HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Army Materiel Command’s senior enlisted leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Sellers, held a “Transform in Contact – Precision Sustainment” panel during the Association of the United States Army’s Global Force Symposium here March 26.
Army sustainment leaders emphasized the continuous efforts of sustainment transformation and precision as the enterprise’s top priorities, which are aligned with the four Chief of Staff of the Army’s Focus Areas.
For the first time in the history of the Global Force Symposium, an all-senior noncommissioned officer panel addressed an audience of participants. Sellers led the discussion from garrison to large-scale operations to include the Joint Support Area. He highlighted AMC’s role in Delivering Ready Combat Formations and supporting multi-domain operations, as AMC delivers precision sustainment and materiel readiness to an expeditionary global force from the Joint Strategic Support Area to the tactical point of contact across the spectrum of conflict in support of the Joint Force.
“AMC’s role is to enable the Joint Strategic Support Area and garrison all the way to the tactical edge, through precision sustainment,” said Sellers. “As we talk about transforming in contact and precision sustainment holistically, AMC is focused on Delivering Ready Combat Formations. Our commanders have done a phenomenal job at identifying key tasks which help us focus on the four focus areas: Delivering Ready Combat Formations, Continuous Transformation, Strengthening the Profession and most importantly Warfighting, because this is why we exist.”
“As sustainers we have to focus on getting supplies to the point of need, from the factory to foxhole and the foxhole to the factory by understanding the unit needs and the industrial base,” said Sellers.
Sellers said the priorities for future sustainment readiness and continuous transformation to develop the future MDO-capable force are established through professional military education and multifunctional NCOs. NCOs must have the ability to anticipate sustainment needs and setting these requirements as the priority to drive readiness.
In addition to Sellers, four senior sustainers sat on the panel to discuss future sustainment operations: Command Sgt. Maj. Brian A. Hester, command sergeant major, U.S. Army Futures Command; Command Sgt. Maj. T.J. Holland command sergeant major, U.S. Army Forces Command; Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond S. Harris, command sergeant major, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command; and Command Sgt. Maj. Dusty Jones, senior enlisted advisor, West Virginia Army National Guard.
Hester outlined efforts that the Army and the sustainment enterprise is undertaking to extend operational reach. These efforts include:
• Employing a formation-based approach to lethality and survivability;
• Increasing lethality and survivability of light formations;
• Integrating humans and machines; and
• Fielding a data-centric Army.
"When it comes to Continuous Transformation, it has to be threat driven, it has to focus on specific technologies for disciplined innovation and broadening options -- execute within our existing budget; divest legacy systems, and reduce complexities for staff,” said Hester.
Sellers also spoke about Rapidly Redistribute Excess and Divesture of Obsolete Equipment; Sustainment on the move during LSCO; and developing Multifunctional Logistics noncommissioned officers.
“AMC is building strategic readiness by divesting legacy equipment to unburden commanders of accounting for obsolete equipment,” said Sellers. “In fiscal year 2023, units turned in over 75,000 pieces of equipment to one of 14 Modernization Displacement and Repair Sites managed by ASC, reducing excess or obsolete equipment on hand and freeing up space for new modernized equipment sets. We expect the effort to significantly increase momentum in the future.”
“Everything that a Soldier touches must be sustained within the JSA to include barracks, food ecosystems and modernization efforts,” said Sellers.
In addition to sustaining readiness, unit supply Soldiers must be adequately trained to divest excess equipment.
Harris stated that TRADOC’s role to Transform in Contact is to enable the institutional domain by continuously updating doctrine, training, leader development, and education.
“Within the training domain, we [TRADOC] develop multifunctional logistics NCOs, that are capable, trained, validated, and educated to lead the force,” said Harris. “We do this through the education process nested within the four focus areas reinforced by unit training education and training management.”
Harris also covered transforming PME and education in contact; adaptable, flexible education that builds readiness; and sequential and progressive training.
Sustainment operations and efforts are not just limited to active-duty, it encompasses National Guard and Reserve units as well.
“The National Guard provides approximately 50 percent of the combat power,” said Jones. “It is exceptionally important so that we can remain relevant when it comes to MDO, but there is a significant challenge when we talk modernization within the National Guard, with number one being time and two being money.”
“It is really important for us to stay tied in with COMPO 1 [active-duty Army] because interoperability and capability during MDOs are exceptionally important,” said Jones.
As AMC works across DoD and the three components to synchronize logistics, build resiliency into the supply chain, and achieve combat readiness goals, it must continue to transform in contact through precision sustainment by leveraging advanced manufacturing, data analytics and other innovative solutions to modernize how it manages the Army supply chain. A modernized Organic and Defense Industrial Base, coupled with data-driven capabilities that leverage predictive and precision logistics information will ensure the Army provides the right parts and materiel to Soldiers ahead of need.
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