Most agree that much of what a senior sustainment NCO does is accomplished through the lens of a multifunctional logistician. What is a multifunctional logistician? It’s an NCO with broad knowledge and experience who is qualified to fulfill several functions or roles within the sustainment warfighting function. This definition was determined and established early in 2023 by nominative command sergeants major and sergeants major across the Total Army.
The NCO corps currently has NCOs assigned to varied organizations performing multifunctional tasks. What did not exist until now was a codified process to bridge education and experience.
In May 2022, a directive was issued to incorporate Sustainment Common Core within the Senior Leaders Courses (SLCs) of logistics NCOs attending professional military education at the Logistics Non-commissioned Officer Academy (LNCOA) at Army Sustainment University (ASU), Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. The intent is to provide senior NCOs attending their respective SLCs with 58 hours dedicated to logistics common core. Sustainment Common Core is the foundation of the multifunctional logistician NCO. The required education exists and is currently delivered to senior logistics NCOs at the LNCOA.
Once the educational aspect was established, the experience was codified. The implementation of the Personnel Development Skill Identifier (PDSI) of the multifunctional logistician encourages leaders within the sustainment enterprise to seek to become multi-skilled. The PDSI also identifies trained and experienced senior logistics NCOs for multifunctional positions within organizations. Doing so provides a baseline understanding of mission planning within each sustainment warfighting function. With the implementation of the PDSI, positions are coded as multifunctional logistician positions, placing the right person in the right position at the right time.
In December 2023, the Logistics Branch Proponency Office (LOGPRO) within ASU submitted a PDSI requesting the establishment of the multifunctional logistician NCO. Establishing the multifunctional logistician NCO PDSI allows for a formal program of self-guided professional development. The following criteria for a multifunctional logistician NCO were submitted for recommendation to the permanent PDSI:
- Graduate a senior NCO SLC (with Sustainment Common Core).
- Perform duties in a leadership role successfully for 12 to 24 months.
- Graduate the Support Operations Course (Phase I).
- Serve as support operations course commodity manager, S-3/operations noncommissioned officer in charge, or G-4/S-4 successfully for a minimum of 12 months (validated through NCO evaluation reports).
- Complete an associate degree with at least 60 accredited college hours.
- Acquire one credentialing certificate via ArmyIgnitED.
- Complete one functional course at ASU.
The request for the multifunctional logistician NCO is currently being actioned by Headquarters, Department of the Army, G-1. Once the PDSI has been approved, a board will be established, and LOGPRO will decide in detail the packet submission. The number of packets submitted for the PDSI will determine whether boards meet quarterly or monthly.
The Army Leader Development Model is woven into the fabric of the multifunctional logistician. The institutional domain is seen through the educational aspect of the Sustainment Common Core received by senior leaders attending their respective SLCs at the LNCOA. The operational domain is seen in the myriad of multifunctional positions in which senior NCOs currently serve. throughout multifunctional organizations. The self-development domain is grafted into a multifunctional logistician through various functional courses, civilian education, and a multitude of certifications and credentialing. The multifunctional logistician reflects the leader development model in that leader identification and certification is a deliberate, continuous, sequential, and progressive process grounded in Army Values and the Army Chief of Staff’s four major priorities.
Identifying and certifying multifunctional logistical senior NCOs to meet the demands of the sustainment enterprise allow for continuous transformation through the delivery of combat-ready formations while strengthening the profession of arms. The Army is transformational in winning the challenges of an increasingly complex world.
There are currently logistics NCOs assigned to various organizations performing multifunctional tasks. A senior multifunctional logistician NCO possesses broad knowledge and experience and is qualified to fulfill several functions or roles within the sustainment warfighting function. The education portion of being a multifunctional logistician NCO is delivered through Sustainment Common Core presented to senior leaders who attend their respective SLCs at the LNCOA. However, there has been no process to certify multifunctional logistics NCOs, so efforts have been focused on codifying the process. The implementation of the multifunctional logistician NCO PDSI will allow the NCO corps to identify and certify logistical senior NCOs in performing multifunctional duties in multifunctional organizations, becoming multifunctional logisticians in the process.
--------------------
Command Sgt. Maj. Oscar Llamas currently serves as the command sergeant major and commandant of the Logistics Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Army Sustainment University, Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. He graduated from all levels of the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development System, culminating with the Sergeants Major Academy. He holds a master’s degree in psychology. He is also a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education course and the Supervisor Development Course.
--------------------
This article was published in the Spring 2024 issue of Army Sustainment.
RELATED LINKS
The Current issue of Army Sustainment in pdf format
Current Army Sustainment Online Articles
Connect with Army Sustainment on LinkedIn
Connect with Army Sustainment on Facebook
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Social Sharing