Defense Logistics Agency Supports Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom I and II

Logistics Spectrum, Jan-Mar 2004 by Brown, Susan Declercq

"Any military campaign is successful because of four things: trained warriors, ammunition, food and fuel. Without those four things it would be difficult to succeed. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) provides two of the four: food and fuel," said Colonel Leonard Petruccelli, Deputy Director, DLA Customer Operations and Readiness Directorate.

For instance, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) DLA has shipped 66 million individual Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs) to the theater of operations. There are enough of these MREs and Unitized Group Rations (meals for groups of 50 or more) currently in the theater to feed the entire population of Chicago once a day for 15 days!

And DLA's Defense Energy Support Center has provided over 2.6 billion gallons of petroleum and lubricants in support of OIF and OEF. That is enough fuel to satisfy the needs of the entire United States for more than a week. But that's not all.

DLA's Director, Vice Admiral Keith W. Lippert, explains it this way: "As the DoD's [Department of Defense's] logistics combat support agency, we acquire a large variety of consumable items - food, fuel, medical supplies, clothing, construction and barrier materiel, and more than 90 percent of the military services' weapons systems repair parts both in times of peace and war.

"We also receive, store and issue both DLA and military Service assets at our 22 distribution depots in the continental United States and at key sites overseas. And our Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service manages the re-use and disposal of excess property," he added.

Logisticians throughout DLA have had their hands full with Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, said Petruccelli. "To me, logistics is that behind-the-scenes operation that is always on - 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Every aspect of our business has to be done right to provide the kind of support our armed forces deserve," he added.

As an example, Petruccelli emphasized the critical role warehouse employees play in the supply process. "The folks receiving the property have to do it right because we rely on the information that comes in via the computer as the bottom line. That is trusted information, and there is no time or room for second-guessing. If the warehouse staff brings the property in and inputs the data into the computer correctly, then the property and the physical location are going to match."

Petruccelli said the DLA work force consistently demonstrates incredible dedication and commitment to providing world-class logistics support.

"It's the guys and the gals who, right after 9/11 when trucks from companies weren't coming, drove the trucks that brought the materials to New York. It's these same people who are preparing tons of cargo 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and transporting the material to ports for O1F," said Petruccelli. "You can't ask for a better work force. The civilians, reservists and active-duty military who volunteer to deploy are taking the anthrax and smallpox shots, working 14- to 16-hour shifts, eating MREs and wearing protective clothing. They're providing vital logistics information to the Combined Forces Land Component Command in Kuwait and U.S. Central Command in Qatar so the component logistics planners and supply support personnel forward can make good decisions on how to execute this campaign."

New Business Practices for the Current Campaign in Iraq

This campaign is different from previous campaigns because the entire logistics and supply chain process has changed. Inventory is not managed like it was in the 80s and 90s. Instead of managing large service and wholesale inventories..."we manage suppliers," said Petruccelli. This is an entirely different logistics approach than was used in Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm.

"We are out of the business of warehousing huge mountains of inventories, but we still manage small hills of critical and high-demand items," he said. "Instead, much of the warfighter's supplies are shipped directly from manufacturers, distributors and strategic suppliers. We ensure it is delivered straight to where the forces want it - whether that's an office in Virginia, a pier in Kuwait or an airfield inside Iraq."

Petruccelli said DLA now works "hand in glove" with the combatant commanders and their planners to get out in front of the requirements early in the process. "That makes it easier to anticipate needs, and that is what you have to do to support a campaign like this," he said.

"In 1999 and 2000," said Petruccelli, "DLA foresaw the need to embed liaison officers at each Combatant Command (i.e., U.S. Central Command) and Joint Staff. They've been instrumental in driving good logistics discipline and preparation by integrating DLA's core capabilities into the deliberate and crisis planning process early. You need to anticipate the logistics by working hard in the early planning stages." Working this closely with the combatant commanders improves communication and puts everyone in a better position to plan and sustain requirements, he said.