FORSCOM conference examines challenges being faced, initiatives being taken

By Larry Stevens, FORSCOM Public Affairs OfficeJune 9, 2011

FORSCOM conference examines challenges being faced, initiatives being taken
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT BRAGG, N.C. (June 8, 2011) -- Lt. Gen. Mitchell H. Stevenson, the U.S. Army deputy chief of staff for G4 (Logistics), spoke for almost two hours at the Army Forces Command G-4 “Back to Basics” Conference in Fayetteville, N.C. The more than 160 p... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
FORSCOM conference examines challenges being faced, initiatives being taken
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT BRAGG, N.C. (June 8, 2011) -- Maj. Gen. Raymond Mason (left), the Army Forces Command deputy chief of staff for logistics, discusses issues facing the men and women responsible for sustaining the Army now and in the future with Ricky Ellison, 40... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (June 8, 2011) -- The three-day-long Army Forces Command G-4 “Back to Basics” Conference in Fayetteville, N.C., continued today with discussions of challenges being faced and initiatives being taken in the Army logistics arena.

A highlight of the day was an update presented by Lt. Gen. Mitchell H. Stevenson, the Department of the Army deputy chief of staff for logistics.

Stevenson’s briefing ranged from the drawdown of forces in Iraq to the improved in-transit visibility of cargo containers in Afghanistan through electronic tracking systems, from new equipment fielding challenges to balancing requirements and resources to achieve the future Army force structure, from central issue facility modernization to the Army’s long-term combat uniform study.

He urged the logistics leaders to keep pressure on their subordinates to institute a culture of supply discipline through rigorous property accountability that ensures all items are brought to record and all excess is turned in. He also asked them for their help making sure units report readiness monthly even when deployed.

Stevenson praised the Army Reserve and National Guard units, which make up a major portion of the Army’s logistics structure, for their outstanding service since Sept. 11, 2001.

He said how to determine in the future when a Reserve or Guard unit is “available” in the Army Force Generation process is one of the questions currently under study, as is what “reset” will mean for units that do not deploy.

ARFORGEN is the rotational model that involves moving units through three cyclical stages, or pools -- train and reset, ready pool and available pool -- based on when they are expected to be available for deployment. This allows the Army to be agile and respond to changing demands for forces.

The general responded to questions posed by many of the more than 160 registered FORSCOM conference attendees. In particular, his announcement that of soon-to-be-released revised definitions of the two levels of maintenance (field level and sustainment level) sparked lively discuussion.

U.S. Army Forces Command is the Army's largest command and the generating force provider for combatant commanders worldwide.