Workshop brings logistics professionals together

By Lisa Simunaci (AMC)November 7, 2014

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Army Materiel Command logistics professionals took a lesson this week from a company known for moving the earth.

Mike Hassenger of Caterpillar Inc., said it may seem like a stretch for a company that makes bulldozers to compare its logistic processes to the Army.

"But how we get to the point of execution is similar," Hessenger said. The Sales and Operations Planning process owner from Caterpillar shared his experience at AMC's first Supply Chain Transformation workshop Nov. 4-5.

Logistics professionals from AMC subordinate commands including the Aviation and Missile Command, Communications Electronics Command, Joint Munitions Command and U.S. Army TACOM attended the workshop hosted by AMC's Secondary Items Requirements Branch.

Hassenger compared the cyclical market his company faces with current federal fiscal constraints. "You have sequestration and we have our own form of that," Hassenger said, noting the violent up and down swings impacting Caterpillar over the past seven years. "All the problems you struggle with, we do too."

One way the company has dealt with its challenges, Hassenger said, was to "move the noise from execution into planning." Shifting discussions to the planning phase, he said, helps bring visibility to issues as well as the opportunity to work them out.

"We take care of customers in the way they need to be served," Hassenger said. An efficient value chain that maximizes return while ensuring quality, he said, is what gives Caterpillar its competitive edge.

Much of AMC's supply chain transformation has been scripted from comparisons to industry, said Jamie Miller, AMC's Supply Chain Transformation lead. "Issues we've felt like we were alone in are also impacting industry," Miller said. "We just have a different customer."

Where AMC is concerned, that customer is the warfighter. The command's Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, James Dwyer, told the workshop attendees not to lose sight of their role in providing combat readiness, even as the Army changes the way it does business.

"You keep Soldiers alive on a daily basis," Dwyer told the logistics professionals. From ammunition to aircraft parts, Dwyer reminded employees of the importance of their jobs. "Be proud of what you do," he said. "Brag about it to your neighbors."

Dwyer also challenged the attendees to bring their good ideas forward and take what they learned in the workshop back to their commands.

Secondary Item Requirements Branch Chief David Frey said the workshop was a success and plans are in the works for more. "For most attendees, this was their first experience meeting with the headquarters staff, and they very much appreciated the opportunity to hear first hand our supply chain strategy and activities," Frey said. "The workshop format offered attendees an open dialogue to both learn and offer suggestions."

Attendee Zac Cockayne, a logistics management specialist with JMC at Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., said the workshop opened the lines of communication and gave an interesting glimpse into the entire command.

"For us, it's a good opportunity to work with our peers from other subordinate commands and learn from what they're doing," he said. "It's also a chance to meet face-to-face with AMC leaders and hear their thoughts, while providing us the opportunity to provide more input to help us push forward."

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U.S. Army Materiel Command