BACK to the BASICS IN LOGISTICS
As defense spending is reduced, the author argues a need for the force to rebuild a technical knowledge base before skills are lost
by BG Steven A. Shapiro I
n this time of diminishing resources, senior logistics lead- ers need to coach, teach, and mentor subordinates on the technical basics of the profession. If we do not, the Army may lose a set of skills developed over decades that will be critical in the next several years—a skill set that exists only in a cadre of people, who are approaching retirement.
Te last decade of war has seen the culture of our logistics force transform dramatically. We have a generation of sustainment leaders with more combat experience than most other genera- tions, yet we have sacrificed technical expertise because of the uniqueness of the current fight. Tat technical expertise, hard fought and reinforced by generations of senior warrant officers, NCOs, and DA civilians, must not perish. Tis expertise must form the nucleus of the profession of arms for logisticians.
IN YEARS PAST Much of the technical knowledge that I have learned during my 27-year career has come from subordinates. One of my earliest memories of being a second lieutenant is that of the senior war- rant officer in the battalion throwing an Army regulation at me and telling me to research something. I did not know it then, but he was training and mentoring me in his own way—technical mentorship. He had experienced the post-Vietnam War Army, and this was his way of ensuring that Soldiers like me got the
technical knowledge to care for his Army in the future. As senior logisticians, we must ensure that we do the same for the next generation of logisticians.
It is easy to recognize the importance of tactical proficiency. For example, no one can deny the value of Soldiers experienced in conducting logistics convoys under fire. However, many junior logisticians do not understand that being technically proficient is just as important.
THE RECENT FIGHT Since 9/11, Logistics Corps Soldiers have been required to operate outside of their core competencies in many ways. As Soldiers, we have accepted this, but it has contributed to the eroding of our technical competence. We have relied heavily on the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) to pro- vide most of our support structure at large forward operating bases and even at some of our combat outposts (COPs) in both Iraq and Afghanistan. LOGCAP performs many functions, such as retail and wholesale fuel farms, supply support activi- ties, dining facility operations, and Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group operations.
As a result of the reliance on LOGCAP, many logistics Soldiers have been available to function outside their military occupational
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Army AL&T Magazine
January–March 2013
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