[This article was first published in Army Sustainment Professional Bulletin, which was then called Army Logistician, volume 3, number 1 (January–February 1971), page 14. The text, including any biographical note, is reproduced as faithfully as possible to enable searchability. To view any images and charts in the article, refer to the issue itself, available on DVIDS and the bulletin’s archives at asu.army.mil/alog/.]
WITH THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION of the first phase of the direct delivery support test in Europe, the U.S. Army is planning to expand the concept of direct supply support (DSS) to Korea and to stateside divisional units.
The DSS concept is designed to keep fast-moving items of supply where they are needed, shorten supply pipelines, provide asset visibility, reduce materiel inventories, and improve materiel readiness. Containerized items are shipped to supply support activities directly from a theater-oriented depot complex, bypassing the break hulk point and the oversea depot.
DSS-Europe
The planned expansion of the DSS-Europe began 1 November 1970 with the 1st Infantry Division joining the 3d Infantry Division and 4th Armored Divisions as participants. This phase of the test and the incremental expansion will continue until June 1971 at which time the test will be expanded to include all of the direct support units in the VIT Corps. The scope of the requisitions being submitted will include all issue priority groups (IPG’s) and classes II (individual clothing and equipment), IV (construction materials), and IX (repair parts).
DSS-Korea
Direct Supply Support-Korea, patterned after the DSS-Europe, is scheduled to begin in February. The direct support unit or one divisional and three nondivisional maintenance battalions will participate in the initial phase. Ultimately all the supply support activities in the Republic of Korea will become part of the test. Phase I will include class IX requisitions of all issue priority groups. The test will be expanded to include additional classes of supplies. Direct Supply Support-Korea will be supported by a theater-oriented depot complex and the Logistics Control Office, Pacific. The depot complex, which will store Army-managed items, will include the Sacramento, Sharpe, Tooele, and Pueblo Army Depots. The Defense Supply Agency and the General Services Administration depots also will support the system. Stock maintained at the depot complex will be managed by the continental United States (CONUS) item manager and will include authorized stockage list items and also those fringe items that warrant stockage. The Sharpe Army Depot will be the consolidation point for containerization and palletization. Containers, pallets, or both, will be designated for delivery to specific supply support activities or the Korean Support Command field depot. Container and pallet integrity will be maintained. The Logistics Control Office, Pacific, will maintain complete status data for materiel in the pipeline.
Containerized materiel will move by surface transportation. High priority materiel will be transported by air to insure delivery in accordance with present military requisitioning and issue standards. All shipments will move from CONUS oversea terminals directly to the delivery points and to the Korean Support Command field depot.
DSS-Continental United States
Current order and shipping time from CONUS to Korea is 89 days which includes 14 days in-country transit. The proposed overall order and shipping time is 44 days.
The concept of direct support supply is expected to begin in CONUS in July at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Plans provide for DSS service to all CONUS installations with direct support units, installation maintenance facilities, central issue facilities, and supply and transportation battalions, with a peacetime mission. The logistics intelligence file at the Logistics Control Office, Pacific, will be used for visibility of CONUS supply documentation and shipments in the pipeline.
Unlike the tests in Europe and Korea, a consolidated and containerization point will not be used. Materiel will be shipped by “dedicated” truck with tailgate deliveries to participating units from an area-oriented depot. Truck and pallet integrity will be maintained. The estimated ship order time is 18 days compared with the present 30 days.
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