Organizational change is a forcing function for Marine Corps logistics transformation

Logistics Spectrum, Jul-Sep 2001 by Trammell, R Ken, Baker, Shannon H

Operational concepts within the military services continue to evolve driving the need for new supporting concepts as well. The Marine Corps operational concepts, Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare and Operational Maneuver From the Sea, rely on information, speed and agility. This translates into a small logistics footprint accompanying the operating forces and the capability to reach back to the supporting establishment for additional required support. These operational concepts established a mandate for changing logistics support functions. Central to this challenge is the recognition that the Marine Corps relies on processes developed during the 1960s, and organizations and technologies established and developed during the 1970s and early 1980s. Logistics support to the Warfighter must reach the anticipated doctrinal changes planned for the near term and contribute a fair share to projected modernization investments. The key is to reduce costly materiel overhead and improve our business paradigm while delivering state-of-the-art logistics products and services required for the Warfighters to maintain a lean and lethal combat capability.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) issued the Department of Defense Reform Initiative Directive (DRID) # 54 - Logistics Transformation Plans to the Services in the spring of 2000, calling for each Service to submit their Logistics Transformation Plans to OSD by 1 July 2000. The Marine Corps' response to DRID #54 listed several strategic initiatives that were underway within the Marine Corps to ensure that logistics transformation occurred. In the JulySeptember 2000 edition of the Logistics Spectrum, the Integrated Logistics Capability initiative was highlighted.

It is easy to come up with ideas and concepts for change, but it is hard work to actually put in place the forcing actions required to create permanent change. This article deals with one of the primary strategic initiatives of the Marine Corps transformation process, organizational change, specifically, the formation of the Marine Corps Materiel Command and the accomplishments of this newest Marine Corps command.

The Logistics Transformation

Forcing Function

The Marine Corps Materiel Command (MARCORMATCOM), Albany, Georgia, the Marine Corps' fifth major field command, was established in September 1998. Its mission is to be the single process owner for Materiel Life Cycle Management (MLCM) for all Marine Corps ground equipment, ground weapon systems, and ground ammunition and information systems. This action, directed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps via All Marine message (ALMAR 304/98), set the course with a vision and mission that MARCORMATCOM was to accomplish.

Headquarters, MARCORMATCOM (HQMARCORMATCOM), commanded by a Major General, was created as the parent command for MATCOM and is located at Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Georgia. Marine Corps Logistics Base Command, also headquartered at Albany, and Marine Corps Systems Command headquartered at Quantico, Virginia, each commanded by Brigadier Generals, were subsumed in their entirety under HQMARCORMATCOM as the two major subordinate commands. The evolution of the HQMARCORMATCOM from concept through Initial Operating Capability (IOC), 1 September 1998, and subsequent achievement of Full Operating Capability (FOC), 29 December 2000, provides an insight into the hard work and vigilance required to make logistics transformations a reality. With the stand-up of MARCORMATCOM, the Marine Corps vested in the Commander the responsibility of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for integrated materiel life cycle management. Through MARCORMATCOM, the Marine Corps has gained a Corps-wide visibility of MLCM resources and systems. As such, MARCORMATCOM has taken on the responsibility for optimizing equipment readiness and warfighting capability, reducing total ownership costs and improving situational awareness of MLCM issues.

Strategic Business Planning

From the outset, the Commander, MARCORMATCOM, recognized that neither the new command nor the Marine Corps had a coherent, all encompassing MLCM philosophy or strategy. Headquarters, MARCORMATCOM selected the strategic planning model shown in Figure 1, obtained an industry leading facilitator, and canvassed senior military and civilian leaders to undertake the development of the first integrated Marine Corps materiel life cycle management Strategic Business Plan.

Over a year's time, this strategic planning effort led to the refinement of the vision and mission, identified the command's primary customers and products, set goals and objectives, and established performance metrics to track and report on this tremendous undertaking. In addition, it laser-- focused the command's attention and resources on enhanced readiness by leveraging technology, through innovation, and a highly skilled and trained workforce. Predicated upon higherlevel guidance and the most current future concepts available, the business planning process captured other Marine Corps and DoD strategic planning efforts, enabling MARCORMATCOM to rise to preeminence in the worldwide materiel life cycle management community. Upon publication in July 2000, the MARCORMATCOM Strategic Business Plan set the course for the future that will continually challenge the command to set and achieve the highest MLCM standards possible, improve Marine Corps readiness and enhance warfighting capabilities.