FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- The Army Logistics Corps includes commissioned officers, warrant officers, and enlisted Soldiers in three functional logistics branches - Quartermaster, Ordnance, and Transportation - as well as the logistics branch. The Chief of Staff of the Army approved the creation of all three on May 2, 2006.
As technology and acquisition and distribution methods evolve, U.S. Army Special Operations Command logisticians must come together to discuss new ways of conducting business and the way forward in a conference setting.
"Just as the CG (commanding general) gets all the commanders together once or twice a year to 'level the bubbles' and help see ourselves as the battlefield changes, it's important to get the logisticians together," said Col. Randy Nelson, USASOC G-4 Deputy Chief of Staff.
Logisticians oversee activities including purchasing, shipping and transportation, inventory, warehousing, and delivery. They may direct the movement of a range of goods, people, or supplies from consumer goods to military supplies.
Given the sheer size of what encompasses the Army Logistics enterprise, it is no simple task to get together to discuss changes and improvements to the field.
"USASOC has not had a logistics conference since 2011. I was a battalion commander in 5th Special Forces Group when that last conference happened," Nelson said. "Many things have changed since 2011 and that's the key (reason) to have this conference."
Nelson points out that as the Army approves the use of new equipment and as new personnel enter the career field, a conference can help keep everyone abreast of changes and improve efficiency.
"The driving force is two things. Number one, we have got to know what each other is doing and what our capabilities are," Nelson said. "Secondly, over the last five or six years, these capabilities have changed and you've got new faces that come in to each special forces group so you've got to come together."
Staff Sgt. Chad Campbell, USASOC Headquarters and Headquarters Company, materiel management supervisor, was largely in charge of the logistics aspect of the logistics conference.
From food and location acquisition to financial management and ensuring invitations were sent out in a timely manner, Campbell explains that he began preparing for this conference a couple of months prior to the date the conference was held.
This conference offered USASOC logistics personnel the ability to network, establish relationships and inform the CG about USASOC's current state of logistical readiness.
"Day one of the conference is titled: 'understanding USASOC today' so on day one, Lt. Gen. Tovo opens and then we go right into our operational commands and give updates."
"The key is who our audience is, the audience is made up of USASOC logistics enterprise members and all of our external advocates," Nelson said. "So the Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Theater Sustainment Command, CENTCOM, FORSCOM and CASCOM (Combined Arms Support Command) are our external advocates and they design our forces and our organization."
More than 15 participants from outside industries attended the conference to share their experiences and discuss innovation, adaptive thinking, and the general mindset of the logistics for larger civilian corporations.
"Day two is titled; 'generating readiness for tomorrow' so we are focused more on hearing from these external agencies on how they are postured to support us going forward in this fight," Nelson said. "So the SOF interoperability, interdependence, and integration, you know training, education and equipping challenges, we want to learn about your experiences and ideas going forward."
This conference coincided with the annual USASOC Combined Logistics Excellence Award ceremony where certain units were recognized for exceptional logistics accomplishments.
"The CLEA ceremony is an opportunity for younger up-and-coming Soldiers to get a certificate and get rewarded for logistical excellence," Nelson said.
The conference, according to Nelson, fosters a greater understanding of the capabilities, initiatives and challenges that special operations forces and conventional forces experience in the logistics career field.
"It's a fast-changing environment and so we've got to take a look at ourselves and understand ourselves and analyze if we need to change and how," Nelson said. "I've used the term 'high tide raises all boats' and so to inform everyone at once, it works better to have a conference, than to go office call to office call."
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