ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — Gen. Ed Daly, commanding general of U.S. Army Materiel Command, engaged with members of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command’s Integrated Logistics Support Center workforce during a visit to CECOM headquarters, Aug. 2.The visit was highlighted by a mission brief held at APG’s Myer Auditorium and broadcast virtually to the workforce around the globe.
Daly’s visit was a unique opportunity for the Army’s top sustainer to speak directly to the CECOM workforce on the AMC-wide Supply Chain Optimization initiative. The open-question forum setting led to a constructive and candid discussion about this crucial evolution in CECOM operations. The new Supply Chain Optimization, or SCO, initiative is AMC’s effort to rapidly advance supply chain operations and item management to the 21st century and ahead.
“There is a need to keep up with changing times and changing strategic environments,” explained Daly. “Today’s current global environment demands that we modernize the Army’s supply chain and make it more robust. This [SCO] initiative addresses supply chain challenges, reduces risk with vendors and invests in organic manufacturing to offset supply chain vulnerabilities.”
AMC identified a number of problems that were preventing its supply chain from running optimally. A lack of consistency across the LCMCs in both supply chain functions and processes led to inconsistent and unpredictable performance. Through feedback from the LCMCs themselves, Gen. Daly and his team also realized that they needed to improve the communication and alignment of priorities between AMC Headquarters and the LCMCs.
Addressing these issues through Supply Chain Optimization will allow the Army to better adapt to potential supply chain disruptions and reduce conceivable vulnerabilities in order to support Army readiness.
“What we’re looking to get after with this initiative is a synchronized approach to supply chain management,” he said. “Based on the metrics we utilize and the processes we standardize, it will manifest itself through more timely decisions…, and ultimately …lead to an increase of our overall readiness.”
SCO rapidly advances item management from an outmoded Industrial Age process to a more standardized, centralized, streamlined and technology-enabled operation. More aligned with the Information Age of the 21st century, the initiative looks to drive greater process efficiency and effectiveness, while enabling the true mission of the supply chain.
“We need to change the way we do business,” Daly noted. “Not because we were doing anything wrong, but we have to stay ahead of the curve.”
The SCO initiative will be implemented into three phases: design, prepare, and transform. “Through Supply Chain Optimization we will better ensure our resources are focused on generating the most readiness possible for the Warfighter and our strategic global partners,” Daly said.
Keeping in line with the theme of transparency and openness, Daly closed the brief with a Q&A from both in-person and virtual audience members.
Daly was mindful throughout the brief to thank the workforce for their hard work and dedication to the mission, despite some challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You all are absolute heroes in what you do each and every day,” Daly proudly declared. “The work you do to build, maintain and sustain combat power for the United States Army is nothing short of spectacular!”
The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), a subordinate of Army Materiel Command and headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, sustains and delivers command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C5ISR) readiness for American Soldiers.
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