Military Logistics Presentation of Data

Military Logistics

PRESENTATION OF DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

An analysis of how the battlefield logistics contractor policy in the Department of Defense can be reformed has been performed. This analysis came from the surveying of 26 program managers, but did not include the Air Force. The research was based on existing data that was compiled by the researcher, and it looked at supply, maintenance, and transportation as areas where logistics were a concern and where PBL implementation could or could not be completed. Additionally, how much of a difference PBL implementation made was examined, because it was hypothesized that there would be definite differences seen between PBL and non-PBL as it applied to various areas of logistics within the different branches of the military. However, there were no guarantees that this would be the case, and it was necessary to make this determination based on the information that was compiled and the data that existed regarding logistics and how they affect the military in the present day. Not all data is reliable, but this data came from accepted sources that can be expected to have a high degree of reliability and validity regarding this issue.

To reiterate and bring the reader up-to-date with the actual requirements of the study, the following three questions have been analyzed here and will be answered by the researcher in this study:

1. What are the barriers and how do they influence PBL implementation?

2. What are the enablers and how do they influence PBL implementation?

3. What strategy and actions would lead to more successful PBL implementation?

PBL is becoming a vital part of the military's ability to get things done, both at home and away. The reason behind this is that the current logistics systems are not as effective or efficient. The military is spending a lot of money to handle its logistics, but that has not negated the high degree of problems that are still seen (DOD, n.d.; Coogan, n.d.). Money should be spent efficiently, and money that is being spent inefficiently is hurting the military and the people the troops are fighting for, because the troops do not have what they need and cannot get the equipment that they must have in order to do their jobs efficiently. PBL is not just about getting items to the troops, though. It is also about getting items to the actual military as a whole, from defense contractors and others who are building and shipping components, parts, and completed items, to others who are working with the DOD to provide needed goods.

Data Display and Discussion

According to the data that was collected, there were numerous instances of misunderstandings when it came to the PBL concept, resistance to its initiatives, and problems in implementation. Many individuals who work in the DOD and other areas of the military are not clear on what PBL is and how it can affect their finances and other areas of their equipment and logistics (DOD, n.d.). Because of the lack of understanding, it is clear that more work has to be done. The areas that were explored were maintenance, supply, and transportation, and all of the areas were lacking in understanding and efficiency. PBL is primarily needed to forecast what is needed in specific areas and conditions. Although the forecasts are far from perfect, they are able to make "educated guesses" about the equipment that will be needed, how many troops should be in a particular area, and whether there will be enough transportation and enough supplies for those troops. How the equipment and vehicles will be maintained is also seriously important - and the most easily overlooked.

Out of the 26 program managers surveyed, 22 were not entirely comfortable with the concept of PBL, and 15 of those individuals were actually unclear as to how it would work. There was a high degree of skepticism among all of the managers when it came to whether they thought that PBL would be better for them than the current method of logistics. Of course, it is to be expected that there will be resistance to change - but the wide-spread and clear resistance that is seen in the military is more than just being unsure about something new. Even the four program managers who were comfortable with the concept of PBL were still skeptical about whether it could help them enough to be worth changing over to it. Two were willing to try, and the other two were very reluctant.

The 22 who were not comfortable with PBL mostly felt that way because of what they had heard from others, and what they had experienced with companies in the past where PBL had been used. It was not clear whether those companies had used PBL correctly, or whether the incorrect usage of it might have contributed to how the program managers felt about PBL in the present day. Of the 15 who were not clear as to what PBL was or how to use it, 12 had no real desire to make changes to the current logistical plans that were used and three were interested to find out about PBL and whether it would be able to help them move into a newer and better way of doing things. The military is, in many ways, just like any other business. It performs a service, and it needs goods and services from suppliers so that it can continue to perform that service correctly.

Getting the right items and the right services at the right time is highly vital to its operations, and PBL is a way in which that can be accomplished. However, it will only work if it is used correctly and consistently. A lack of correct use of PBL is one of the largest barriers to its usage, because people who do not find a new style of doing something to be efficient or helpful will generally choose a different style - or simply go back to the old way of doing something. That makes complete sense from an emotional standpoint, but it may not make sense from a logical (or financial) one. The DOD is aware that PBL is difficult because of the learning curve associated with it (DOD, n.d.). That does not mean that PBL cannot be valuable to the military, though, because it is often necessary to move large quantities of humans and equipment hundreds or even thousands of miles. Doing that as efficiently and as inexpensively as possible is what PBL is all about (Coogan, n.d.).

Data Analysis

An analysis of the data that was collected from the program managers shows that the largest barrier to PBL is the lack of understanding about it, closely followed by a lack of desire to actually use it. In short, people do not want to change what they already do and what they already know, because they would rather keep doing things the way that they have done them in the past. That is unfortunate, because PBL is the preferred method currently in place with the DOD. The DOD sees the benefit in using PBL, and it is finding that using it more often is resulting in cost savings that would not have otherwise been realized. Another important barrier to PBL, however, is cost. Even though the long-term affordability of PBL is better than using older methods, not everyone is onboard with using PBL and not everyone finds that it saves money. When implemented incorrectly, it can actually be more expensive - which simply underscores the need to handle PBL correctly, learn all that can be learned about it, and work to improve it in any way possible.

The largest enabler for PBL is the fact that the DOD has moved toward using it consistently. Without the consistent use of something, the highest level of efficiency cannot be achieved. Because of that, the DOD is enabling better PBL simply by using it frequently and by making sure that everything that is being done in the military when it comes to maintenance, supplies, and transportation is running smoothly and with PBL in mind. Of course, there are still areas where PBL falls short, and there are times when the DOD may elect not to use it for a particular mission. The reasons behind that can be obvious in some cases, but they may also be more hidden because the DOD does not offer up everything it does for everyone to study. That could compromise missions and put troops in great danger, so it is to be avoided at all costs. Getting information is sometimes one of the most difficult things for a study of this type, since individuals in the DOD are not always forthcoming with information that can be used to study how troops are supplied.

Another enabler for PBL is the results that are seen when it is used correctly (Coogan, n.d.). As the DOD sees its military spending dollars go further, it will be interested in getting more involved with PBL on a larger scale. That would likely be true of any company or organization that used PBL with success, and the military is no exception to that. Even though it is the government, it is still a business and the military has to be run as a part of that business. While the military's job is not to make money (such as would be seen in corporate America, for example), its job is to be efficient and provide high-quality work and know-how for the price that is being spent on it by the DOD. Any way that can be done more effectively without compromising the safety of the troops or the quality of the goods and services that they receive is something that should be carefully considered.

Key Data Findings

Current battlefield logistics are different from what was seen in the past. Prior to 2005, and most clearly prior to 2001, the DOD was much less focused on PBL and what it could bring to the table (DOD, n.d.; Coogan, n.d.). Instead, the DOD looked at contracting for goods and services to the lowest bidder. In many cases, the DOD had contracts with a few select companies with which it had been working for some time. Sometimes, bids were not accepted correctly or information was adjusted in order to make sure those companies kept their contracts. While that was unfortunate, the most unfortunate part of the issue was that the DOD was spending a great deal of money when it could have been saving millions or even billions of dollars over time by handling everything with PBL. In 2001, the DOD recommended that PBL be used because there were too many problems with the system that was being used at that time (Coogan, n.d.). There were cost overruns, as well as a decrease in reliability and readiness.

In addition, in the past there was no end in sight when it came to how high the costs might go or how much of a problem over-spending on defense could be (Dupuy & Dupuy, 1970; Creveld, 1977; Eccles, 1959). It was clear that the DOD needed to do something to correct the problem, but it was not clear what, exactly, should be done. During that time the military continued onward with a lowered level of ability and a highly bloated budget. Eventually, in the late 1990s, it was determined that something had to be done. However, it was not until 2001 that PBL was recommended as the right choice to curb spending and raise quality in one fell swoop. Many of the systems that fall under the guidance and control of the DOD have been improved by the PBL that has been used. Other countries have also adopted the PBL strategy for their militaries and defense contracting, with a degree of success that is high, overall.

In 2009, an assessment conducted into the DOD and its PBL strategy indicated that a performance-oriented, outcome-based product support strategy was the right choice, and something with DOD should strive for. Even though the DOD is moving toward using PBL, and already has it in place in some areas, there is still much work to be done. PBL is not used all throughout every program that is under the control of the DOD, so there is room for improvement and expansion in that area. In addition, there are other areas that could make PBL more effective, and other areas in which it should be used. These include:

metrics, governance, analytical tools, human capital, operating and support costs, industrial integration strategy, product support business model, and supply chain operational strategy.

Developing and improving those areas would make PBL and a product-support strategy much more effective and efficient for the DOD, and could allow the PBL model to become something that encompassed the entire DOD and every department, leading to a higher degree of efficiency and wide-spread cost savings.

Synthesis: Key Data Findings with Key Literature Findings

By looking at both the literature and the data that was compiled by the researcher and analyzed, it is easy to see that PBL has its place in the DOD and the military. Despite the fact that some program managers are not clear on how to use it and may not actually want to use it, there is much to be gained from adopting a PBL strategy (Coogan, n.d.). The report compiled in 2009 on the use of PBL in the DOD made it clear that it was found to be a worthwhile strategy to pursue, and that indicated that the DOD was on the right track with getting product-based support and moving toward a more efficient and effective military. Because more than just the military falls under the control of the DOD, however, there is more that can be done with PBL in the sense of saving money and allowing for good, strong logistics that can help the DOD and the entire government move forward.

Literature regarding military logistics is clear: the military is often over-funded by under-paid in the sense that millions and sometimes even billions of dollars are being spent but they are not being spent efficiently (Coogan, n.d.). When money is being wasted, it can be frustrating for the troops and for the taxpayers who feel as though their money is going for nothing, or for frivolities that are not needed or desirable. It is not realistic to cut all waste out of an operation and a budget as large as the DOD, but it is certainly possible to cut down on how much waste is seen and better determine whether the DOD can save money in specific areas by focusing on what PBL has to offer.

Project Key Findings

With any study, what has been discovered must be made clear. There have been several findings in this study - some that were relatively obvious and a few that were more surprising and unexpected. As such, the study provided more information than expected in some areas and less information than what was hoped for in others. That is an important consideration for the researcher, but also for anyone who is doing a similar study in the future. The key findings of this study include:

The use of PBL has been increasing in the DOD for some time, but does not yet encompass everything.

Those who are asked to work with PBL are often skeptical of its value and unclear as to its efficiency.

A 2009 report into the DOD and PBL showed that PBL was a strategy that was worth pursuing because of the value that it brought to the DOD and because of its efficiency and cost savings.

The DOD is more than just the military, and there are many departments in which PBL would be effective.

PBL is a way in which the DOD can save money, operate more efficiently, and help to ensure that troops are receiving what they need when it comes to military logistics and the battlefield.

Interim Summary

This chapter has taken a look at the data that was presented from 26 program managers and from the literature that has been collected regarding the DOD and its potential plans for PBL. It is true that the DOD has already been using PBL in some instances and some departments, but the PBL is not widespread or used in some areas where it could be beneficial. The reason behind some of this is the lack of understanding about PBL and what it really offers. PBL can be somewhat confusing for someone who is not used to it or who has never before worked with it, so the idea that it would not be warmly embraced is one that makes sense on many levels. However, because PBL has been indicated to be helpful to the DOD and military operations in general, it is worthy of consideration and can be used by the DOD both now and in the future.

Reports and information regarding PBL as used by the DOD have shown that it is an effective measure when it comes to lowering costs and providing troops with what they need on and off of the battlefield. Before the DOD began using PBL, there were problems with contracting and there were significant overruns on cost. In addition, some of the promised equipment did not arrive correctly and the maintenance on that equipment became a problem. By using PBL and making sure that the maintenance would be available, costs were lowered and equipment lasted longer.

Chapter V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Project Summary

Overall, the use of PBL in the DOD is not new. However, it has not been utilized as strongly as it could have been in the past, mostly because of some of the barriers to its use that have been seen. Those barriers include a lack of understanding of what PBL really is and what it can do for logistics, along with a lack of interest in changing from a system that many did not see as being broken. Because of the barriers to PBL, the DOD avoided using it for many years while it was being used successfully by other companies and other organizations. That all changed in the late 1990s, when the DOD started realizing the level of cost overruns and other problems that were occurring with the military and in many different departments. Because the DOD was able to acknowledge the problem, the next question was what should be done about it. Nothing was decided until 2001, when the DOD made a recommendation that PBL was a good alternative to what they currently had in place.

From that point onward, PBL was slowly incorporated into many of the different departments of the DOD, including the troops and what they needed in wartime. Logistics changed, and PBL brought new ideas. Some were resistant to those ideas, and others embraced then wholeheartedly. Many fell somewhere in the middle, because they were unsure whether PBL was something that could really make a difference with things like costs and efficiency. If the DOD was able to be more effective and more efficient without overrunning their costs, where was the downside? The only real downside was that change would be necessary, and change is often uncomfortable. It does often cost money to make changes, but that can be justified and offset by the long-term savings that will be seen. Such was the case with the DOD and their PBL strategy.