G-4 says army must change

Army Logistician, July-August, 2004

"The Army must change now. The old designs won't work on the new battlefield." Lieutenant General C. V. Christianson, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, told an audience at a recent Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Logistics Symposium that the changes he envisions are simple--

* Develop a logistics information network to connect logisticians. Sustainers must see requirements, especially repair parts, in real time on a shared data network. They must respond to those requirements with speed and precision.

* Develop a responsive distribution system. Distribution must begin on day 1 of a deployment and continue on through the last tactical mile. The system should be trusted by the customer and managed by a single owner.

* Develop a rapid force reception capability that will allow a quick and seamless transition to the theater and immediately provide sustainment to the combat force. The Army needs to develop operational concepts, but not specific operation plans, because it will face an unknown situation and force structure in an unexpected location.

* Develop an integrated supply chain with a single proponent to coordinate efforts to support joint, interagency, and multinational forces. The system should provide everything the warfighter needs, from factory to foxhole.

General Christianson said that today's battlefield is dispersed and consists of islands of operations that are connected by a fragile spider web of support. The force is no longer task organized and must be flexible to respond to rapidly changing environments.

The G-4 added, "The battlefield enemy has changed. He has different values. He places no value on life. He prefers to operate in remote areas and is hard to target. He is not trying to occupy land; he wants our mental space. He opposes freedom and tolerance."

General Christianson praised the efforts of the logisticians who managed under extremely difficult conditions in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He stated that they were not prepared to operate in a rapidly moving environment with the equipment and procedures they had; but because they were well trained and had a sense of purpose, many of their individual efforts were brilliant and successful.

The AUSA Logistics Symposium took place in Richmond, Virginia, on 6 through 8 April.