FORT CARSON, Colo. – Soldiers from the logistics and sustainment section assigned to the 4th Infantry Division conduct Ivy Sting 3, a week-long command post exercise at the Mission Training Complex, to sharpen their effectiveness in modern warfare. Ivy Sting 3 enhances multi-domain operations between the air, sea, land, space, and cyber domains, collaborating with joint forces April 22-26, 2024.
The role of the logistics and sustainment staff section is crucial by coordinating supplies and equipment with diverse units in multi-domain operations. The Ivy Sting 3 exercise would not be possible without the 4th Infantry Division’s logistics and sustainment personnel.
“We have the supply and subsistence section, the maintenance section, and the division transportation section,” said Sgt. Maj. Alhaji Savage, the 4th Infantry Division’s logistics and sustainment Sgt. Maj. “I hope we build this foundation that we have set for the next Division exercise.”
Savage said the division and transportation section coordinates ground, air, and sea movement. The maintenance section sustains the combat readiness of vehicles. The supply and subsistence section manages accountability of equipment. The exercise demonstrates the adaptability of the division’s logistics and sustainment operations.
“Sometimes, a land-based logistics system might support an air or sea campaign or the other way around,” said Master Sgt. Darryl Skelley, an ammunition specialist assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. “So all of the different domains have to be able to function together to accomplish the operation.”
An important role of logistics in Ivy Sting 3 is predicting the enemy’s actions, according to Maj. Gretchen Gaskins, a division transportation officer assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. The Ivy Sting 3 exercise involves anticipation about what the enemy will do, Gaskins explained, in order for logistics to sustain the 4th Infantry Division’s warfighting capabilities.
Although multi-domain operations may sound like a new concept, its theory and practice originate from historical engagements on the battlefield.
“The Army and the joint force have been conducting multi-domain operations for nearly a hundred years,” said Gaskins. “In World War II, Operation Overlord was a great example of multi-domain operations involving the entire joint force in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day.”
As conflicts have changed from the victories of the 20th century, logistics operations have adapted to ensure that missions are successful in modern warfare. One of the ways that logistics has evolved alongside changes on the battlefield is through technological innovation that enables logistics personnel to sustain the needs of the warfighter in real-time.
“My role for Ivy Sting 3 is tracking all the different requests that are coming through from all the different units that are playing in the exercise,” said Capt. Cristian Ruyna, a logistics officer assigned to the 4th Division Sustainment Brigade. “We’re sending out convoys [and] whatever resupplies that come up as the operation continues.”
Training is required to become proficient in the use of this technological innovation. Ivy Sting 3 provides the opportunity for the 4th Infantry Division’s logistics and sustainment personnel to refine their capabilities.
“Having a lot of comprehension training [and] preparedness are essential for ensuring that logistical personnel are equipped with the skills, knowledge, [and] resources to support every multi-domain operation effectively,” said Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Ramirez, a transportation management coordinator assigned to the 4th Division Sustainment Brigade. “The logistical success of well-trained and disciplined armies like the Roman Legions emphasize the importance of investing in personnel training, leadership development, and readiness to ensure mission success.”
The role of logistics in Ivy Sting 3 demonstrates the complex coordination across multiple domains of warfare. As advances in technology have changed the battlefield, the 4th Infantry Division’s logistics and sustainment operations have evolved alongside those advancements. The adaptability, innovation, and domain synchronization of logistical operations are crucial to ensuring our nation’s victory in future conflicts.
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