an Engineering Change Proposals-Software form for common problems.

Providing user-level support training.

Research Objective

The overarching research objective of this study was to provide timely and informed research results, including recommendations, interviews, to a variety of members of the U.S. Congress, peers, high-ranking Army officers, and Department of Defense (DOD) civilians that deal with Army logistics requirements. The aim of the study was to use available resources and personnel expertise to generate a conclusion that adopting this new innovation will be effective in the U.S. Army logistics as we know it today.

Scope

I will research in chapter two the history of Army logistics and how it developed in the fashion that it did. Questions of interest include what was the need in the World War I, II and how did we get materiel to the warfighter. In addition, an in-depth examination concerning how the logistics function is performed today and where requirements are generated and where shortfalls exist, as well as how the new innovation will help mitigate these shortfalls. This research focused on the Army's legacy systems as well as the newly introduced system. This paper explains the innovation process and how it could be the most effective way to explained, defined, and creative a solution. Collected data will only focus on comparing the current growth of logistics in the Army, and how we have been doing business for the past 12 years, and how will doing business in the next 10 years evolve.

Chapter 2

Literature Review

The purpose of this chapter is to research and present scholarly work that experts have presented with regards to strategic planning, transformation, acquisition, technological modernization and industrialization. This review addresses similar challenges throughout the corporate industry that promotes strategic planning, readiness, and the transformation of the Army in the 21st century. Funding is one of the Army's major challenges, procurement of funds from the Department of Defense and the prioritization and distribution plan across the industry.

Shoemaker (2006) stated that requirements to reset our equipment and return our units to full readiness upon their return from operational deployments is fundamental to the Army's ability to do core tasks: (1) to sustain the full range of our current global commitments (which extend well beyond operations in Iraq and Afghanistan) and, (2) to continue to prepare for emerging threats. In and of itself, resetting the force is a major undertaking. Resetting the force - while simultaneously fighting the Global War on Terror and transforming to become a more powerful, more flexible, and more deployable force - is a dramatically more complex task - that necessitates a sustained national commitment and a careful balancing of resources.

To fully appreciate AMC's reset challenge, it is important to establish a common set of definitions. Terms like recapitalization, refurbishment, repair, and replace are often used interchangeably; however, they have very different meanings. Reset includes a series of actions taken to restore unit equipment to a desired level of combat capability after returning from contingency operations.

The reset process brings unit equipment to full combat-ready condition, either for its next rotation in support of current operations or for other, unknown future contingencies. Reset actions include repair of equipment and replacement of equipment lost to combat operations or worn to the point of being uneconomically repairable. Reset also includes recapitalization of equipment where feasible and necessary.

Shoemaker (2006) stated that resetting the force takes time, money, and the full cooperation of our joint and industrial partners. We seek to do this as efficiently and effectively as possible in order to use resources wisely and maintain preparedness for future deployments. Resetting units is not a one-time event. It is required for all redeploying units. In simplest terms, our reset program is designed to reverse the effects of combat stress on our equipment.

Shoemaker (2006) also notes that amidst the constant demands of war, higher operational tempo, rough desert environments, and limited depot maintenance in theater, our deployed fleets are aging about four years, on average, for every year deployed in theater - dramatically shortening their life. Only through a fully funded reset program can we extend the life of the operational fleet and remain ready for protracted conflicts. Where necessary we reset our forces forward to future modular designs, thereby leveraging the opportunity to accelerate Army transformation. Rather than returning them to legacy configurations, we are increasing preparedness for future challenges. Every dollar we spend to restore our current capacity actually serves as an investment in future capabilities. We will require a sustained national commitment to complete this essential work.

Casey (2007) stated that the Army must continue to reset their units and to rebuild the readiness consumed in operations, to prepare them for deployments and future contingencies, and they must add equipment reset in all future redeployment operations. Relevant studies for this research project would include the presentation of problems with equipment density, equipment standards that are affected by the operation tempo (OPTEMPO).

Strategic Planning

Andrew Taylor (2007) concluded that the latest estimates come as support for the war in Iraq among [Bush]'s GOP allies in Congress is beginning to erode. Senior Republicans such as Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Richard Lugar of Indiana have called for a shift in strategy in Iraq and a battle over funding the war will resume in September, when Democrats in Congress begin work on a funding bill for the war.

The $12 billion a month "burn rate" includes $10 billion for Iraq and almost $2 billion for Afghanistan, plus other minor costs. That's higher than Pentagon estimates earlier this year of $10 billion a month for both operations.

Two years ago, the average monthly cost was about $8 billion. Among the reasons for the higher costs is the cost of repairing and replacing equipment worn out in harsh conditions or destroyed in combat. To overcome the unprecedented stress placed on equipment, reset funding will be needed for two to three years, or more, beyond the duration of the current conflict.

Covell (2008), he found that a debate in which occurs frequently in companies, especially during budget time or periods of performance pressure, is about whether a given overhead function or activity is "strategic" or not. The relevant questions are: Is this activity or investment essential to the firm's strategic success? Is it a "must have" for the company to deliver its source of advantage, whether framed as responsiveness to the customer, flexibility, service or product breadth, product innovation and quality of care? Only "must-have" activities should be considered strategy-enabling assets, and these assets should be regularly evaluated for their contribution to specific competitive outcomes.

AMC has managed these changes in the external and internal environment through four major avenues of change: organizational change, building a culture of innovation, focus on complex services and knowledge management. Their goal is to transform Army Materiel Command from an organization that is production-based, commodity-focused and platform-centric to one that is service-based, capabilities-focused and unit-centric.

Morland (2008) believed that once its captains are aware of the ethical risks their organization faces, the corporate ship will retrieve its moral compass. The overhaul of an organizational culture is therefore largely seen as a top -- down affair, with leadership setting the tone, implementing ethics management initiatives and leading by example. That high-level individuals can and do play an important role in articulating priorities and shaping the sensibilities of employees within organizations is not to be disputed. However, if the role of such individuals is not to be denied, it is also not to be overestimated.

As the cost for equipment repair continues to rise, the Army needs a sustained level of investment to replenish its capital equipment. Although the Army knows this intuitively, minimal attention is given to this growing problem when making resourcing decisions. Rather than set aside the funds to replace a certain percentage of our assets each year, the Army focus on what they need today. When resources are less than requirements-that is, when money is less than mission -- the Army focuses on paying soldiers and training with existing equipment before we invest in tomorrow's requirements. Often, that leads to penny-wise, decisions on what's needed in the future.

Transformation

Management innovation is defined as the invention and implementation of a management practice, process, structure or technique that is new to the state of the art and is intended to further organizational goals. Adopting an intra-organizational evolutionary perspective, AMC's role as the Army executive change agents inside and outside the organization in driving and shaping four processes - motivation, invention, implementation, and outsourcing are examples that define a model of how management innovation comes about.

Gen. Benjamin Griffin, (2007), Lean Six Sigma (LSS) made its Army debut with AMC. Lean Six Sigma was officially introduced in 2002 by the then AMC commanding general, Paul Kern. Gen. Kern subsequently directed a transition to LSS in late 2003. LSS allows AMC to increase the number of vehicles and systems repaired, improve delivery times and reduce repair cycles-while decreasing costs. LSS achieved $110 million in savings in 2005.

Yauch and Krishnamuthy (2007, 5), suggested that lean is a methodology of developing a value stream for all products that eliminates waste in waiting time, transport, inventories, and defects, and focuses on a level production schedule.

Corpus Christi Army Depot, TX, a subordinate command of AMC, used LSS to reevaluate the T700 engine, used in the Blackhawk helicopter production line. LSS reduced the overhaul cycle time from over 300 hours to a mere 81 hours, reduced production time from 261 days to 100 and increased efficiency by 83%. But perhaps most impressive was the improvement in time between replacement, from 300 hours to over 1,400-tripling the lifespan of the T700 engine.

Yauch and Krishnamuthy studies of lean six sigma methods, transformation theories are equally important in streamlining process, and how they are incorporated in technological innovations. Organizational change must occur quickly, and accelerating change requires extricating antiquated cycles and processes. Rapid acquisition and fielding of new technology, spiral integration of system of systems innovations and exploitation of best business practices demand new ways of thinking and new ways of managing change at every level of Army leadership.

It is probably most important that these kinds of innovations start at the top to prevent us from being "process bound" with staff methodologies that date from the Cold War. This change of mindset must be accompanied by an acquisition and resourcing strategy that embraces joint capabilities from the beginning of a program, with the goal of joint interdependence, a step beyond joint interoperability. AMC's ultimate challenge is to forge new and innovative management practices at the top echelons of leadership within the command.

Technological Modernization

AMC introduced a program to address the Army's growing supply chain challenges. This program is a state-of-the-art tools that enable the command to send out supplies to soldiers anywhere in the world known as Logistics Modernization Program (LMP). This program replaces a legacy system that's more than 30 years old. This program is currently in the implementation phase and is expected to continue through 2010.

There are numerous capabilities that are becoming possible as a result of this integration process that will eventually link all activities from one end of the chain to the other including product acquisition, product scheduling, order processing, inventory management, transportation and streamline the process to increase its effectiveness. Not only will this ensure that supply chain management is a well-oiled machine, it will eventually decrease the amount of supplies that the Army purchases because AMC will be better equipped to plan and allocate its resources.

Andersson (1981) concluded that research and development (R & D) is analyzed as an endogenous public investment variable instead of as ordinary capital investment. The emphasis is on structural change analysis, with the stress on balancing R & D. For technological development.

Several significant aspects of a dynamic economic analysis have, of necessity, been simplified, namely: 1. lack of basic resource considerations, 2. trading interdependencies between regions, and 3. analysis of consumer behavior. In addition, the labor allocation problem has not been analyzed.

Rosegger (1982) study found that a research project dealing with technological factors in international competition, examines the strategic responses of a number of U.S. industries to technology-based import competition, and offers a more detailed case study of the automobile tire industry. Common elements in adjustments of capacity and production can be readily observed. An analysis of the economic environment in which major corporate decisions had to be taken during the 1970s suggests several explanations for the prevalence of short-run, as opposed to longer-term, considerations in managerial attitudes toward technological innovation.

Strategic responses tended to be generally timid and in most cases quite inadequate. The explanations proposed include: 1. laggardness in innovation and reluctance to adopt innovations already embraced by foreign competitors, 2. uncertainty about the length of time required between initiation of major investment projects and commercialization, and 3. underestimation of system-wide modification costs necessitated from adoption of an innovation.

McMilan (1982) study argued that a company with a strategic initiative that captures control of strategic behavior in its industry has the advantage because competitors are forced into a reactive role. To gain strategic initiative, the company must understand such factors as response barriers, general management challenges, intelligence systems, and infrastructure requirements.

McMilan (1982) found that strategic initiatives that can then be formulated are: 1. The aggressive build role appropriate for the product's rapid growth stage, 2. The gradual build role to steadily improve position starting from a strong position, 3. The selective build role that focuses on growth in selected segments, 4. The aggressive maintain role for maintaining a strong position in a mature market, 5. The selective maintenance role to build barriers to entry in selected segments of a business, 6. The competitive harassment role, and 7. The prove viability and divest roles appropriate to a business with an unsatisfactory position in an unsatisfactory industry.

Acquisition

The Army Materiel Command (AMC) is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness-technology, acquisition, materiel development, logistics power projection and sustainment-to the total force across the spectrum of joint military operations; these summarize AMC's core competencies.

Brege's (2004) study contended that, in order to constantly move to new market positions, and at the same time, restructure logistics and improve operational effectiveness, we have identified the dynamic capabilities of an organization to be the key to success in industrial distribution. We define dynamic effectiveness as 'how fast-and-well a company can go from one strategic positioning and productivity frontier to another.' It tells that a frequent interaction between new strategic moves and actions for higher operational effectiveness is required to be in pace with the dynamic and changing business environment and to stay ahead of competition.

As a part of this, best practice logistics performance makes it possible not only to be more agile to new strategic moves, but also to drive strategic development from a high operational level. This is achieved by designing logistics to be a resource base to support and be an enabler for new strategic moves on the market.

Kalpic (2008) stated that the key assumptions and premises of the merger and industry consolidation theory and the Rule of Three concept, and the discussion is enriched by several cases and examples from various industries. Scale does not necessarily bring competitive advantage, improve financial performance, or generate scale-related synergies per se. To develop sustainable competitive advantage, executives must understand the true nature and mechanisms which drive the industry concentration process, value creation through Merger-Acquisition M&A.

In Kalpic (2008) study, he found that the key strategic elements to be considered when formulating effective corporate strategies in a complex business environment and a context of rapidly concentrating industries. The discussion also raises awareness regarding the importance of strategic logic, correct interpretation of strategic concepts and sensitivity toward differences in industries in avoiding false conclusions and poorly-formulated strategies.

Despite the considerable financial challenges the immediate future holds, AMC also has the opportunity to use combat support and reset missions to test and improve transformation plans and programs. The reviews by Kalpic and Breggs depict how AMC's acquisition decisions in the future, and how quickly they must take action in a timely manner to resource opportunities, whether they are technological, doctrinal or business-related. Our future depends on such decisions. AMC is in a joint and combined arms environment that is also a resource-constrained environment. Future demands thinking outside traditional lines and acting outside old processes and ways of doing business must be the commands first priority.

Industrialization

Partnering is a mutual commitment between AMC and its contractors to work cooperatively during contract performance establishing a working relationship based on open communication, the elimination of surprises, early discussion and resolution of issues, the reduction of paperwork and joint problem solving to meet the needs of the Warfighter

Bolumole (2001) found that outsourcing, the strategy in which organizations employ the services of external providers, has attracted growing interest. Academic and industrial attention has also focused on the role of seamless supply chain processes in achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. This research is based on petrol retailers in the UK that have adopted logistics outsourcing strategies for implementing supply chain solutions to their convenience-goods operations. Its aim is to identify the factors, which influence outsourcing decisions and the nature and supply chain implications of outsourcing strategies.

Bolumole (2001) research findings indicated that the capability of service providers to facilitate supply chain solutions is largely influenced by four main factors, which in turn substantially determine their role in the supply chain: the strategic orientation of the outsourcing organization; its perception of service providers' role within the logistics strategy; the nature of the resultant client-provider relationship; and, the extent to which the logistics process is outsourced.

Sharples (1997) found that by simply by managing the supplies and suppliers more effectively, you create longer, more satisfying and profitable customer relationships. By doing so, you'll not only cut costs, but create revenue. Naturally enough, the customers of major retail chains and manufacturers don't care about supply chains, but what they do care about is customer service. This is also what logistics is all about - how you deliver products, services and value to your customers

Sharples (1997) stated that you may believe that you deliver to a mass market, but each customer sees it differently. As far as each of them is concerned they are your market - a market of one. So how you respond to each of your customers is critical in maintaining what competitive advantage you have. Logistics network design and planning can not only ensure that delivery remains competitive, but it can also have a large effect on your corporate growth and responsibility

AMC ability to meet the Army's RESET objective relies totally on the commands ability to provide the warfighters with equipment the meets the readiness standards of the Army that allows units to train and plan for their next deployment. Success is measured by the satisfaction of the customer (soldier).

AMC ability to meet the Army's RESET objective relies totally on the commands ability to provide the warfighters with equipment the meets the readiness standards of the Army that allows units to train and plan for their next deployment. Success is measured by the satisfaction of the customer (soldier).

Army Materiel Command's RESET Mission

Transforming the Army is a critical piece in meeting the demands of the 21st century; it is a holistic effort and not a destination modernizing the forces and put our Cold War formations and legacy systems behind us. Major combat and stability operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are placing tremendous demands on Army equipment. Amid the constant demands of war, the equipment is aging far more rapidly than projected.

Because of the higher operating tempo, rough desert environments, and limited maintenance available in theater, operational fleets are aging four years for every year in theater, dramatically shortening their expected useful life. To maintain their operational effectiveness and be prepared to deploy when needed, units must ensure that their equipment is returned to optimal condition, or "reset," after they redeploy from a combat or stability operation.

AMC's overarching mission to restore combat, combat support, and combat service support units to a desired level of combat capability commensurate with mission requirements and availability of resources. AMC's way ahead is to modernize business systems that provide critical Warfighter support, introduce new and improved technological infrastructures and replaces outdated legacy systems through incremental fielding of modernized capability. As an industrial and acquisition leader, AMC must leverages resources and integrates processes while presenting accurate data and status that is visible anywhere in the world.

Current efforts by the U.S. Army in this area are focused on the following issues:

Obtaining a 360-degree view of Army equipment readiness to facilitate Department of the Army equipping and resetting decisions.

Pursuing funding for critically needed logistics automation to replace legacy systems, to enable our modular force and to give the Army a corporate database through the Single Army Logistics Enterprise (SALE).

Transforming logistics units to a modular force to provide a scaleable expeditionary capability.

Developing pentathletes-to provide innovative, adaptive leaders and logistics warriors.

Implementing Lean Six Sigma and accelerating logistics business transformation to return savings for the Army's future (Dunwoody, 2009).

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Approach

The research objective was to provide the U.S. Congress, U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Army planners, logistics officers, and leaders in the armed forces in general and the U.S. Army in particular with the information needed to make a decision on how to implement the Army's Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army) and what will be the consequences of the new innovation. It was therefore necessary to identify the problem through determining the current effectiveness of the Army's logistics and to synchronize all sustainment systems.

In order to answer the research problem, interviews were conducted with subject matter experts. The research focused on conducting several interview with logistics officers, senior noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and DOD civilians concerning the effectiveness of Army logistics and how its information platforms will be affected by what is accomplished in logistics today. Army Logistics University provides resources for the Army logistics and sustainment function. The research focused on analyzing existing data to show the need to change the way logistics is handled in the Army.

Data Collection Approach and Procedures

Data to Be Collected

This research will collect data using interviews and logistic lectures. The interviews will be conducted with subject matter experts in the general areas of Army logistics from the strategic, operational, and tactical level; and how they feel about the new system that that army is trying to implement; as well as the second and third order effects it will have on the Army as an organization.

The purpose of the interviews was to take the personal experiences of senior and junior grade logicians and get feedback. This feedback informed the study as to the actual training needed to get innovation of the ground. It also provided insights into whether these individuals want the new innovation, and will diffusion occur. Since these personnel now have real-world mission experience, their input is vital to the evaluation of the A-GCSS.

The topic areas covered within the interview will include the innovation process and how do we use diffusion to get more Solders to adopt this new system. Also it will cover the pro and cons of the current and new system. I will get recommendation on how we go about to replacing the new with old system. Then I will research the innovation process to collect data, in ensuring I have what I need to state a clear problem, and a good solution.

Subject Matter Expert (SME) interviews were conducted in order to collect data in several key areas. First, the SME research interviews will study the warfighter needs and wants. Morale plays a part in keeping the warfighter motivated. My prospect is going to be someone that can breakdown each level of sustainment from operational down to tactical. I am looking for someone in more in a leadership role. It is imperative to understand how the warfighter fight and what tomorrow's mission is. How the selection process on potential interviewers for my research will be determined by their experts. It is also important to understand the notification timeline to determine if it lends itself to the implied purpose of allowing the TT members to perform consistent and substantive individual self-study prior to resident training.

The second interview will be with Chief Warrant Officer, a CWO on the subject matter experts on STAMIS systems. They have received all the individual training to be able to answer an array of questions. CWO research interview will be conducted to discuss training that is going to be needed to operate the new system. One of the questions will be a detailed look at the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) that will be needed to run these systems. A detailed study of the training is also necessary in order to determine if the topics in the MOS are covered in enough depth to ensure some useful level of proficiency.

The third interview, an SME interview will be conducted to specifically inform the study about DOD aspect on the A-GCSS, and how it fits into the budget. Will it be more cost effective in the long-term? What is the estimated cost of transitioning the new system in and phasing the old system out? It will also compare and contrast the pros and cons on how much we are currently spending on logistic in the defense budget. What is the consideration of creating a new MOS vs. cross training personnel in these areas in order to provide enhanced and useable skill-sets to run the A-GCSS.

Lastly, SME interviews will be conducted to study knowledge sharing resources and procedures. The interview will determine how ready we are for the innovation. This will test the diffusion on the innovation. There is a lot of information available to disseminate to the warfighter and let them know a change is going to come. These will really gauge how close the Army really is in implementing this innovation.

Overall the SME interviews will look at the agenda-setting, matching, redefining / restructuring, clarifying, and routinizing. Agenda-setting will be for general organizational problems that may create a perceived need for innovation. Matching is for fitting a problem from the organization's agenda with an innovation. Redefining/Restructuring is for the innovation is modified and re-invented to fit the organization and organizational structures are altered. Clarifying is for the relationship between the organization and the innovation is defined more clearly. Routinizing the innovation becomes an ongoing element in the organization's activities, and loses its identify.

Some of the other research methods I will consider using pilot test to help detect weaknesses. Consequences of innovations will be including as a hypnotic question in the interview. Furthermore, the data we have about consequences are rather "soft" in nature, but it will be based mainly on interviews, which makes it difficult to generalize about consequences.

Chapter 4

DATA ANALYSIS

Findings of Measurements

The results of the interviews with U.S. Army logisticians and DOD civilians are provided in Tables 1 through 8 below. Salient excerpts from these interviews are presented in the concluding chapter that follows.

Table 1

Responses to the question, "What general organizational problems to you anticipate that will create a perceived need for innovation?"

Interviewee

Summary of Responses

SME No. 1

The Army is a far more complex organization than it was 10 years ago, and even just a few years ago. Innovations in information technology have outpaced the Army's ability to integrate these changes in meaningful ways, making the need for implementation of systems such as the A-GCSS a major imperative for the future warfighting capability of the Army.

SME No. 2

Even though it can be highly efficient, the Army's supply chain is enormously cumbersome in places, and I don't anticipate any substantive changes in the foreseeable future that will pare down the hundreds of thousands of supply chain partners that are currently used.

SME No. 3

I believe there is already a perceived need for innovation throughout the Army, but there are always some constraints to adopting new technologies and introducing change into an unwieldy organization like the Army.

Table 2

Responses to the question, "How do you match a problem from the Army logistics' agenda with a corresponding innovation?"

Interviewee

Summary of Responses

SME No. 1

As the old saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention" and that's the case here. As needs are identified, research and development initiatives take place in response. Of course, things don't move as fast as everyone would like, but I think it's safe to say that the Army, like the other armed forces, are in a state of continual improvement using this approach.

SME No. 2

Unfortunately, innovation does not usually keep pace with need and this has been the case with the modernization of combat service support which has not maintained the pace of the rest of the Army. I know that this problem is recognized and that work is underway to resolve it. On the bright side of things, the introduction of the common logistics operating environment helps Army leaders capture the information they need to oversee and sustain Army readiness through improved data-sharing capabilities. I believe that the Army's logistics' agenda is right on the money because we are taking operating systems used in the battlefield to provide guidance down to the Soldier level. This logistics resources involved, though, will require implementing the Army's force generation strategy to overcome supply chain issues in units that experience high demand but have low density. Improving the operational logistics capabilities of the Army will provide the opportunity for commanders to obtain a snapshot of available resources, including their current condition and location. Such improvements will help Army logisticians keep better track of the dynamic equipment requirements of the service.

SME No. 3

There are a lot of smart civilian and military personnel working on the Army's logistical needs right now, but it does take some time to respond to new problems and issues. I don't think it is so much a matter of failing to recognize needs as it is an issue of identifying ad implementing the appropriate solutions for a highly complex system with ever-changing needs.

Table 3

Responses to the question, "With respect to knowledge sharing resources and procedures, do you believe the Army is ready for innovations?"

Interviewee

Summary of Responses

SME No. 1

[Laughs] That's a good question. Sure, the Army is ready and has probably always been ready for innovation but I think there are still some turf battles going on over who should do what. I know that the Army supply function is implementing Lean Six Sigma in an effort to make the supply chain more efficient by eliminating non-value-added activities and improving that ability to respond to the changing needs of the service. The goal is to provide the best logistical support possible regardless of the operating theater. In fact, I know that work is being done to improve knowledge sharing practices and procedures by introducing sustainable business processes. These efforts are geared towards aligning the national reset workload with the Army's priorities and improving the process for accounting for battlefield losses. These efforts are concentrated on helping commanders improve their warfighting capabilities in the field.