Preparing for the Next CONFLICT


Te Army looks ahead in balancing resources, readiness of organic industrial base


by COL Christopher Carlile A


s the nation draws down from more than a decade of


conflict, industrial facilities will continue to


reset battle-worn equipment to meet the readiness requirements of the next conflict, just as they have


reset millions of pieces of equipment and manufactured billions of rounds of ammunition and repair parts over the past 12 years. It is important that we retain the critical skills and talents of our dedicated workforce, even as the workforce shrinks to reflect the decreased demand for materiel, and ensure that the Army’s organic industrial base (OIB) is correctly postured and aligned with the capabilities of the other services and defense industry.


“We don’t know when the next contingency will occur, but we know there will be another contingency,” said GEN Dennis L. Via, commanding general (CG) of U.S. Army Materiel Com- mand (AMC). “History has taught us this, and the organic industrial base provides a tremendous capability to be able to surge to meet future requirements. Our challenge, going for- ward, is how do we sustain a minimum level of workload during peacetime operations and sustain the skill sets and capabilities to support the surge for the future?”


Parallel to the drawdown will be a decline in demand for muni- tions, repair parts and reset equipment, but the OIB must be ready to respond rapidly the next time it is called upon. Te Army has a number of initiatives that will help protect the OIB’s


20


national treasures by investing in their core competencies and creating new efficiencies.


RESPONSIVE, RELIABLE AND READY Te 21 U.S. government installations that make up the OIB are prime partners in DOD’s OIB complex, ensuring readiness for joint warfighters and their equipment.


Te ammunition plants, manufacturing arsenals and maintenance depots of the OIB strive to provide responsive, reliable support whenever and wherever it is needed. OIB capabilities are vast and varied, from small-arms ammunition to U.S. Air Force bombs, from the manufacture of cannon tubes and mobile maintenance vehicles to the rebuild, recapitalization and modernization of helicopters, trucks and main battle tanks.


Many of the OIB facilities provide one-of-a-kind capabilities that would be very difficult to replicate anywhere else. Also, the heart of the Army’s organic industrial sector—the more than 30,000 people, military and civilian, many of


them skilled


artisans—are not just the engine of the OIB, but also members of communities across the country. (See Figure 1 on Page 22.) Te government facilities provide direct and indirect support to these communities through funding and jobs; for every dollar AMC invests in these facilities, there is a $1.83 return.


Army AL&T Magazine


January–March 2014


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