5 minute read
The Army Container Management Strategy
Shifting a Cultural Mindset, Re-Balancing Effectiveness and Efficiency, and Leveraging Technology for Sustained Landpower
By
Chief Warrant Officer Four Onedia S. Clark Senior Mobility Officer Strategic Mobility Division of Headquarters Department of the Army Directorate for Logistics
and
Kelly Caprio United States Army Combined Arms Support Command/Strategic Mobility Division of Headquarters Department of the Army Directorate for Logistics
— Army Times
The above quote reflects a universal truth “Our business is different from their business”—it just is. As the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) largest customer of shipping containers for deployment and sustainment by far, the Army has a duty to transform the current container management paradigm to one that provides the best return on investment—the most effective and efficient support to the war fighter, and the best value to the American taxpayer. New strategic guidance and increasing turbulence in our future strategic environment and force structure, coupled with fiscal uncertainty, all increase the urgency for Army synchronization and integration of container management roles and responsibilities. Collaboration between DOD and commercial industry has never been more critical to providing the most effective framework for deployment and sustainment to support the institutional and operating Joint Forces in the future.
The Army realizes that it can no longer afford to operate under the current paradigm—with container detention fees that result in exorbitant late fees as reflected in the above quote. Significant shifts in the National Military Strategy and resourcing frameworks require that future container requirements are planned in advance and well-managed. Through the help of the Government
Accountability Office, The Army Auditing Agency, and the Army Inspector General, the Army is responding with an all-inclusive, forward- thinking strategy for container management to set conditions for future success, while fulfilling our fiduciary responsibility to the American taxpayers.
Organizations such as the National Defense Transportation Association, Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals, and Society of Logistics Engineers will all play a vital role in resolving the container management challenges of the past. They can assist the collective stakeholders by promoting and setting the conditions for fair and equitable contract conditions, and offer future technology and management solutions to support the Joint Forces executing future expeditionary deployments. In addition, these associations’ committees will be advocates for the cultural mindset shift that is currently underway in the Pentagon, at United States Transportation Command, Defense Logistics Agency, US Army Materiel Command (AMC), and US Army Training and Doctrine Command.
The collective leadership (from Action Officer level through the four-star flag officer level) hope to produce the necessary catalyst for pushing the shift (inch by inch) through the halls of the
The four critical elements addressed by the Army’s container management strategy are: updated and synchronized policies, regulations, and doctrine; a comprehensive container life cycle management program; accountability and visibility of containers before, during, and after contingencies; and adequate resourcing for each element of the comprehensive container management plan.
White House, Congress, the American Corporate Headquarters, and other global commercial partners that share our national security interests, and our desire to provide best value to the American taxpayers.
The movement will produce the necessary new business approaches that fully leverage shared space among Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, Multinational, and Nongovernmental and Commercial partners. Resulting solutions to solving challenges like container management in support of expeditionary operations will become reasonable, win-win arrangements that balance effectiveness and efficiency in executing the National Security Strategy. The Army requires a holistic and earnest effort within our Government, DOD, and commercial partners in order to change the paradigm, and successfully enable future deployment and sustainment operations. The Army Execute Order laying out its container management strategy directs a balanced approach that requires collaboration among the stakeholders and senior leader emphasis to ensure warfighter readiness and better cost control. The four critical elements addressed by the Army’s container management strategy are: updated and synchronized policies, regulations, and doctrine; a comprehensive container life cycle management program; accountability and visibility of containers before, during, and after contingencies; and adequate resourcing for each element of the comprehensive container management plan.
Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, are leading the charge for container management through the Army Power Projection Program venues. In keeping with the framework established in the 2014 Army Campaign Plan, a battle hand-off from HQDA to the AMC for execution is forthcoming, and critical to effectually implementing the new strategy to ensure future deployment and sustainment success at a feasible and fair cost. DTJ
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