Transforming the Army for a New Era — The Logistician’s Perspective
As we reflect on decades of relative stability, the ground beneath the Army is shifting, shaken by technological leaps, geopolitical tremors, and the looming specter of near-peer adversaries. The nature of warfare is evolving, demanding a decisive and comprehensive transformation to maintain our position as the world’s premier land force, ready for large-scale combat operations (LSCO). This is a fundamental reimagining of how we equip, train, and deploy our Soldiers.
To maintain its position as the world’s premier land force, the Army is undergoing a comprehensive and decisive transformation. This is the driving force behind the Army’s continuous transformation, a sweeping effort led by the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army, designed to ensure our Soldiers remain equipped, trained, and ready to win in any environment, especially in LSCO.
Enabling Lethality: Delivering Warfighting Capabilities at Speed and Scale
Continuous transformation aims to fundamentally transform how the Army equips its formations, implements policy, and uses emerging technology to dominate in the future fight, particularly in the context of LSCO. This requires a shift from traditional acquisition processes to more agile and responsive models that can rapidly integrate emerging technologies and adapt to evolving battlefield conditions.
The Army is committed to fielding next-generation capabilities. This includes the transition to the M1E3 Abrams tank, featuring a diesel-electric hybrid engine, active protection systems, and modular, software-enhanced architecture. Logisticians will be instrumental in establishing forward repair capabilities and ensuring the supply chain can support this advanced platform. The Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program represents another critical area, demanding innovative maintenance strategies to ensure high operational readiness rates for this next-generation vertical lift capability. Leveraging advanced manufacturing to produce critical spare parts at the point of need will be vital. Long-range precision fires systems such as the Precision Strike Missile will be able to strike land and maritime targets. These systems will require sustainers to develop new ammunition-handling procedures and ensure adequate magazine depth.
A recent Secretary of War memorandum emphasizes the need to achieve drone dominance over our adversaries while rapidly fielding new drone technology. The Army is driving the initiative for joint force drone dominance and is focused on ensuring U.S. military advantage through coordinated development of full-spectrum unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capabilities and accelerated innovation via agile acquisition. Complementing this strategic push, the Army G-4 is actively streamlining burdensome property accountability procedures for Group 1 and 2 UAS losses, which previously deterred proactive drone use due to fear of costly Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss investigations. New guidance, including revisions to Army Regulation (AR) 735-5, Relief of Responsibility and Accountability, will empower commanders to use abandonment memos for non-negligent Group 1 and 2 UAS losses based on dollar thresholds, fostering a culture that encourages the necessary employment of drones in modern combat and accepts combat-related losses as an operational reality.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will power next-generation command-and-control nodes to enhance decision speed and maintain the initiative on future battlefields. Logisticians will leverage AI-powered predictive maintenance tools, such as those being developed under the Project Convergence initiative, to anticipate equipment failures and optimize maintenance schedules. This includes integrating AI into logistics operations to streamline supply chain visibility and optimize distribution networks. Agile funding models will ensure faster delivery of critical capabilities by shifting focus from programs to operational outcomes.
Adapting to Change: Optimizing Force Structure for the Future
Continuous transformation demands a streamlined, more combat-capable force structure with a focus on eliminating redundancies, streamlining command and control, and maximizing combat power. Sustainers will be directly impacted by these changes and must be prepared to adapt to new organizational structures, roles, and responsibilities.
The merger of Army Futures Command and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command into the Army Transformation and Training Command will require logisticians to integrate their operations and processes across these newly consolidated organizations. This includes aligning sustainment doctrine with future force design concepts and developing training programs that prepare Soldiers for the challenges of the modern battlefield. The evolution of U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army North, and U.S. Army South into Western Hemisphere Command will require sustainers to adapt logistics support models to optimize responsiveness on a global scale.
The restructuring of the sustainment enterprise within U.S. Army Materiel Command, including the integration of the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, aims to optimize operational efficiency and streamline support capabilities. This requires logisticians to embrace new technologies, processes, and organizational models. This may involve adopting new supply chain management techniques, leveraging data analytics to improve inventory management, and implementing automation to streamline maintenance processes.
Resource Stewardship: Eliminating Waste and Maximizing Impact
Continuous transformation requires a relentless focus on eliminating waste, divesting from legacy platforms, and canceling or re-scoping outdated or inefficient programs. Sustainers will play key roles in ensuring that these platforms are properly recycled or transferred to other organizations while minimizing impact and maximizing resource recovery. The Army is aggressively divesting from legacy platforms that no longer meet the demands of future conflict, such as the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, the M10 Booker assault gun, and the Humvee. Every dollar saved from outdated programs represents a dollar reinvested into capabilities that are needed now.
Continuous transformation emphasizes a shift away from outdated systems like the Humvee toward modern solutions. The Humvee, a 40-year-old vehicle, faces diminishing survivability in the face of ubiquitous sensing drones. In contrast, the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) represents a new acquisition pathway. The ISV, prioritizing speed and maneuverability over heavy armor, offers a different approach, where modular configurations may be modified for different operational environments.
At the Soldier level, ALARACT 056/2025 updates the disposition and disposal of unneeded organizational clothing and individual equipment (OCIE) items and outlines the process for removing legacy and end-of-life OCIE items from Soldier OCIE records. Central issue facilities will remove OCIE items listed as valueless from Soldier records during appointments, a process that will be automated in the future through the new Soldier Equipment and Asset Management system. Soldiers will be authorized to dispose of some items after removing patches/insignia and destroying infrared tabs. In accordance with these changes, the G-4 will update AR 700-84, Issue and Sale of Personal Clothing, and Common Table of Allowances 50-900, Clothing and Individual Equipment, to reflect these new processes.
Empowering the Technician: The Right-to-Repair Initiative
A key aspect of continuous transformation is the emphasis on right to repair, empowering Soldiers to maintain and repair their own equipment. This initiative, based on the 2024 Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act, addresses the frustrating situation where Soldiers are unable to fix equipment due to contractual restrictions, even when they possess the skills and tools to do so. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll has stated it is highly detrimental to concede the right to repair to private industry. By regaining this right, the Army aims to increase readiness, reduce downtime, and save money.
For logisticians, this means increased responsibility, because mechanics in the field will have greater autonomy to diagnose and repair equipment, reducing reliance on external contractors. The Army must secure access to the necessary maintenance tools, software, and technical data to enable Soldiers to perform repairs effectively. The ability to advance-manufacture parts on demand will be crucial for rapid repairs and reducing downtime, significantly improving operational readiness during LSCO.
Guiding Principles: Key Takeaways for Sustainment Professionals
Continuous transformation stands as a pivotal response to an evolving global landscape, fundamentally reshaping our forces. This comprehensive endeavor encompasses the rapid integration of next-generation capabilities like the M1E3 Abrams, Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, and AI-powered systems, demanding logisticians innovate supply chains, maintenance, and support. Simultaneously, continuous transformation is optimizing force structures through significant command consolidations and the restructuring of the sustainment enterprise itself, requiring unparalleled adaptability from sustainment professionals. A focused commitment to resource stewardship drives the divestment of legacy platforms, the cancellation of underperforming programs, and the prioritization of agile, cost-effective solutions. Sustainers will oversee the crucial transition and recovery of assets. Finally, the right-to-repair initiative empowers Soldiers and logisticians in the field and reduces our reliance on external contractors.
Throughout this profound transformation, sustainers will actively lead the charge by embracing new technologies, adapting to new organizational models, streamlining resource allocation, and championing the empowerment of the warfighter, ultimately forging a more lethal, agile, and globally dominant Army for the challenges of tomorrow. By adopting the key principles of continuous transformation, sustainers will play critical roles in transforming the Army and ensuring that it remains capable and ready to meet the challenges of the next 250 years. Ultimately, the Army will remain the dominant global force, capable of deterring aggression and achieving victory in any environment. Let us seize this opportunity to build a more lethal and agile Army, together.
Be All You Can Be! This We’ll Defend!
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LTG Heidi J. Hoyle currently serves as Headquarters, Department of the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, and oversees policies and procedures used by Army logisticians. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, she has a Master of Science degree in systems engineering from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science degree in national resource strategy from the National Defense University. She is a graduate of the Chemical Officer Basic Course, Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course, United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy.
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This article was published in the fall 2025 issue of Army Sustainment.
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