Mlf 8 6 final

The Publication of Record for the Military Logistics Community

Special supplement

U.S. Army Sustainment Command

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Jeffrey B. Burbach Director Directorate of Logistics U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

July 2014 Volume 8, Issue 6

Exclusive Interview with:

D. Scott Welker Deputy to the Commander U.S. Army Sustainment Command

Educating the Logistician O Materiel Handling and Construction Senior Logistics Leaders PPP Council

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MILITARY LOGISTICS FORUM Features

July 2014 Volume 8, Issue 6

Cover / Q&A

U.S. Army Sustainment Command Special Supplement

12

Exclusive interview with

D. Scott Welker

Deputy to the Commander U.S. Army Sustainment Command

20 Jeffrey B. Burbach

Director, Directorate of Logistics U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

4

5

24

A council of military and industry gathers to focus on maximizing the value of public private partnerships.

Basic supply chain management has been in practice for centuries, millennia even. Managing the supply chain takes hard work and a good educational foundation.

By J.B. Bissell

During two tough, long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, a lot of Army equipment for construction and material handling did some very impressive but difficult and wearing work.

By Henry Canaday

Senior Logistics Leaders PPP Council

Departments

Educating the Logistician

Heavier Lift, Tougher Lift

Industry Interview

2 Editor’s Perspective 3 Log ops/People 10 Supply Chain 27 Resource Center

Hank Perkins Technical Director Perkins Technical Services Inc.

28

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EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Military Logistics Forum Volume 8, Issue 6 • July 2014

Publication of Record for the Military Logistics Community Editorial Editor-In-Chief

Jeff McKaughan jeffm@kmimediagroup.com Managing Editor

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Holly Foster hollyf@kmimediagroup.com

Although some might debate the ranking, I would put information as the single most important tool in a logistician’s toolbox. Other tools have great importance, but can sometimes be squandered if applied without sufficient information that provides background, context and structure. Second and third order effects would be difficult to measure or anticipate without the right information at the right time.

Innovation can sometimes be a “chicken or the egg” kind of conversation. An innovative idea without a need for the innovation can languish, and similarly, a requirement in need of innovation without a Jeff McKaughan solution remains unfulfilled.

Editor Over the years, White Papers have become a way for industry to highlight innovative solutions or approaches, usually for recognized problems. A well-designed White Paper allows a company to shine a focused spotlight on technological advancements they have made toward very focused goals. To move the technology ball forward takes great investment and White Papers are a sharing that efforts to a broader community.

Companies today carry on the tradition of the White Paper, making the investment in time and energy to dive deep into a problem, and explain how a designed approach can provide the answers and what short- and long-term gains can be earned. White Papers help establish a company’s role in given fields and their executives, scientists and business developers as thought leaders with big picture vision.

The documents set the table for logical debates on issues of importance and substance—especially as they relate to the warfighter and keeping the strategic and tactical advantage.

In September, Military Logistics Forum will begin harnessing the power of the White Paper with the introduction of White Paper Forum. The magazine will highlight key White Papers, offering a focused abstract of each. A web link will take you right to the White Paper itself. The Military Logistics Forum website will have similar information, with links taking you to each White Paper featured that month with past White Papers held in the archives.

If you’re interested in participating in White Paper Forum, send an email to Associate Publisher Jane Engel at jane@kmimediagroup.com or drop me a line at jeffm@kmimediagroup.com. This is a great opportunity to showcase innovative solutions.

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LOG OPS

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Another C-5M Delivered A U.S. Air Force crew ferried the 20th C-5M Super Galaxy to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., from the Lockheed Martin facilities on June 30.

Travis’ second Super Galaxy, Aircraft 85-0010, was delivered 28 days ahead of the contracted schedule. A total of 52 Super Galaxy aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to the Air Force.

Shared Reading Lists

Groundbreaking at McConnell for KC-46A A new era in Air Force air refueling capabilities took a giant step forward on June 30, 2014.

Shovels overturned the first piles of dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KC-46A Pegasus at McConnell Air Force Base.

The ceremony symbolized significant progress in the KC-46A program and that construction in preparation for the Pegasus’ arrival has officially started.

The construction includes a two-bay corrosion control and fuel cell hangar, a three-bay general maintenance hangar, a one-bay general maintenance hangar and an aircraft parking apron.

General Darren McDew, Air Mobility Command commander; Brigadier General John Flournoy, Jr., 4th Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command commander; Colonel Joel Jackson, 22nd Air Refueling Wing commander; and other

distinguished visitors had the honor of shoveling the first clumps of earth.

While the official party broke ground on the project, McDew acknowledged that the mission is really carried out by the McConnell community.

“Air refueling is vital to rapid global mobility— the AMC airmen that maintain, operate and support our tanker fleet put the ‘global’ in global reach, vigilance and power. The KC-46A Pegasus will ensure we can continue to provide our nation with this amazing capability. The success of our global air mobility enterprise depends on strong leaders, and this ceremony is about the men and women of McConnell boldly forging the future of our air refueling operations,” said McDew. “I have faith and trust they will exceed my expectations.”

By Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs.

PEOPLE

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

has been assigned to vice commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Air Mobility Command, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Gibson

Brigadier General Thomas L. Gibson, director, Joint Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.,

www.MLF-kmi.com

Army Colonel Derrin Williams assumed command of Defense Logistics Agency Central on June 20. Williams comes to DLA as an experienced Army logistician with a strong background in U.S. Central Command gained through numerous tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Colonel Mark A. Baird, selected for the grade of brigadier general, from senior materiel leader and director, Space Superiority Systems Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., has been assigned to commander, Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Lieutenant General Ray Mason, U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, shared his suggested reading list with Military Logistics Forum.

Logistics Specific • Moving Mountains: Lessons in Leadership and Logistics from the Gulf War (William G. Pagonis, 1992) • The Rucksack War: U.S. Army Operational Logistics in Grenada (Edgar F. Raines, 1983) • The Process of Military Distribution Management: A Guide to Assist Military and Civilian Logisticians in Linking Commodities and Movement ( James H. Henderson, 2006) • Defense Logistics for the 21st Century (William G.T. Tuttle Jr., 2005) • Logistics in Support of Disaster Relief ( James H. Henderson, 2007) Officer Development • The U.S. Military Intervention in Panama: Origins, Planning, and Crisis Management, June 1987-December 1989 (Lawrence A. Yates, 2008) • The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork: Embrace Them and Empower Your Team ( John C. Maxwell, 2001) • The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations (Dietrich Dorner, 1996)

MLF 8.6 | 3

A council of military and industry gathers to focus on maximizing the value of public private partnerships.

DoD and its industry partners have vested equities in providing efficient and effective support for the warfighter and its weapons systems. Budgetary pressures, legal and regulatory requirements, and simultaneously fighting two wars require DoD and its industry partners to continue to provide the best for our forces.

The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Logistics Division and DoD are jointly sponsoring initiatives to foster closer collaboration to build and deliver executable solutions to the priorities facing industry and DoD. These initiatives include examining: 1) public private partnerships, 2) best value contracting, 3) people, and 4) multi-year budget authority. Each focus area will be led by joint DoD-industry teams consisting of senior executives.

An initial June meeting led by Paul Peters and Lou Kratz assembled a Senior Logistics PPP Council to identify impediments and recommend enablers and best practices, with an objective to better leverage industry and organic capabilities to deliver affordable readiness to the warfighter. The council plans to meet bi-monthly.

During the initial meeting in June, they discussed specific areas on which to focus their efforts. The council agreed that their next meeting (scheduled for August 12) would be used to address performance based logistics and expanding organic partnerships overseas.

The use of PBL, in spite of strong OSD endorsement, is declining over time. The council has expressed an

4 | MLF 8.6

The Public Private Partnership team will be co-chaired by Paul Peters, acting assistant secretary of defense (Logistics and Materiel Readiness), and Lou Kratz, vice president and managing director, logistics and sustainment, Lockheed Martin Corporation. This effort will provide the opportunity for senior executives in both DoD and industry to: • Address challenge(s) at the strategic level • Identify intersection of industry and DoD interests • Identify core impediments to fully realizing intersection of interests • Identify enabling conditions required to achieve targeted end-state • Forge an executable plan to address impediments and create enabling conditions

eagerness for feedback to providing DoD an industry perspective on not only why this may be occurring, but what can be done to reverse this trend.

DoD Participants Paul Peters (Co-Chair) Lisha Adams (Army) Lorna Estep (Air Force) John Goodhart (Navy) Chris Lowman (Army) Industry Participants Lou Kratz (Co-Chair) Jo Decker (General Dynamics IT) Gil Diaz (Raytheon) Matt Kress (GE Aviation) Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mitch Stevenson (Leidos) Jim Sutton (Northrop Grumman)

• Execute the plan as required to “move the needle” (OMB, Congress, OSD and Joint Staffs, services and agencies) The Senior Logistics Leaders PPP Council will be an outcome-centric forum to provide recommendations of organizational, policy and legislation improvements to provide more effective services and support of our nation’s military in: best practices; near-term partnering opportunities; identifying impediments and developing a work plan to eliminate the same; identifying vanguard programs; and determining success criteria and metrics The intent of the Public Private Partnership focus area is to facilitate enhanced government and industry partnering relationships in order to achieve maximum readiness at reduced cost in product support, services and sustainment activities.

The scope should include DoD-industry partnering opportunities and limitations across all aspects of logistics activities in support of the warfighter (depot maintenance, sustainment, supply chain, infrastructure).

The outcome objective is to identify and eliminate impediments, and recognize mutual interest of common output at lowest cost and best value to the warfighter and the taxpayer. Examples of impediments to be reviewed may include but not limited to: prohibition of direct commercial sales; acquisition community assignment of high risk to organic depot use by contractors; and delays in acquisition timeline for sustainment support contract awards. O

For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief Jeff McKaughan at jeffm@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mlf-kmi.com.

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SPECIAL SECTION

Managing the supply chain takes hard work and a good educational foundation.

By J.B. Bissell, MLF Correspondent Basic supply chain management has been in practice for centuries, millennia even. To build the Egyptian pyramids, a specific group of laborers quarried massive stones from one location so that another troop could transport the rocks across the desert via wooden contraptions to the thousands of workers at the actual construction site, who then used the delivered materials to complete the overall project. That’s fundamental supply chain management.

As Gary Gittings, Ph.D. and director of the Master of Professional Studies in Supply www.MLF-kmi.com

Chain Management program at Penn State, explained, “Where the rubber meets the road, the big issue is getting the right goods to the right location in the right quantities for the right people.”

Fortunately, things have progressed quite a bit since ancient Egypt, and as technology continues to advance, 21stcentury logisticians can be more efficient than ever when it comes to managing their supply lines. Computers, of course, are only part of the equation. Service men and women who are tasked with moving

critical equipment from a base in America to a depot in the field to the soldiers on the front lines have to understand supply and demand strategy, be able to analyze situational circumstances, and act with a certain degree of flexibility.

These are learned skills, and as supply chain management has permeated every nook and niche of the commercial sector (recent estimates put logistics at about a $1 trillion industry in the United States), more and more educational opportunities have come about. A host of universities MLF 8.6 | 5

SPECIAL SECTION and institutions offer an assortment of college-level supply chain management and logistics programs, ranging from shortterm classes and certificates to bachelor’s degrees and post-graduate work.

What’s more, the curriculum is on the cutting edge of best practices. Some of it is geared to specific issues encountered on the battlefield, and most of it focuses on the ever-changing business world. All of it can make men and women in the armed forces better military logisticians.

Better Visibility “We do not have specific classes that say ‘Okay, you’re in the military so here are your unique circumstances,’” said Gittings. “We’ve always found that our students who also are soldiers already know the military side the best, so they appreciate learning what other people are doing.

They take the commercial best practices and say, ‘How can we apply these to what we do, what innovations are happening and how can we make use of them?’”

According to Gittings, one of the biggest of those innovations is visibility. “And that doesn’t mean that you’re actually looking at the object,” he explained. “It means that you have access to information about what is in your supply chain of whatever particular items you need.”

Regardless of whether it’s a military or commercial setting, there are customers to

serve, and supply chain managers have to constantly figure out the demand and what is needed in order to meet that demand. The goal is to achieve the tricky balance between having just enough on hand without wasting money and space by storing too much.

“In prior eras we didn’t have a lot in the way of information about how much was in transit, how much was in process, how much your suppliers actually had of critical materials, and so on,” Gittings continued. “You relied on your customers telling you with sufficient advance notice how much they were going to need and you’d check with your suppliers to see how much would be available. With the information systems available today, however, it’s possible to actually see your customers’ cache and set up alerts so that if they’re getting unexpectedly low, you can go to your supply base to expedite volumes coming in.”

While managing the supply and demand balance for customer stockpiles is at the core of logistics for both military and commercial settings, there is one key element that can have a dramatically different effect on the two.

“Supply chain management in the commercial world is different than that of the military supply chain and logistics because of the competitive nature of private commerce,” said Jack Elson, Ph.D. and professor and faculty lead in the College of Business Administration

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Elson believes understanding this particular dissimilarity is not only the biggest challenge that military logisticians face, but also the most important because it dictates the type of structure that will provide the best solutions. “Military supply chains tend to be concerned with a large-systems view since the organization is much bigger in nature, spanning many different levels of organization where there is no real competitive motive,” he said. “This lends itself to using systems design methods for developing their procedures and organization.”

What doesn’t vary in Elson’s opinion is the skill set that’s most important for every logistician, military or commercial. “They have to be able to collect and use data,” he said. “This requires an ability to analyze information both quantitatively and qualitatively, and put to use various modeling methods, such as inventory control, forecasting, queuing theory, optimization and stochastic (probabilistic) methods to predict, analyze and problem-solve.

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“Finally, they must also be able to quickly assess the situation and make gut reaction decisions.”

The Military Focus As is the case in any field, being able to make the correct gut reaction has a lot to do with experience and overall knowledge of the circumstances. The staff at North Dakota State University (NDSU) are doing their part to further students’ knowledge by offering a handful of supply chain options, including the Master of Managerial Logistics (MML) degree.

“That degree program is specifically geared to military logisticians,” said Denver Tolliver, the director of NDSU’s Transportation and Logistics Graduate Program. “It’s offered online under a memorandum of understanding with the Army Logistics University at Fort Lee, Va., and addresses all 12 points of the National Logistics Curriculum.”

Furthermore, NDSU recently eliminated the program’s residency requirement so it’s now available to service men and women wherever they may be located.

Access may have gotten easier, but the curriculum itself remains rather intense— exactly what military supply chain managers need in order to handle their particular real-world happenings. “They have to manage and move large volumes of inventory and personnel efficiently while tracking costs and inventory location, forecasting demand, and maintaining quality,” explained Tolliver. “They do all of those things in a global environment that is dynamic and unstable. Overseeing that supply chain under peacekeeping and battlefield conditions introduces huge uncertainties and difficult physical conditions that most businesses will never have to face.”

To that end, “NDSU’s unique program employs an innovative learning strategy that stresses the need for coordinated and

integrated actions in complex emergencies, consistent with the goals of the joint logistics enterprise,” continued Tolliver.

“The MML curriculum is built around a supply chain/logistics concentration of 17 credit hours, complemented by courses that build a broader understanding of the technological and operational context of modern logistics.”

The course of study culminates with a capstone project during which students conduct a scenario analysis and develop a set of recommendations and conclusions regarding the logistical capabilities of a nation or region. It necessitates applying concepts and practices from the learner’s courses and professional experiences. “We use this type of study so they can integrate as much of the knowledge they’ve learned and as many of the tools as they’ve been given into a single project,” added Tolliver.

“It’s an approach they’ll be using frequently in their military careers, so we want them to be confident in their skills and abilities.”

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MLF 8.6 | 7

SPECIAL SECTION The Institute for Defense and Business (IDB), an independent, nonprofit organization that was established in 1997, also highlights competencies that soldiers will be using frequently during their supply chain careers. “We develop and deliver custom-designed curriculum primarily to military and government students using academic faculty from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a number of other universities, as well as experienced practitioners,” said Mark Cramer, president of the IDB. The most recent of IDB’s custom logistics courses is called MedLog21: Supply Chain Skills for Medical Logisticians in the 21st Century. “It was developed in collaboration with the Veteran’s Health Administration of the VA,” said Cramer, “and explores a number of topics such as supply chain fundamentals, risk management, forecasting and demand management, and technology and organizational innovation.”

The Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute Retired Major General Ron Johnson, Georgia Tech Professor of the Practice

For more than 70 years, Georgia Tech has helped prepare logistics leaders to achieve excellence in the military and in the transition to commercial logistics through courses and certificates in Logistics & Supply Chain Management

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8 | MLF 8.6

One of the most popular programs at the IDB is Logistics for the 21st Century (LOG21), a weeklong executive-style seminar designed specifically for early-career logisticians.

“The military supply chain must be able to support everything from small units of special operators to deployments of hundreds of thousands on land, sea and in the air,” Cramer said. “This environment requires very strong fundamental knowledge of systems, processes, and planning— and increasingly also critical-thinking, flexibility, agility and adaptability.

“LOG21 is designed to ‘open the aperture’ of recently-minted logisticians (even if it may be a second career field for them) to provide a look at cutting-edge private sector practices and technologies, innovative ways to think about and approach the above challenges, and exposure to professionals from other services, agencies and the private sector.”

As crucial as the lessons are to streamlining the military’s processes as a whole, Cramer also noted that LOG21 provides for some personal growth, too. “It can be a key piece of their professional development plans and also energizes students about the potential of a logistics career.”

Backward to the Future Perhaps the newest path to a longterm career in supply chain management is what’s being called reverse logistics. “One of the largest challenges with supply chain and the military is the retrograde action taking place as the U.S. reduces its military presence in certain nations,” explained Dr. Jennifer S. Batchelor, CPP, and program director and associate professor in Transportation & Logistics Management and Reverse Logistics Management at American Military University (AMU). “It becomes a logistical challenge to bring back military materials while at the same time reducing the soldiers in those areas.”

AMU is a fully online institution that offers flexibility in terms of how military students participate in classes, as well as a range of available courses that emphasize various specific disciplines. There’s an undergraduate concentration in air cargo and a graduate track in maritime engineering; graduate certificates in logistics management and leadership and logistics are

offered, and both bachelor’s and master’s degrees can be earned with a specialty in reverse logistics.

“The Reverse Logistics Management program is the first of its kind,” said Batchelor. “We’re constantly identifying areas for enhancing our courses and overall programs based on the current and future state of the industry. This was the basis for adding reverse logistics curriculum.

Retail, manufacturing, production and even service industries struggle with the reverse flow of products, packaging and supplies due to returns, recalls, defects and many other reverse logistics activities.

“For military logisticians, one of the challenges is the need for multi-branch cooperation as all the services are tasked with bringing back useable materials and supplies for use in the next theater of operation. In AMU courses, we discuss various scenarios and case studies in order to make sure students have the theories as well as the practical knowledge in order to handle those challenges.”

The Short Course Case studies are an integral part of the syllabus at Georgia Tech, too. “Almost all of our courses incorporate them in one way or another,” said Tim Brown, the academic program director for the Supply Chain & Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech. What is very unique, however, is that the school’s Supply Chain and Logistics Program is housed within the College of Engineering as opposed to the College of Business, where it typically resides at other institutions of higher learning.

“As an engineering program, our supply chain courses of study are analytically intense and focused on developing superior decision-makers who can effectively manage complex supply chains,” said Brown.

“The use of optimization and simulation techniques coupled with hands-on use of computing techniques helps prepare logisticians for ever-changing supply requirements.”

Some of the school’s available preparation can have a rather immediate impact, as in supply chain managers becoming more skilled and efficient in just a few days rather than a few months or a couple years.

“The Supply Chain & Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech offers a number of short www.MLF-kmi.com

courses—two to four days—in addition to the degree programs,” Brown added.

“Military personnel often participate in short courses such as Demand-Driven Supply Chain Strategy, Strategic Planning of Supply Chain Facilities, Building the Lean Supply Chain Problem Solver, Lean Warehousing, Lean Inbound Logistics, Transportation and Distribution Planning and Management, Building the Lean Supply Chain Professional, Defining and Implementing Effective Sourcing Strategies, Effectively Managing Global Supply and Risk in an Increasingly Complex World, Building the Lean Supply Chain Leader, and Inventory Planning and Management.”

Whether through these types of short training seminars or full-length degree programs, “by gaining a solid education and understanding of business logistics, military officers are better prepared for what challenges lay ahead and the questions they’ll face when they begin their Unit Movement Officer duties,” said Adam

S. Betz, assistant director of military marketing for Central Michigan University’s Global Campus.

Among other possibilities, Central Michigan’s most coveted supply chain educational offering is their Master of Business Administration (MBA) in logistics management, a concentration that became available in the online MBA program in 2009.

“By combining MBA core courses that focus on finance, accounting, marketing, management, human resources, and so on with logistics-specific courses, students can better understand how all of the pieces of an organization fit together,” Betz said.

“Understanding how the shipment, storage, and handling of materials impacts human resources or a different department is incredibly powerful when it comes to making informed data-based decisions for the entire organization.”

This is especially true when considering how the military functions and the sheer size of the operation. “It requires a

tremendous amount of coordination to distribute the essentials around the world,” Betz added.

“Whether this is strategically storing meal rations, erecting temporary housing, or transporting military vehicles and all the items needed for them to operate, every function needs to exist in some environment (storage) and be easily transported (movement) to the desired destination,” he continued. “And ultimately, it’s the logistician who must deliver.”

Indeed, ultimately it’s up to the military logistician to get the right goods to the right location in the right quantities for the right people, which is why taking advantage of the right educational opportunities can make such an incredible positive impact on supply chain management. O For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief Jeff McKaughan at jeffm@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mlf-kmi.com.

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MLF 8.6 | 9

SUPPLY CHAIN Technology for More Accurate Airdrops The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to adapt its WindTracer wind measurement system to help C-130 and C-17 aircrews make safer, faster and more accurate airdrops of essential supplies to U.S. ground forces at remote locations.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will design and build a prototype precision air drop (PAD) unit for testing.

As part of the demonstration, the prototype unit will be airdropped to the test site and used to measure winds.

“Currently, air drop missions require several flyovers to accurately determine wind readings, but our WindTracer technology would eliminate the need for so many passes,” said Dr. Kenneth Washington, vice president of Space Technology Advanced Research and Development Laboratories, Lockheed Martin’s space technology research and development group. “WindTracer is an adaptable commercial system. By developing this prototype, we’re putting this technology on a path for fielding.”

Lockheed Martin will make WindTracer smaller to fit on a pallet and ruggedize it to survive shock and vibration. Engineers will also modify the existing technology to measure wind velocity from the ground to the airdrop altitude and add the ability to send real-time telemetry.

PAD is based on Lockheed Martin’s commercially available WindTracer wind-profiling LiDAR technology.

Windtracer systems are installed at airports worldwide detecting hazardous winds and aircraft wakes.

“Applying proven technology to the airdrop mission is the most effective way to deliver fast, affordable innovation,” said Mike Hamel, president of Lockheed Martin’s Commercial Ventures division. “WindTracer has been helping commercial airliners take off and land safely for years, and it is an ideal technology to support military air drops.”

WindTracer operates by transmitting pulses of eyesafe infrared laser light that reflect off naturally occurring aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Wind moves these particles, which alters the frequency of the light that is scattered back to the system. WindTracer processes the return signal to determine wind conditions with extremely high accuracy.

10 | MLF 8.6

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Portable Hybrid Power Management System Arotech Corporation recently unveiled its new Man Portable Hybrid Power Management System that is Battery and Power Division’s UEC Electronics subsidiary to DoD. This latest 3.5 kW system is a prototype that satisfies an upcoming solicitation for the Mobile Electric Hybrid Power System Lite.

Following the success of the division’s Ground Renewable Expeditionary Energy Network System (GREENS), this hybrid system is designed to optimize efficiency and extend the life of generators by reducing generator run time by up to 70 percent. This enables reduced fuel consumption and reduced maintenance burden, as well as improved logistical support. While not dependent on solar, the system is also able to collect and store up to 3 kW of solar energy.

Numerous reports throughout DoD concluded the preponderance of generators are used well below capacity. UEC Electronics’ latest Hybrid Power Management System addresses this problem head-on. A generator is automatically turned on only when the battery state of charge falls below a certain

limit and provides power to the load. All excess energy produced is used to charge the battery array, making full use of generator output.

Rebecca Ufkes, president of UEC Electronics, stated, “The U.S. Department of Defense is looking for cost savings.

GREENS saved the Marine Corps millions of dollars in fuel in its first year. The technology is mature and is combat proven. We believe there is a substantial need for this technology and all the feedback we have received from operational forces has been favorable.”

Robert S. Ehrlich, chairman and CEO of Arotech, commented, “While the prototype unit was unveiled to the U.S. Department of Defense, we believe this is a real game-changing technology and very relevant for the commercial world as well. There are many commercial applications where providing fuel to generators is problematic, which this technology solves.

We believe that our continued investment R&D opens new addressable markets and puts us in a better position for long-term growth and success.”

Unmanned Support Contract Engility Holdings Inc. recently announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Dynamics Research Corporation had been awarded modifications to two task orders totaling $22.2 million to support a broad spectrum of engineering, testing and project management for the Medium Altitude Unmanned Aircraft Systems (MAUAS) Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

“We are very pleased to win these two awards,” said Engility president and CEO Tony Smeraglinolo. “We appreciate the confidence the U.S. Air Force has shown in the outstanding work of the Engility men and women who have been supporting the MAUAS Division, and in particular, the critical missions of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper.

Under the task orders, Engility will support a range of work at Wright-Patterson AFB and Palmdale and Poway, Calif. The work will include logistics management, project management, product and quality assurance, acquisition support and foreign military sales program management, and electrical and mechanical engineering. Additionally, Engility will support flight and ground test activities, weapons integration, flight operations scheduling and logistics management.

The task orders, which represent extensions under the NAVAIR Logistics, Maintenance and Supply Support contract vehicle, have a total value of $22.2 million, including a ninemonth base valued at $13.1 million, and two three-month option periods.

www.MLF-kmi.com

Materiel Sustainer D. Scott Welker Deputy to the Commander U.S. Army Sustainment Command

2014

U.S. Army Sustainment Command

U.S. Army Sustainment Command

Materiel Sustainer

Q& A

Sustaining Army and Joint Forces Globally in Support of Combatant Commanders

D. Scott Welker Deputy to the Commander U.S. Army Sustainment Command D. Scott Welker serves as the deputy to the commander for the U.S. Army Sustainment Command (ASC), a position he has held since October 2005. As deputy to the commander, Welker leads a global organization responsible for sustaining Army and joint forces in the U.S. and abroad in support of combatant commanders. Welker leads and directs the command’s global logistics mission, encompassing a workforce of approximately 300 military personnel, 2,200 civilian employees and 70,000 contractor employees. The ASC links strategic and operational sustainment capabilities to tactical units, integrates and synchronizes materiel distribution, and enables unit readiness. His previous assignment was deputy to the commander for ASC’s predecessor, the U.S. Army Field Support Command.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and economics from Washington State University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.

He has served in numerous assignments since entering the government workforce as an ammunition management intern at Savanna Army Depot in Illinois. Upon graduation from the intern program, he was assigned to the Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command in Rock Island, Illinois to continue work in ammunition management. From November 1992 to September 1994, Welker served in the Defense Ammunition Directorate.

His responsibilities included the integration of the Ammunition Stockpile Management Plan, munitions operational deliberate planning, and customer support functions. He next served as a logistics management specialist in the Business Management Directorate. He spearheaded the supply depot operations mission and was responsible for establishing the Ammunition Tiering Concept Plan. Welker was next assigned as chief of the Operations Division, DCS for Army War Reserve, under the Industrial Operations Command. During this tenure, he was responsible for all prepositioned operations associated with the Army War Reserve Support Command mission.

From November 1997 through July 2001, Welker served as the civilian executive assistant to the commanding general of the U.S. Army War Reserve Support Command. He managed the overall mission of prepositioned operations, resource management, systems integration, and materiel management. Welker then served as the director of the Joint Munitions Command’s Production Directorate. In that role, he executed the ammunition production missions of the command and oversaw planning, programming, 12 | MLF 8.6 | U.S. Army Sustainment Command

and budget preparation to ensure on-time delivery of quality ammunition. He was also responsible for creating and maintaining an environmentally sound, safe, secure, and responsive industrial production base. He was subsequently assigned as the Army Field Support Command’s first civilian chief of staff.

On October 30, 2005, Welker was appointed as a member of the Senior Executive Service. He has earned many awards and decorations, and was selected as a Presidential Rank Award Winner in the Meritorious Executives category in 2010.

Q: As retrograde efforts continue to accelerate from Afghanistan, tell me about the role ASC has in the process. What TTPs have you learned from earlier efforts that are being employed to manage the effort?

A: First of all, the Army Sustainment Command is a global organization that sustains Army and joint forces in support of combatant commanders. We provide support not only to the Army, but across the joint, intergovernmental, interagency and multinational environments. That’s important to know as we talk about the services we provide, from retrograde to providing combatant commanders with sourcing solutions through our contracting programs, to www.MLF-kmi.com

U.S. Army Sustainment Command sustainment operations, to equipping the Army with the materiel it needs on time and in the right condition.

The withdrawal of equipment from Iraq and Afghanistan is the largest of its kind since World War II, and ASC has a huge role to play in this operation. Through our Army field support brigades (AFSB) stationed in Afghanistan and Kuwait, we regain accountability of equipment no longer needed in the field and bring it back to AMC depots for reset, or redistribute it according to Department of the Army requirements. The 401st AFSB works closely with the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, the Army Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and Army Materiel Command life cycle management commands to retrograde this equipment in accordance with established goals and timelines.

These timelines, established by the U.S. Force Afghanistan and the Army Central Command, were divided into four phases, with phase three just completed June 30. ASC has made all targets throughout this period, with 184,000 pieces of equipment (10,400 rolling stock and 174,000 non-rolling stock) removed from theater.

More than 100 bases have been closed. We have now started on phase four, which is scheduled to end December 31, 2014.

The 401st also operates the Army redistribution property assistance team (RPAT) yards throughout Afghanistan to provide combat commanders with an expedited way to transfer their equipment to ASC accountability. In addition to RPAT yards in seven locations, we have mobile yards to provide combat commanders a convenient

place to take their excess equipment for inspection and turn it in for retrograde back to the U.S. Through these mobile RPAT yards, we go to the customer so that they don’t have to go to Bagram or Kandahar to turn in their equipment.

Our retrograde processes have undergone continuous improvement so that what used to take days now takes hours. Changes in inspection of the equipment to completion of accountability and transportation documentation are all part of our lessons learned from our earlier retrograde of equipment in Iraq.

Q: Contracting is an often-discussed topic, especially when it comes to becoming more efficient and effective. What are elements of your guidance and direction that target the contracting process and how to make it more streamlined?

A: Contracting is just one piece of the acquisition process. There are three separate and distinct pieces, albeit they must be fully integrated, to this process: requirements determination, placing a requirement on a contracting vehicle, and contractual oversight.

What we continually see is that requiring organizations, normally not familiar with the contracting process, go directly to a contracting organization with a requirement to be contracted. Contracting organizations normally are not familiar with the requiring organization’s real needs and essentially put trust in the requiring activity that they have properly documented the true performance

Whether helping our government use real-time intelligence or keeping our troops well equipped and safe, we have one focus–protecting our national security for future generations.

Our customers have a critical mission and they rely on us for solutions they can trust.

www.mantech.com

www.MLF-kmi.com

U.S. Army Sustainment Command | MLF 8.6 | 13

U.S. Army Sustainment Command

Maj. Gen. John Wharton Commanding General

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. James Spencer Command Sergeant Major

Col. Darren Werner Chief of Staff

Norbert Herrera G1 Human Resources

401 Army Field Support Brigade

402 Army Field Support Brigade

403 Army Field Support Brigade

Col. William Krahling

Col. Edward Burke

Col. James Kinkade

Col. Jordan Chroman

Sgt. Maj. Brian Marone

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Willie Odoms Jr.

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Ronald Ferdinand

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Dexter Speights

2014

Distribution Management Center Rock Island Arsenal, Ill.

Bagram, Afghanistan

Camp Arifjan, Kuwait

Camp Henry, Korea

Command staff

D. Scott Welker Deputy to the Commander

Vacant Deputy Commanding General

Col. James Baker G2 Intelligence

Col. Donald Mayer G3/7 Operations

404 Army Field Support Brigade

405 Army Field Support Brigade

Joint Base LewisMcChord, Wash.

Kaiserslautern, Germany

Sgt. Maj. Douglas Martin Deputy Commanding General Sergeant Major

Kathryn Szymanski Chief Counsel

Carl Cartwright Field Support

Jay Carr LOGCAP

Jim Coffman G4 Logistics

Jerry DeLaCruz G5 Strategic

Col. Scott Smith G6-Information Technology

Lee Hansen G8 Resource Management

406 Army Field Support Brigade

407 Army Field Support Brigade Fort Hood, Texas

Rock Island Arsenal, Ill.

Fort Belvoir, Va.

Fort Bragg, N.C.

ASC Army Reserve Element

LOGCAP

Col. James Moore

Col. Christopher Roscoe

Col. Richard Menhart

Col. Steve Allen

Col. Sue Henderson

Col. Alex Fink

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Gregory Binford

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Bryan Kroontje

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Eric Fraley

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Nathaniel Richardson

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Stewart Vest

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Deborah Segebart

U.S. Army Sustainment Command requirements. This method consistently results in poorly defined requirements outlined in non-standardized performance work statements, put on great contracts and don’t meet the needs of the customers. More often than not, the acquisition process isn’t integrated properly across all functional domains. Not only does this lead to inefficiencies, but it also increases costs and places undue risk on operational execution.

So, what we need to start with are clear requirements. ASC has established a contract management program office similar to LOGCAP that acts as an intermediary between the requiring units and the contracting organizations. This office serves as the focal point to ensure standardization and for sound acquisition strategy development. The office coordinates and directs technical subject matter experts to evaluate the requirements. This office also looks at requirements from different units to determine if they can be combined into a single contract. By doing so, ASC can reduce the number of contracts awarded, which will save money and reduce the number of people and organizations devoted to contractual oversight.

Within the contract management program office we have also developed an Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise, or EAGLE, business office where supply, maintenance and transportation support requirements, whether they are from ASC or other Army organizations, flow through before they go to contracting.

The third piece, contracting oversight, is important to ensure that the contractors perform to the specifications of the contract.

ASC has trained contracting officer representatives with technical expertise, made up of both civilians and military, who assure that the contractors are doing what the contract says they should do and are meeting the performance requirements outlined in the properly documented performance work statement.

Q: Recently there was a small business symposium at Quad Cities. What were the big takeaways for ASC? Tell me about Sustainment Command’s relationship with the small business community.

A: This year’s Midwest Small Business Government Contracting Symposium took place May 7-8 at the iWireless Center in Moline, Ill. The symposium, sponsored by the Iowa/Illinois Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association and the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, was a great success, with 82 exhibitors and 617 attendees, 327 of them representing small businesses.

John Nerger, the executive deputy to the Army Materiel Command’s commanding general, gave the keynote address. He talked about the importance of an industrial base that can adapt to meet the government’s needs.

We have been conducting these symposiums since 2008, and they grow every year. For instance, this is the first time we’ve combined the symposium with the advanced planning briefing to industry, which included all requirements from Army Materiel Command units here at Rock Island, as well as the garrison and other RIA tenant units.

ASC has focused on providing small businesses more opportunities to win contracts, and we’ve done a good job of it. We’ve met or exceeded our small business goals nine out of the last 10 years.

As of June 10, 2014, we have awarded 15 percent of our contracts to small businesses, against our goal this year of 13.5 percent.

16 | MLF 8.6 | U.S. Army Sustainment Command

Another great example of our relationship with small business is our EAGLE program. Of the first six task orders awarded under EAGLE, four of them have been awarded to small businesses.

Through EAGLE, task order requirements with an annual value equal to or less than $35.5 million are set aside for small business.

There are also increased opportunities for small businesses to bid for task orders greater than that amount.

The EAGLE strategy that we developed two years ago estimated the amount of money going to small business would increase by 160 percent. It may require both small and large businesses to think a little differently about their relationships with each other as they build their teaming arrangements under EAGLE. For example, small businesses may want to consider teaming with large businesses when they compete for task orders. The opportunities created for them are tremendous.

ASC is focused on not only meeting small business goals, but on including small businesses as vital partners in the success of this command. We just completed our fifth round of basic ordering agreements (BOA) refresh that included our FY15 EAGLE requirements. We issued nine new BOAs with this refresh, and all were to small businesses, with three of those nine being service-disabled veteran-owned, one veteran-owned, and two that were 8(a) small businesses.

Q: How do you see ASC’s overseas deployment footprint transforming over the next few years?

A: I see our overseas footprint changing tremendously in the wake of the drawdown of troops in Afghanistan and the Army’s focus on the Pacific theater.

Our focus remains to support the Army Chief of Staff’s focus for regional alignment: Ensuring that our brigades are postured throughout every theater to support the combatant commanders.

We have brigades in place to support European Command operations as well as supporting Africa Command and special operations forces in support of AFRICOM’s objectives. We’re reposturing in the Pacific. We also are focused on providing support to troops at home station here in the continental U.S., and one of our brigades is aligned to support the Southern Command.

The U.S. is drawing down in Afghanistan, leaving a force of fewer than 10,000 troops by the end of this year. We will still remain in that theater, but obviously our presence will be smaller. We’re still working those plans for what our force structure will look like.

We currently have two brigades in the Central Command that supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Next summer, however, we will withdraw our Army field support brigade in Afghanistan to Kuwait, and move the one in Kuwait to its home station in Hawaii to support the Defense Department’s focus on the Asia-Pacific region. This transformation in our AFSBs should be complete by the end of next year. We will then have two brigades, the 403rd and the 402nd, to support the Pacific theater, with the 404th at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington also available for Pacific operations.

We have transformed our Directorates of Logistics into Logistics Readiness Centers to provide a power projection platform for an Army that is regionally aligned but globally engaged. These LRCs are AMC’s single face to the field for Army logistics, providing support services at home station as well as giving the combatant www.MLF-kmi.com

U.S. Army Sustainment Command commanders a rapid support capability for deploying units. We are continuously adjusting, standardizing and improving the service LRCs provide, while retaining the flexibility to adjust to Army strategy.

We are also reorganizing our APS structure to provide more regional logistics support to combatant commanders in accordance with Army directives. We have started the process of developing smaller but more flexible activity sets, which will provide deploying combatant commanders with a combined arms, battalion-sized, ready set of equipment to fall in on during contingency, humanitarian and training operations.

We tested the European Activity Set located in Grafenwoehr, Germany. Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division drew equipment from the EAS on their way to training in Hoenfels in May. The EAS test was very successful, with the unit complimentary of the process.

Q: What is the latest update on the progress of the EAGLE (Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise) program?

A: As you are aware, EAGLE was established as a strategic sourcing tool for logistics, and is on track to reduce redundant LRC contracts from 150 to about 40. Consolidation of like contracts has yielded a reduction in execution costs and has eliminated the need for multiple contractual overhead staffing requirements.

EAGLE is on track and set to save the Army significant dollars and make the service contracting requirements for logistics more efficient as additional task orders are awarded.

Three of the primary objectives of EAGLE are to: 1. Eliminate redundancies in supply, maintenance and transportation services-related contracts 2. Expand competition 3. Increase opportunities for small business to operate as prime contractors.

We are achieving these objectives and seeing better-thanpredicted savings from the implementation of the EAGLE program.

We have awarded six task orders and are on track to award 12 more by the end of FY14, 10 in FY15, six in FY16 and five in FY17.

In the first six task orders, we have seen an overall 19 percent cost reduction, equating to nearly $110 million.

We currently have 147 basic ordering agreement holders, with 97 of those being small businesses.

We have recently concluded the process of finalizing BOA number five, which will introduce revised teaming arrangements and a new entrance into the EAGLE program as part of our on-ramp strategy, in line with the improved acquisition strategy to support advertised FY15 requirements.

Industry’s feedback is critical to our continuous improvement efforts with EAGLE. We’re getting a great response from industry on the improvements we’ve already made, but we continue to reach out to industry through various forums such as the BOA holder meetings, one-on-one discussions, small business conferences, and the draft request for proposal process to dialogue on ways to continuously improve the EAGLE process.

As the Army strategy transforms, continuing improvements in the EAGLE program are vital to its remaining relevant. As the www.MLF-kmi.com

Despite challenges of geography, politics or enemy action, any interruption to the supply chain will have second and third order effects and require diligent planning for alternate supply options.

[Photo courtesy of DoD]

Army transforms from war to peace time, the requirements have changed. For instance, the LRCs will continue to be supported through the EAGLE program, but we have improved the source selection process to be more responsive to new Army requirements.

We are hoping that the EAGLE program will become the model of materiel and services acquisition throughout the Army and elsewhere in the Department of Defense.

Q: What are the challenges to managing pre-positioned stocks around the world? What do you do to keep the materiel in a combat-ready state?

A: One of our biggest challenges is to assure our strategic depth, that APS is modernized and meets the needs of those units that fall in on it. To keep materiel combat-ready, we are required to configure the unit sets and maintain the equipment to 10-20, or operational, standards. We continuously modernize our APS equipment and processes to meet the objectives of the combatant commanders.

We’re issuing the APS equipment out routinely to support theater security cooperation exercises as well as contingency operations. But more importantly, we’re getting the equipment back and gaining readiness data that we can use for future programs. We can determine where our maintenance needs to be increased, what areas we must focus on, and then turn it into action to ensure the APS program maintains readiness and that those issues are eliminated for future equipment draws.

Storage of equipment is a huge issue for us. For instance, in Kuwait, where the equipment is exposed to a desert environment, we leased an off-post facility that provides climate control. This resulted in a first-year savings of about $60 million in maintenance costs, with a projected $500 million savings over the next five years.

We are also changing our APS structure by establishing combined activity sets that will provide ready and modernized equipment sets in locations aligned with combatant commands. We have already tested the European Activity Set with the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, and the test appears to have succeeded, with the unit pleased with the condition of and the process for issuing the equipment.

U.S. Army Sustainment Command | MLF 8.6 | 17

U.S. Army Sustainment Command Q: Will there be a need to retrain ASC logisticians in skills that may have not received the same level of focus as the skills needed by the logisticians who were engaged in major combat in Afghanistan and Iraq?

A: Over the last 12 years of war, we’ve focused on deploying forces within the Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) cycle of reset, train/ready, and available, and we’ve used different means to get to the end of the wars. At this point, the Army is resetting. We’re going back to a CONUS-based Army, where we’re changing our basic focus from counter-insurgency operations to decisive action.

The logistics functions that we perform in a deployed environment, though, are incredibly similar to those we use in CONUS. The skills we use at home station, supporting training and exercise operations, are very similar to those we used in a deployed environment. When I look at the core functions of LOGCAP and the LRCs, the skills are almost the same. So, from the ASC perspective, what our logisticians are doing in a deployed environment, they already do in CONUS. So what we’re looking at is not so much retraining but refocusing our logistics workforce. We’re transitioning programs; we’ve closed out left behind equipment and are in the process of closing pre-deployment training equipment, and we’re getting out of field-level reset. We’re getting back to what are considered more traditional missions.

We have to shift from a deliberate deployment of units based on the ARFORGEN cycle to no-notice deployment using our LRC power projection platforms, which is a big shift.

Probably the biggest change we’ll see are the surging workloads at the LRCs as the Army implements its brigade combat team reorganizations. Some brigades will go away, others will move to other installations. This will affect LRCs at locations throughout CONUS. For 12 years, we’ve been concentrating on an Army at war, deployed to locations outside the United States. That was hard work. Now we have to step back and take a long look at what’s happening at home, and adjust not only to deployed forces but to what’s going on at the installation level, and to the Army strategy at large. Fortunately, we already have the brigades and LRCs at home that will make that adjustment.

Q: What does ASC do to educate and grow the next generation of logisticians and ensure they have both the experience and the education to be successful?

A: ASC leadership is paying particular attention to the development of all of its employees, with particular emphasis on logistician training.

What we need to do is talk about this topic from three perspectives: leader development, technical and mission.

As far as leader development is concerned, we must make sure our senior and aspiring leaders are provided the opportunities for training. Our leadership provides the strategic vision for our command. We must make sure that they are prepared to lead their workforce to accomplish that vision.

In the second area, technical, what has happened is that legacy sustainment systems are being retired as we move towards a central logistics enterprise. So, within wholesale record keeping, we are now using the Logistics Management Program, or LMP, which, 18 | MLF 8.6 | U.S. Army Sustainment Command

when completely implemented, will connect wholesale and retail logistics like never before. We have to retrain our workforce on how to use those processes.

The Decision Support Tool, or DST, is very similar. This system provides ASC with visibility of equipment so we can provide distribution and redistribution recommendations to Department of the Army. We have to get more people trained on that system across the Army.

We also have to organize based on the mission, and decide which of those missions are constant and which we can call special projects. Examples of special projects could be Department of State support, the establishment of a new program, or the European Activity Set. By rotating personnel through these programs, we can provide cross-training and keep the workforce engaged.

We can also provide workforce development by making sure our employees meet certification requirements, in order to better understand and perform their jobs.

One issue in workforce development right now is the number of people who are reaching retirement age. Because of the resource environment we find ourselves in, which results in workforce downsizing, we are facing significant challenges in developing a trained and ready workforce. To develop the workforce of the future, we must ensure that we are getting the right people in the right jobs, recognize the young talent that we have, give them challenging assignments, and develop them into the organizational and technical leaders of the future.

Q: Any closing thoughts?

A: As we take a look at ASC in the future, we are concentrating on four focus areas: 1. We need to look at ASC development. We will continue to work with the Forces Command and Army to identify and mitigate logistics gaps. We need to look at mitigation strategies to close those gaps in our force structure.

2. Where should we take LOGCAP in the future? Do we take it in a regionally aligned capability? What does the next generation of LOGCAP look like?

3. What does materiel management in the future look like?

What is the direction of materiel management? We need to refine, in partnership with the Army and the major command, what it will be in the future.

4. Can we expand the capabilities of service contracting programs such as EAGLE, in terms of a strategic sourcing initiative for Army service acquisitions? Can we employ strategic sourcing like we did for EAGLE, to continue to create efficiencies, draw down contractual oversight requirements, and in the end, save the Army not only considerable money, but to be able to be more efficient in our mission to sustain Army and joint forces in support of combatant commanders?

As we answer these questions, we can see the directions ASC will take in the future. We do know that ASC will be here as the operational arm of AMC, taking on the big logistics integration and synchronization tasks and providing readiness and sustainment capabilities to combatant commanders. O www.MLF-kmi.com

SUPPLY CHAIN

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Vertical Replenishment Contract Awarded Military Sealift Command recently awarded AAR’s Airlift division a contract to provide vertical replenishment (VERTREP) services to its 5th and 7th Fleets in the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Gulf, and Indian and Western Pacific oceans. The contract is valued at approximately $34 million, inclusive of all options.

AAR has been performing commercial VERTREP services including ship-to-shore replenishment, ship-to-ship underway replenishment, search and rescue, and support for humanitarian aid operations for MSC since 2007.

AAR Airlift will provide two helicopters, personnel, and operational and technical support to the detachment. The new contract

will be the third helicopter detachment operated by the Company for MSC. “AAR Airlift Group has provided exceptional service to the U.S. Navy at an excellent value for seven consecutive years,” said Randy J. Martinez, president and CEO, Airlift Group.

“We’re honored to be awarded another contract to provide this critical service for our military personnel.”

AAR provides expeditionary airlift services in support of contingency operations worldwide. The Company owns and operates a fleet of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft to transport personnel, supplies and mail for the U.S. Department of Defense in Afghanistan, Africa and the Western Pacific.

Low Maintenance Battery Supplies The Defense Logistics Agency has awarded a contract to Saft to provide nickel-based batteries and cells for military aircraft applications to be used by the United States military.

Saft is a provider of nickel-based batteries for defense aircraft that boast superior power and energy. The nickelbased batteries for aviation perform exceptionally well in all conditions and provide electrical reliability in extreme temperatures. They are renowned for their safety throughout their extended service life.

Marking continued growing demand for batteries and cells, the sustained supply to DLA demonstrates a strengthened, mutually beneficial and successful relationship. Saft’s deliveries support DLA in its activities positioned alongside the agency’s military customers.

“With this contract, Saft reinforces its presence in the supply of batteries for both the aviation and defense industries,” said Bruce McRae, director of aviation, Saft America Inc. “Saft’s ULM [Ultra Low Maintenance Battery] continues to be a superior solution for DLA and its customers. We look forward to continuing our relationship with DLA and advancing battery and cell technology for defense aircraft.”

Saft will supply their ULM to support both fixed wing and rotor wing aircrafts. The nickel-based batteries provide a nominal voltage of 24 volts. The batteries are comprised of leak-proof thermo-welded cells, seam-welded plate tabs and copper cell links and terminals. They are also constructed using superior separator material and a flooded membrane design.

The three-year contract was signed in late March and includes two, one-year option periods that may be exercised by the U.S. government, increasing the contract period to five years. Deliveries are set to begin this year. www.MLF-kmi.com

New Automated Fuels Handling Equipment Defense Logistics Agency Energy Pacific at Okinawa hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the completion of its $15 million automated fuels handling equipment project on June 12 in Japan.

The AFHE system replaces an outdated data acquisition system installed in 1983.

Comparing the new system and its visibility and controls to the old system “is like night and day” said DLA Energy Pacific at Okinawa Chief of Operations John Attao.

“The old system just tells us the status of the flow and pressure. With AFHE we get that [information] and we’re able to turn on and off all pumps, open and close motorized valves; plus the tank level information is integrated in the whole system where it was a separate system before,” Attao said.

The new system includes automation of valves, fuel transfer pumps, tank gauging, fuel metering systems and pipeline instrumentation. In addition, AFHE includes a supervisory control and data acquisition component that provides remote control of fuel transfer operations and alarms in response to abnormal conditions; enhanced capabilities for inventory control and accounting; enhanced leak detection capabilities; remote monitoring and data

exchange within the DLA Energy Pacific at Okinawa fuels complex.

Construction started in August 2011 and final turnover is scheduled for August after all testing and quality assurance checks have successfully concluded.

“This system greatly enhances our operational capabilities and if needed a smaller workforce could operate the system and open/close valves, turn pumps on/off, monitor fuel movement and maintain fuel flow to the warfighters,” said DLA Energy Pacific at Okinawa Deputy Director Edward Guthrie.

“It even allows us to see fuel movement when there shouldn’t be fuel movement while the system is idle,” he said.

DLA Energy Pacific at Okinawa only recently completed its first full year of operation to continue the mission of the Army’s last pipeline battalion to provide strategic bulk fuel support to all Department of Defense activities on Okinawa and to manage U.S. Pacific Command’s war reserve fuel objectives on the island.

DLA Energy Pacific at Okinawa assumed the mission of 505th Quartermaster Battalion in March 2013.

By DLA Energy Pacific

MLF 8.6 | 19

Optimized Provider

Q& A

Multi-faceted with an Expeditionary Framework and Operational Mindset Jeffrey B. Burbach Director, Directorate of Logistics U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jeffrey B. Burbach is currently the director, Directorate of Logistics, Headquarters, United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Washington, D.C., supporting 34,000 USACE employees.

Burbach’s civil service began as a foreign military sales logistics management specialist for United States Army Security Assistance Command with Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Following this assignment, he was selected as the logistics plans officer for U.S. Army Materiel Command-Logistics Support Element-Europe, Heidelberg, Germany, and was subsequently promoted to chief, Plans Branch.

Departing Europe, he was selected as the deputy director of logistics (Deputy J4), Directorate of Logistics, United States Southern Command, Miami, Fla. Following graduation from the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Burbach became the chief, Logistics Division, Northeast Region, Installation Management Agency at Fort Monroe, Va. Subsequently, Burbach was called up to serve as the Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Director of Logistics/G4 and lead the significant DOL Transformation effort with AMC senior leaders. After much success, he was selected for the deputy director, National Capital Region, IMCOM and finished his tenure with the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, working within the services, and Infrastructure Core Enterprise before coming to the Corps of Engineers.

Concurrent with his Civil Service career, Burbach, spent 30 years on active and reserve status as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. His last position was serving as an Army Reserve legislative liaison for the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve located at Fort Belvoir, Va., where he earned the Army Staff Identification Badge.

Burbach utilized his expertise in operations, logistics and installation management in supporting the USAR message within the legislative process and Congress.

Burbach is a ROTC distinguished military graduate from Florida State University. He is a graduate from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, earning a master’s degree in national resource management, in addition to his master’s degree in logistics management from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Burbach is Acquisition certified in Life Cycle Logistics and Facilities Engineering, author of “IMCOM – A Short Ten Year History,” and a former University of Maryland adjunct professor. Some of his individual awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Civilian Superior Service Award, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, The Distinguished Order of St. Martin, and the Purple Heart.

Q: How has the Corps of Engineers adjusted over recent years to become more efficient and reduce its cost of operations?

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A: Some time ago, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) volunteered logistics for the Department of Defense High Performing Organization initiative program. This initiative was a five-year plan where USACE stratified and streamlined logistics management in all USACE civil works districts and divisions to focus on effective logistics through the High Performing Organization underneath the director of logistics, headquarters USACE. We eliminated redundancies, reformulated processes and accepted risk to provide increased responsiveness with only 80 percent of the current force structure and at a 22 percent cost savings.

Upon my arrival and assessment, I saw USACE logistics sub-optimizing the logistics capabilities within the Corps workforce—especially Emergency Management, Civil Works and Military Programs.

This led to initiating and implementing the concept of the USACE Logistics Enterprise (ULE).

The ULE seeks to provide a single strategic map of future logistics business practices, systems and organizations. The ULE is a compilation of operational architecture, systems architecture, and a transition plan that will provide the overall future direction for logistics. Our logistics team has incorporated some new responsibilities in recent years diversifying our portfolio, including a facilities engineer to oversee facilities management of 125 buildings. Additionally, we revised our team to include sustainability and energy expertise to work our numerous energy initiatives directed by DoD, DoE and executive orders. One of these efforts is implementing the fleet management www.MLF-kmi.com

system, which will save funding and lower greenhouse gas emissions by acquiring more alternative fuel vehicles and increasing alternative fuel consumption while decreasing fossil fuel consumption.

The bottom line is that the Army Corps of Engineers is very adaptive to its customer base and their requirements. We build our infrastructure on our reimbursable customers’ requirements, and therefore acutely manage costs, personnel and programs on a continual basis.

Q: In supporting the warfighter, is the Army Corps of Engineers as expeditionary as it should be in order to fulfill that mission?

A: The Corps of Engineers’ support to the warfighter is multi-faceted with an expeditionary framework and operational mindset. The Corps supports the CENTCOM commander and Department of State in winning the current fight, as well as supporting the security activities around the globe under the chairman’s strategic direction. We currently have 382 personnel deployed to the CENTCOM AOR providing engineer expertise across the commands, managing construction of critical infrastructure within Afghanistan, and producing special topographical and geospatial products for various operations.

Our Transatlantic Division (TAD), located in Winchester, Va., is our strategic command that manages our robust contingency footprint across the globe. My office, the Directorate of Logistics, Headquarters, USACE, is in direct contact with the TAD G4 providing strategic guidance and the critical logistics workforce executing combat service support from the TAD-Afghanistan J4 office in Kabul.

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Overall, TAD-Afghanistan has completed over $8.45 billion in Afghanistan construction and $20 billion (9,000-plus) reconstruction projects in Iraq and Afghanistan. As our national effort begins its drawdown in theater, TAD-A G4 is simultaneously executing our drawdown plan by coordinating the closure of 12 district offices and turning in $3.9 million of equipment to include: 20,558 property book items, 101 containers, 92 non-tactical vehicles and 1,617 pieces of theater-provided equipment.

The Corps has five strategically placed forward engineer support teams–advance (FEST-A) as a part of our Field Force Engineering program. This small, advance engineering team rapidly deploys worldwide and provides technical engineer support to the combatant command down to the brigade combat team (BCT) level. It conducts critical infrastructure surveys, engineer reconnaissance operations, base camp planning, geospatial operations, and provides construction planning, design and management capabilities. There are currently two FEST-As in Afghanistan and one in Jordan.

Additionally, USACE has numerous subject matter experts from our numerous subordinate organizations, such as our 249th Prime Power Battalion, Army Geospatial Command, Engineering and Support Center-Huntsville and the Engineer and Research and Development Command (ERDC)—all of which are engaging their expertise in-theater today.

It is fascinating to see the capabilities the Corps has, such as ERDC—one of the premier engineering and scientific research

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organizations in the world—providing the warfighter invaluable support through its innovative solutions.

Lastly, USACE has nested liaison officers into the COCOMs to provide a critical link to our capabilities and promote advance planning for contingency-based events.

Q: What do you see as the Corps’ primary logistics challenges in the near term and how are they being addressed?

A: The significant logistical challenges we are facing include developing a comprehensive and coordinated logistics infrastructure and set of business processes that will maximize our logistical effectiveness, resource optimization and organizational efficiency. The Corps’ domain of responsibility is geographically dispersed among districts, centers and labs, one active duty battalion, and two U.S. Army Reserve Theater Engineer Commands.

After completing my assessment of this broad and diverse footprint, I found three major challenges in logistics. First, we don’t have a set of logistics business rules or end-to-end processes that effectively provide support to the entire Corps’ infrastructure.

Secondly, the USACE Logistics Activity (ULA), with its 401 logisticians, is a subordinate organization under the DOL providing direct support logistics at these divisions and districts. However, outside this logistics infrastructure there are other logisticians performing logistics under USACE’s two major portfolios of work—Military Programs and Civil Works. This situation created a divisive logistics infrastructure across the Corps resulting in the lack of logistics unity, synchronization of our efforts and the ability to maximize our logistics support and products.

Thirdly, the Corps, with its 15 functional Communities of Practices, didn’t have a logistics community to foster logistics Corps-wide.

These three areas prompted us to conceptualize and develop the strategic direction and framework for the first-ever ULE. The Logistics Enterprise was officially incorporated into the USACE Campaign Plan as a commanding general-endorsed goal and sanctioned as a priority effort throughout the command.

In concert with the Logistics Enterprise, the inaugural logistics community of practice was initiated, and to date has over 250 active members. These two noteworthy actions are changing the execution of logistics currently and will incorporate key logistical expertise more substantially in the future. Our synergistic effort is incorporating end-to-end processes that focus on total asset visibility, supply chain management, distributive logistics, improved maintenance management and material management.

Another initiative to strengthen logistics is developing relationships with key logistics organizations. Since Hurricane Sandy, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has been a superb source for solutions within the Corps’ complex mission. DLA is now a common source of logistics for USACE with its Prime Vendor program, bulk fuel resupply with DLA Energy, and disposal operations with DLA Disposition Services. USACE logistics is teaming with Army Materiel Command (AMC) through its Army field support brigades in Afghanistan, installation logistics readiness centers for installation level support, and LOGSA for logistics systems improvements.

The Department of Army G4 office is working more closely with my office on all aspects of logistics to ensure we are aligned with the current policy, resourcing and regulatory guidance. The other key players we maintain regular associations with are the General Services Administration, DoE, Federal Emergency Management 22 | MLF 8.6

Agency/Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation. I believe teaming with these vital organizations is a force multiplier and imperative for success.

The final and most important aspect is our logisticians themselves. We are rejuvenating a professional development program that focuses on the skill sets necessary to work logistics in the Corps. We are focused on getting the right person, in the right job with the right set of tools in their kit bag. Some of this improvement will come from training (Army Logistics University), formal schooling, certifications, cross-leveling skills and developmental assignments. All of these aspects are tangible approaches to building a more educated and capable workforce for tomorrow’s challenges.

Q: Many times USACE is involved and works closely with state and local governments. Tell me how that process works.

A: The Corps is a federal organization that primarily supports federal entities; however, the Economy Act permits the Army Chief of Engineers to enter into agreements with state and local governments— typically via a memorandum of agreement—provided the following conditions are met: The work to be undertaken on behalf of the state involves federal assistance (financial) from another agency; the head of the department providing the federal assistance for the work must provide a waiver specifically stating they do not object to USACE providing assistance to the state; and USACE must be reimbursed all costs for their work (direct and indirect), which is funded up-front.

Under the National Response Framework and under the direction of the DHS’ Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assigned emergency support functions of public works and engineering and search and rescue. It is not just the local engineer district office that responds to the disasters, but instead, it includes personnel and resources mobilized across the country to carry out these response missions.

In cases where the damage and debris exceeds local and state capabilities, FEMA may call on the Corps of Engineers under the National Response Framework. There are no “typical” debris missions but most fall into one of these three categories: • Direct Federal Assistance (right of way debris removal, emergency clearance) • Technical Assistance (Corps providing assistance to local governments) and • Federal Operations Support (Corps provides oversight for FEMA of state and local debris operations) The Corps has a long history in working natural disasters, especially the more notable events, such as Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Katrina, Washington state mudslide and numerous others. However, on any given day the Corps has dozens of personnel deployed within the U.S. combating floods, fires, snowpack and runoff, infrastructure damage, and hurricane remediation actions. We are a national asset and on-call 24 hours a day.

Q: Tell me about the Army’s efforts to introduce more solar power systems to its facilities. What are the challenges to solar?

A: One current effort is the Army’s Net Zero Initiative. The Corps is engaged with this innovative approach by establishing pilot installations, such as Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., where the Corps is building www.MLF-kmi.com

four solar energy grids that can produce about two megawatts of power (enough for about 600 homes). At Fort Carson, the Corps has built 77 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design buildings, which will greatly assist Carson in meeting their energy goal of 25 percent production of energy from renewable sources by 2025.

Another installation that is making energy records is Fort Bliss where the Corps built a 1.4-megawatt solar array along with a 13-megawatt set of solar panels on 4,000 housing units’ roof tops.

Next door is the White Sands Missile Range providing 10 million kilowatts of electrically and saving an estimated $930,000 annually from solar energy.

USACE is very innovative and talented as witnessed in building the largest induction solar wall in the U.S. at DLA’s Eastern Distribution Center in New Cumberland, Pa. This 55,263-square footsolar thermal collector panels save an estimated $350,000 in annual energy costs for this 1.7-million-square-foot warehouse.

Lastly, the USACE San Francisco District built on top of San Francisco’s 145,000-square-foot Bay Model Visitor Center a set of 2,492 solar panels that generate 777,000 kilowatt-hours annually— saving $100,000 each year.

Some of the challenges to solar energy are educating the customers and marketing the huge potential of new and emerging solar capabilities. Most people don’t realize the real possibility of significant savings that can come from utilizing a solar source of energy. USACE leaders and energy managers envision a future where USACE and its customers will have a high degree of energy independence.

Q: Construction usually involves big machines. Tell me about the Corps of Engineers’ fleet of construction equipment.

A: The Corps of Engineers has various types of equipment that are considered construction/heavy equipment, which we use in support of our civil works and military construction missions. Some examples of the construction/heavy equipment we own and operate are bulldozers, excavators, cranes, backhoes, drill rigs, tractors, road graders and heavy duty trucks.

The vast majority of these machines are procured through the district or division procurement office in conjunction with the project manager’s approval. All of these items are accounted for on one of our nine division property books and managed by the division property book officer.

Our program of record is the Automated Personal Property Management System, which is found only in USACE and tied into the Corps of Engineers Finance Management System for fiscal accountability.

My team manages a $3.2 billion personal property book that contains property located across the U.S. and in 33 countries.

USACE is successful in achieving 100 percent accountability of all our property throughout the year due to the success of our growing Logistics Enterprise, maturing logistics community of practice, utilization of the latest technologies and almost all of the 700 logisticians that “make things happen” each day.

The Corps has over 2,200 items undergoing the test, measurement and diagnostics equipment checks and services that sustain a 96.3 percent operational readiness rate. Logistics seamlessly works with Civil Works to assist in achieving these incredible rates—it’s really all about working together as a team. Another example is our maintenance expert on our logistics staff that is imbedded in www.MLF-kmi.com

and therefore working closely with key civil works staff sections to improve Maintenance Management throughout the Corps.

Besides maintaining and accounting for our equipment, we are working on improving where we need our equipment. The USACE Logistics Enterprise is steadily approaching a true total asset visibility, a capability that will significantly reduce procurement costs, minimize redundancies, optimize the utilization of the equipment we have and make us more effective as an organization in the long run. We continue to improve our supply chain principles and endto-end philosophy as we increase our partnerships with DLA, AMC, GSA and other federal partners.

Q: With many of your skill sets also found in the commercial world, has retention been an issue?

A: We don’t lose too many people to the business world or commercial sector, as compared to losing our logisticians to other DoD/DA/ USG organizations. The bigger logistics commands or commands with a large logistics footprint are the more common choices for our professional logisticians to migrate toward.

This is actually a good thing, because we draw many of our replacements from these same commands. So essentially, we are cultivating our logisticians with similar training, schooling, work ethics and skill sets that complement each of our organizational missions and objectives.

Today’s logisticians are better equipped, highly educated, more mobile and very adaptive to the challenging conditions we face with a nation at war for over 13 years. I am awestruck with our USACE logisticians as they go to the fight without reservation to ensure indispensable logistics support to the warfighter and our nation.

Q: Any closing thoughts?

A: I am very proud to be a part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with its rich heritage and proven record of extraordinary accomplishments. Historically, the Corps dates back to June 16, 1775 (two days after the Army’s birthday), and has a wide variety of construction marvels in its portfolio to include: the Panama Canal, Pentagon, Library of Congress, Kennedy Space Center and many more.

As the largest public engineering organization in the world, the Corps is truly global with engineering operations in 33 countries and providing expertise in more than 130 countries. Today, we have over 470 civilian and military personnel deployed worldwide, supporting theater operations or responding to natural catastrophes.

Here is a snapshot of what the Corps does for the nation everyday—owning and operating 702 dams; producing 25 percent of the nation’s hydropower; managing 926 coastal, Great Lakes, and inland harbors; operating and maintaining 25,000 miles of commercial navigation channels; managing $7 billion in major DoD construction projects; delivering $1 billion in real estate products and services; reconfiguring the brigade engineer battalions within every BCT, and many other tasks.

What I like most about the Corps of Engineers are the people.

Our logisticians are behind the scenes on every project or construction site we operate—whether managing the fleet of vehicles, sustaining the operational equipment, accountability for property, ordering supplies or providing life support to deployed team mates.

We have a dedicated professional workforce second to none that truly believes in our slogan: Building Strong. O MLF 8.6 | 23

By Henry Canaday, MLF Correspondent During two tough, long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, a lot of Army equipment for construction and material handling did some very impressive but difficult and wearing work. Roads, buildings and other structures had to be built fast under severe conditions. Supply lines had to be maintained for massive tonnages of often sophisticated equipment where there had before been barely roads for auto traffic.

These heavy duties, successfully performed, may also have helped the Army understand what it might want in the future for similar tasks, performed under equally or even more trying conditions. The Army may not be able to afford all of the replacement vehicles and equipment it would like to. But budgets permitting, the service will soon be acquiring a new generation of dump trucks and cranes. The Army will be looking for even tougher trucks and cranes that can endure heavy use, nasty environments and enemy actions.

Program Executive Office Combat Support & Combat Service Support closed a second market survey on heavy dump trucks in April 2014. “Currently, the Product Manager for Heavy Tactical Vehicles is developing a request for proposals (RFP) for planned release in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2014,” explained PEO spokesman Michael Clow. The PEO anticipates contract award in the third quarter of fiscal 2015.

The selected vendor will build seven prototype heavy dump trucks, including six in an armored configuration. The number of heavy dump trucks actually procured over the next 10 years will be determined by future requirements and funding authorization.

The competition is occurring because the Army seeks to replace its existing M-917 20-ton dump truck fleet. The service wants to maintain its capability for theater sustainment while meeting goals for tactical wheeled vehicle armoring with underbody armor, like mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles. “Our intent is to improve soldiers’ capabilities and protection while acquiring the best value for the Army with a full and open competition,” Clow stressed.

The PEO spokesman said that heavy dump trucks remain important for transporting organizational equipment. They must also support construction projects by loading, transporting and dumping payloads of sand and gravel aggregates, crushed rock, hot-asphalt mixes, earth and other materials under a wide range of climate conditions. The selected dump truck will be able to release a uniform amount of aggregate while in motion to allow fast, accurate distribution of material onto the surface, and will have a material control system. The final selection criteria will be detailed in the RFP. The Army also plans to release an RFP for a heavy crane later in the summer of 2014. The PEO plans to award a contract by the second 24 | MLF 8.6

quarter of fiscal 2015. Clow said the objective is to procure a total of 136 cranes.

In the crane competition, the Army is seeking to provide its engineer brigades with a new range of lift, roughly doubling the previous capability to lift heavy equipment, including MRAPs. In addition to this primary capability, the cranes must be transportable by multiple modes and have a crew-protection kit to enhance soldier protection in hostile environments. Again, final selection criteria will be detailed in the RFP. Private firms have also acquired a lot of experience supporting the Army and other services under brutal conditions abroad. For the most part, these are major corporations that offer a wide range of vehicles for civilian uses and can adapt them, to varying degrees, for military requirements. In Afghanistan and Iraq, many modifications were made that will give both suppliers and the Army a better handle on how to exploit commercial platforms for defense uses.

As one of the largest commercial truck producers in the world, Navistar can exploit its commercial platforms, as well as its part and service network, to support military vehicles throughout their life cycles, stressed spokesperson Elissa Maurer. The company offers three categories of military vehicles.

First, Navistar offers commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) vehicles, which are its standard commercial vehicles, for use by the military.

Second, Navistar provides military commercial off-the-shelf (MilCOTS) vehicles. These are COTS vehicles that have been modified to meet military requirements. The International WorkStar is the most widely used platform for MilCOTS vehicles. Commercially, the WorkStar can be used as a dump truck, concrete mixer, tow truck or other service.

Navistar MilCOTS vehicles are used by the Canadian Department of National Defense and by Afghan Security Forces as troop transporters, cargo, water and fuel carriers, wreckers, and more.

Finally, Navistar offers tactical wheeled vehicles for specialized uses. These are armored vehicles and feature blast-resistant and other protection technologies. But even these tactical vehicles exploit Navistar’s commercial expertise. For example, the International MaxxPro MRAP is built on the International WorkStar platform.

Navistar’s manufacturing power allows it to broaden its offerings based on customer military needs. In addition to pursuing opportunities in vehicle reset and refurbishment, Navistar offers armored-cab solutions and vehicle upgrades.

Navistar’s International DuraStar performs construction, beverage, emergency, landscape, pickup and delivery, recovery, utility and www.MLF-kmi.com

ambulance functions. In December 2013, the DuraStar offered a new engine, the Cummins ISB 6.7-liter engine. Customers can also select a MaxxForce DT or MaxxForce 7 engine.

Navistar’s International PayStar performs construction, heavy haul and government applications. The company’s Heavy Truck Transport for the military applications is based on the PayStar platform.

The company calls its International 7000-MV “the world’s most versatile medium-duty military vehicle.” The rugged platform can be configured in a variety of ways, for troop transport with winch and crowbar, as a fuel tanker, as a wrecker, as a heavy cargo transport or with armored or large crew cabs for special duties.

Caterpillar has delivered more than a thousand of its 10,000pound all-terrain forklifts to the Air Force, Army and other allied militaries. Caterpillar is now working on the next generation of this vehicle, said Rick Sharp, Machine Division manager for Defense & Federal Products. The company may branch out into other sized forklift vehicles as well.

The vehicle has a wheel-loader base, but Cat has put two- and three-stage masts on the lifting arms, which can move hydraulically in and out to widen or narrow the shelf for pallets. Pallet fork trays have conveyor rollers that enable quick loading and unloading of ISOtype containers and align with the C-130 Hercules’ pallet system. The cab of the vehicle can be taken off so it can be loaded into a C-130 and flown to austere airfields.

This all-terrain forklift (ATFL) is a forklift of choice for unimproved surfaces. It can reach a height of 96 inches even when fully loaded. And it comes with a special NATO jump-start receptacle, improving safety. Sharp said the ATFL is probably one of Cat’s most commonly used pieces of equipment in the military.

Cat has also sold its 924H light and 966H heavy wheel-loaders to the Army, Navy and Air Force. These vehicles, with 128 and 262 horsepower respectively, are used for a multitude of missions to include lifting and loading class 2, 4 and 9 logistic items.

Cat also makes a 25,000-pound rough terrain container handler (RTCH) that the Navy uses for hospital equipment. Based on a Cat wheel-loader that normally would have a bucket, the 980 RTCH can lift 25,000 pounds or more and pick up containers of 25 to 40 feet in length.

The Air Force is also buying Cat skid steer loaders, small vehicles that can go almost anywhere and are thus “like a Swiss Army Knife,” according to Sharp. Cat has a joint venture with Mitsubishi that makes diesel-, natural gas- and electric-powered warehouse forklifts.

The company has another very useful specialty. Many non-Cat trucks used by the military use Cat engines, of which there are now more than 100,000 in defense service. The company makes armor kits for some, but not all, of its vehicles. It also offers extremely realistic simulators for training on vehicle use.

“We invented telescopic material handlers in 1977,” said Chris Saucedo, vice president of military products at JCB. “We make the broadest range of equipment in the industry, from 3,000 to 14,000 pounds, 47 countries use JCB material handles, and one-third of the telescopic handlers in the world are made by JCB.” Telescopic handlers are extendable forklifts that can move pallets or carry buckets. Buckets allow the handlers to do a variety of jobs, from helping with rapid emplacements for tanks or artillery to filling Hesco defensive barriers with earth and building and improving roads.

JCB also made the High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE) under a contract from 2005 to 2012, which has just been renewed.

The HMEE is a material handler with a six-in-one multipurpose www.MLF-kmi.com

Flexibility is required when handling military equipment coming in a wide range of sizes and weights. [Photo courtesy of Terex]

bucket whose main purpose was to maintain the speed of a convoy with no trailer needed.

Along the same lines, JCB makes a telescopic handler, the high mobility rough terrain forklift (HMRTF), that can do 55 miles per hour. The company is negotiating with two countries on the HMRTF, but not yet with U.S. forces.

For all of its vehicles, Saucedo stressed that JCB has three mains strengths: protection, performance and payload.

Protection is afforded in all handlers. For example, the power boom is on the right side of its skid-steer loaders, with the entry door on the left. “This gives protection and flexible entry and exit,” Saucedo said.

There is also protection against blast and ballistics in JCB handlers. Users can swap unarmored cabs for armored ones with blast attenuation through special seat material and ventilation to reduce dangerous compression in the cab.

Performance is enhanced by telemetry. JCB’s LiveLink tool brings diagnostic and prognostic data from its handlers within eight to 15 minutes to smartphones anywhere in the world. The tool not only helps plan maintenance actions but allows remote users to control the operation of the handlers. For example, uses can limit the operating envelope of handlers that are deployed in frigid Alaska or Afghanistan. “We can put software changes on the machines without even being near them,” Saucedo emphasized.

On payloads, JCB has gone for both higher weight and higher reach. “The military wants to put 10,000 pounds into aircraft, but they want reach too,” Saucedo said. So JCB offers handlers from 3,000 pounds of lift capacity with a 15-foot discharge height all the way up to handlers with 14,000 pounds of lift with 56 feet of discharge height.

John Deere offers a full line of construction and material-handling equipment, from the largest articulated dump trucks down to the smallest skid steer equipment, summarized Manager of Military Accounts Keith Menke.

Further, each John Deere product can be customized for military applications. Menke said the Marine Corps has been very pleased with Deere’s 624KR Wheeled Loader (TRAM) and with the 850JR Crawler (MCT). “The Navy is also pleased with its 444JR rough terrain fork lift.” Finally, “the Army has the same feelings about its John Deere 240D Hydraulic Excavator.”

Menke said his company built its reputation on reliability. “It is a comforting factor for the Marine, soldier, sailor and airman who operate this equipment in distant austere environments that they have a reliable machine that will get the job done.” John Deere understands MLF 8.6 | 25

its equipment will be taken places where durability is a must. “These machines are treated hard and continue to perform at an optimal level.”

Life cycle cost for John Deere equipment is minimized first of all by having a well-engineered machine. Second, after the sale, the company’s dealer network provides exceptional service to equipment with highly qualified service technicians. Third, John Deere’s JDLink remote-monitoring and service advisor remote applications enable technicians to identify proactive steps to prevent breakdowns. Finally, the U.S. military can predetermine maintenance costs through the first five years of operation by taking advantage of John Deere’s extended warranties.

John Deere will begin delivering its 250G Hydraulic Excavator to the Marines and Army in coming years. “The excavator has proven to be a very versatile machine capable of a large scope of applications needed by the military engineering organizations,” Menke said.

DRS Technologies, a Finmeccanica company, made the Tunner, a 60,000-pound cargo loader that can serve any commercial or military cargo aircraft in operation. There are 318 Tunners in military inventory now, and 315 of these are with Air Mobility Command.

The Tunner has high reach capability with powered rollers that can load goods on the aircraft. The gigantic loader can also pick up rolling stock like HMMWVs. It is a very rugged vehicle, so although the Tunner was originally meant to work in major ports, after 9/11 “it went into the muck and did very well,” according to Kurt Peterson, director of business development for DRS Sustainment Systems.

DRS just won a re-competed contract for overhauling and servicing the Tunner. “We maintain and support it under contractor logistic support (CLS),” Peterson explained. Maintenance is done in Missouri, and the company has already begun overhauls. During this work, the huge loader is stripped down to its frame and rebuilt like new. About 80 Tunners have been overhauled in the last three or four years, and the plan is overhaul the entire fleet. The CLS contract will last for another 10 years and also covers engineering, spare parts and field services on the Tunner.

DRS is also responsible for engineering upgrades on the vehicle.

As part of its upgrade responsibility on the Tunner, DRS has found a new EPA Tier-3 diesel power package to replace the Tier 1 engine now in the loader. The current engine dates from the 1990s, and replacement parts for the legacy powerplant have been getting scarcer and more expensive.

Peterson expects the Air Force to start putting the new engine in the loaders this summer. “It’s quieter, makes no smoke, is easier to repair, easier and cheaper to get parts for, and less polluting.” The last point may make the Tunner more welcome in some foreign ports.

“Our allies will like it better when used in their countries.”

DRS has also put a new hydraulic system into the vehicle, which enables loading at the push of a button. But DRS will not supply the U.S. military with more Tunners. “They have 318, all they want,” Peterson said.

DRS is also active in sustaining another loader, the 25,000-pound Halvorsen manufactured by JBT. In mid-May 2014 DRS won the competition to support the Halvorsen with overhauls, spare parts and field service. “It’s a mirror of the Tunner contract,” Peterson noted.

There are more than 400 Halvorsens in service. Peterson does not think more will be built, bur if they are, JBT will make them. As for upgrades like engines and other equipment, DRS engineers are just starting to look over the Halvorsen to see if any upgrades might be made.

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Peterson said the two vehicles, Tunner and Halvorsen, dominate Air Force loading duties, although a few legacy loaders are still in use.

JBT AeroTech’s Halvorsen is a 25,000-pound loader that is used by military services around the world to load, unload and transport palletized cargo, as well as rolling stock, according to Todd Foreman, Halvorsen program manager. The loader works with a wide variety of military transport and commercial cargo aircraft ranging from the C-130 Hercules up to Boeing 747 freighters. Handling payloads up to 25,000 pounds, the Halvorsen loader is air-transportable on the C-130, the C-17 Globemaster III, the C-5 Galaxy and the A400M Atlas.

Foreman said the loader’s outstanding features include an enclosed operator’s cab and a top speed of 17 miles per hour. The Halvorsen also has a powered conveying deck with pitch, roll and sideshifting for quick and efficient aircraft interface. And the Halvorsen can be ready for air transport in less than 30 minutes.

Since 2001, over 500 Halvorsen loaders have been delivered to the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army and other international forces. “Over the years, it has proven to be a durable, reliable ground-support vehicle during domestic and foreign military and humanitarian operations,” Foreman said.

Founded in 1986 and run built on acquisitions in its early years, Terex has grown into a $7-billion-a-year company that emphasizes superb operations, said Thomas Manley, vice president of government programs. Terex stresses reliability and return on investment on its equipment, not low prices, and now makes one of the widest selections of construction, lifting and handling equipment among U.S. manufacturers. Terex Government Programs seeks to find way to militarize Terex commercial equipment for military and other government needs.

Terex has sold 196 of its MAC 50 heavy cranes to the Marines, 19 of which were actually used by the Army. The heavy tactical crane was extensively used in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it proved very reliable, Manley said. Terex also supported the MAC 50 with field service representatives. Terex TFC 45 container handlers helped with support in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Terex has also provided the Navy with a heavy maintenance crane, the CD 225. The Navy and Marines purchased 72 of these cab-forward cranes for aviation maintenance, including support of rotary-wing aircraft like the V22 Osprey. “It is doing exceptionally well, meeting all requirements,” Manley said. He believes there are other defense requirements, for example Army maintenance of its rotorcraft, that might also suit the CD 225.

Manley said the Marines still use a large number of Terex’s TX 51-19 MD 4K telehandlers for loading aircraft and helicopters. Since 2000, Terex Government Programs has sold over 750 TX 51-19s to the Marines.

The Air Force uses 14 Terex 4013AF telehandlers in extreme cold weather in Alaska. And Terex has a new product, a 4,000-pound small telehandler suited for lighter handling requirements on rough terrain.

Terex plans to listen closely to military customers to find more opportunities for militarizing its wide range of commercial products.

Manley said the company is always coming up with new products.

Plainly, there are a number of major firms that can offer proven technologies highly customized for military duties. O For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief Jeff McKaughan at jeffm@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mlf-kmi.com.

www.MLF-kmi.com

The advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers. KMI cannot be held responsible for discrepancies due to last-minute changes or alterations.

MLF RESOURCE CENTER Advertisers Index Bahri General Cargo............................................................................... 21 www.bahri.sa Banneker Industries Inc........................................................................... 1 www.banneker.com Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute..................................... 8 www.pe.gatech.edu/scl-14 National Industries for the Blind...........................................................C2 www.nib.org/value North Dakota State University................................................................. 6 www.ndsu.edu/transportation Penn State World Campus........................................................................ 7 www.worldcampus.psu.edu/mlf Trident University..................................................................................... 9 www.trident4military.com

Special SUPPLEMENT

ManTech International Corporation..................................................... 13 www.mantech.com

Calendar July 29-30, 2014 Military Vehicles Exposition Detroit, Mich. www.militaryvehiclesexpo.com August 22-25, 2014 NGAUS Chicago, Ill. www.ngausconference.com September 15-17, 2014 Air & Space Conference National Harbor, Md. www.afa.org September 23-25, 2014 Modern Day Marine Quantico, Va. www.marinecorpsexpos.com October 13-15, 2014 AUSA Washington, D.C. www.ausa.org

October 20-22, 2014 Logistics Officers Association Conference Washington, D.C. www.loanational.org/conference October 23, 2014 DLA Land & Maritime Combat & Wheeled Vehicles Outreach Forum Columbus, Ohio dla.land.and.maritime.industry. forum@dla.mil

October 28-30, 2014 NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting St. Louis, Mo. http://ndtahq.com/events_cal_ events.htm

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MLF 8.6 | 27

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW Military Logistics Forum Hank Perkins Technical Director Perkins Technical Services Inc. Hank Perkins is technical director at Perkins Technical Services Inc. PTS was incorporated in 1996. His duties at PTS include sales, marketing, product development, manufacturing and logistics operations for PTS. He is a graduate of Auburn University with over 33 years of experience in the aerospace and defense industry.

Q: How would you describe your company’s focus, goals and abilities to meet the needs of the military customer?

A: Perkins Technical Services Inc. (PTS) has been supporting our troops by providing power supply docking stations (PSDS) to the warfighter. The PSDS provides the ability to use tactical radios in fixed and semi-fixed environments without batteries or dead-lined vehicles using AC or DC power in a continuous, reliable and cost-effective fashion.

Our PSDS is operations-effective, eliminating radio downtime while establishing communications within minutes after deploying the PSDS system.

Q: What innovations do you expect to bring online that will make your operations more efficient and better position you to compete in today’s military marketspace?

A: Quality and reliability of our products are our strength. PTS has streamlined our manufacturing operations to meet our customer demands by developing an efficient, lightweight small footprint solution. We continuously perform product improvements and enhancements with existing products and develop new products to meet emerging mission requirements.

We proudly boast an annualized repair rate of .04 percent of the total fielded inventory and we stand behind our product warranty and repair these at no charge to the customer. PTS recently entered into a longterm agreement with DLA and hold a GSA schedule contract on our products.

Q: What do you do to better understand logistical requirements from the military’s perspective to be able to deliver a 28 | MLF 8.6

solution that takes into account best industry practices and meets the stated needs of the military?

A: We listen to the users and their feedback is invaluable. The PSDS has been used for more than 10 years by National Guard, Marine and Army units for disaster relief and tactical operations, repair facilities, range control, training facilities, hospitals, engineering units, and airfield ground vehicle communications.

Designed to meet differing deployment requirements, PTS offers 11 different systems supporting Harris, Raytheon and SINCGARS tactical radios.

Q: What challenges have you forecasted for the coming 12 months and how have you positioned yourself to address those?

A: We lean forward based on listening to our customers. They give us invaluable feedback allowing us to keep our manufacturing lean, inventory carrying costs low and provide scheduling insight to meet our customer’s delivery requirements—often less than 10 days.

Q: Are there examples that illustrate your capabilities in meeting the needs of the defense customer?

A: We are very proud of the support our PSDS provides the warfighter and the ability our system has to save lives. One testimonial we received says it all: “We first received these base stations in 2006. Since then they have been an invaluable part of our TOC operations.

“These base stations are a God-send.

No longer do we have to rig a vehicle VAA to a 24V DC converter to run communications. Running TOC communications off a bench-mounted VAA was very awkward and inefficient. In addition, the 110/24V converter was also very loud and took up even more space. Running multiple coms (four NETS or more) became a huge problem as we simply had little or no room to set up all this bulky equipment. Additionally, the heat and noise generated by this method created conditions that were very counterproductive to a practical TOC environment.

“The PTS base stations are stackable, thus allowing us to free up bench space.

RTOs and battle captains were afforded the much-needed workspace to do their work.

The PTS base station also has an internal speaker. This eliminated the need for additional cables and external speakers. The system is lightweight, rugged and very easy to install. You simply plug your [properly] configured SINCGARS into the base and turn on the switch.

“We have operated these base stations in nearly every climate imaginable and have had no problems with performance.

Their reliability alone makes them worth their weight in gold. Bottom line: PTS has made a superior product. It is a massive combat multiplier in TOC communications and operations. This equipment should be the standard for every tactical environment.”

Q: With potentially reduced DoD spending, do you see your company becoming more or less involved in joint ventures with other industry partners?

A: We have consolidated manufacturing processes to reduce set-up charges in order to keep our product cost-efficient. Our products save the users money, require less labor to setup radio operations, and are exponentially more reliable than traditional methods. We strive to buy local from Alabama companies and take pride our product is made in Alabama. O

hperkins@pts-inc.com www.MLF-kmi.com

Modern Day Marine Issue

NEXTISSUE

Aug 2014 Vol. 8, Issue 7

The Publication of Record for the Military Logistics Community O

Exclusive Interview with

Maj. Gen. John J. Broadmeadow Commander U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Command Special Section Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce Features (RHP-Rock Island Profile)

Deployed Logistics The ability to mobilize and establish a logistics capability for an expeditionary force on short notice is the result of people, planning and execution.

Unmanned Supply Options Efficient use of unmanned platforms that can deliver needed supplies, especially in potentially denied space, can reduce the risk to logisticians and other personnel.

Rugged Computers Should rugged come in degrees? Do all warfighters and logisticians need the same level of ruggedization?

Inventory Optimization What are the tools and processes that go into optimizing inventory controls?

U.S. Army CommunicationsElectronics Command A special pull-out supplement featuring:

• Exclusive interview with Brigadier General Bruce T. Crawford, CECOM commanding general.

• Two-page organizational profile of U.S. Army CECOM and its programs and offices.

• Command’s top contracts for 2013.

A handy reference guide with a long shelf life.

Bonus Distribution Modern Day Marine Expo

Insertion Order Deadline: July 28, 2014 • Ad Materials Deadline: August 4, 2014

Military Sealift Command