REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- In a year marked by expanding missions, the Army Materiel Command's effectiveness in enabling the Army's continued ability to fight and win the nation's wars remains firmly entrenched in the capabilities of its major subordinate commands.
Major restructuring and mission changes at a fast pace defined operations in 2019 throughout AMC as employees at all levels worked to synchronize efforts, focus on readiness and move toward mission success.
"If we come together, are moving in the same direction, focused on the right priorities and applying the right leadership, we will get the things done we need to get done," AMC commander Gen. Gus Perna told the MSC leadership teams at a Commander's Forum in early 2019. "We have some things we have to do, collectively, to synchronize the capabilities of Army Materiel Command. As individual commands, we will not succeed; it is our collective effort that makes the difference."
Those comments set the tone for a year during which the AMC enterprise synchronized its efforts in support of the Army's new Futures Command; gained three command missions as the Army reshaped to gain effectiveness, ensure efficiencies and prioritize resources; took the lead in the Army's Strategic Support Area; and refocused internally on improving the workplace and providing support to its number one asset -- its people. As a result of restructuring, AMC grew from nine to 11 major subordinate commands, and from 120,000 to 190,000 employees in 2019.
"We have to continually look at how are we operationalizing, integrating and synchronizing our individual capabilities to meet combatant command requirements and secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army priorities as AMC prepares the Army materiel enterprise for large-scale, multi-domain combat operations," Perna said.
While AMC transitioned its research mission to Futures Command with the realignment of the Research, Development and Engineering Command, AMC grew in 2019 with the further integration of three major subordinate commands -- the newly formed Army Medical Logistics Command, Installation Management Command and Financial Management Command.
Installation Management Command transitioned from an Army Direct Reporting Unit to a major subordinate of AMC in March. The transition of IMCOM to AMC better aligned installation services and support functions, and enabled prioritization and execution of resources to facilities, infrastructure and programs across the Army.
Army Medical Logistics Command stood up as a major subordinate to AMC June 1, following the Army restructure of the Medical Research and Materiel Command. With the transition, AMC gained responsibilities for all classes of supply and, through AMLC, now ensures medical forces have the specialized equipment and materiel they need to provide the best care for Soldiers, on and off the battlefield.
Army Financial Management Command transitioned to a major subordinate of AMC Oct. 1, re-aligning financial management under the Army four-star command responsible for sustainment across the Strategic Support area. The transition better delineates roles and responsibilities for financial management policy and execution, and gives FMCOM the ability to establish new ways of doing business while allowing the Army to remain auditable.
"U.S. Army Financial Management Command is an integral component of the sustainment enterprise, executing financial, technical and comptroller activities across the entire force," Perna said. "Simply stated, this change directly improves the stewardship efforts of commanders at all echelons, and it ensures optimization of the Army's purchasing power that will enable readiness."
As part of AMC's internal Shape the Fight initiative, its Logistics Support Activity re-designated as the Logistics Data Analysis Center, with several of its functions transitioning to AMC's Army Sustainment Command. LDAC's mission was refocused to synchronize, integrate and conduct analysis of sustainment data to provide materiel solutions that improve Army readiness.
During the year as the Army adapted to the Multi-Domain Operations concept, AMC turned its focus to the Strategic Support Area, defined as the space where logistics and sustainment functions emanate.
"Army Materiel Command is responsible for ensuring readiness of the Strategic Support Area," Perna said. "The SSA is not confined to the U.S. It is wherever we support the fight. It is where combat power is generated, projected and sustained."
At the Association of the U.S. Army Global Force Symposium in March, Perna highlighted seven focus areas to build and maintain readiness of the SSA -- Soldier, Civilian and Family Readiness, Installation Readiness, Industrial Base Readiness, Munitions Readiness, Strategic Power Projection Readiness, Supply Availability and Equipment Readiness and Logistics Information Readiness. AMC is focusing the critical resources of the material enterprise on these key areas, with initiatives ranging from infrastructure upgrades to energy independence on installations, and from modernizing Organic Industrial Base facilities to improving the ability to overhaul and maintain current and next-generation weapon systems.
"Multi-Domain Operations require us to effectively generate combat power, quickly project our forces, and then sustain systems and formations for extended durations along multiple dispersed routes, against an enemy laser-focused on disrupting our abilities," Perna said.
"Maximizing our capabilities in these seven focus areas will assure our advantage and allow us to execute the expeditionary logistics and sustainment operations necessary to fight and win on a multi-domain battlefield. Our efforts in the Strategic Support Area will reach the target, and drive and support success."
Through the seven focus areas, AMC is setting conditions for the Army's future success in defense of the nation. It's synchronization with other Army Commands, the Secretary of the Army and the Army Staff have been vital and, in the area of modernization, its partnership with Futures Command and its Cross Functional Teams will ensure sustainment of the next generation of modernized equipment.
"Our logistics and sustainment efforts at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels -- across all domains -- must be synchronized and resourced to best meet Army readiness requirements and, ultimately, support operations to win our nation's wars," Perna said. "The difference between being ready and reacting will be measured by the number of lives lost."
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