THINK READY, BE READY


Achieving readiness will require a hard look at acquisition timelines and methods. Simply put, it takes a changing mindset that prioritizes readiness in acquisition decisions.


THINK LONG TERM Te traditional approach is to develop evolutionary acquisition strategies based on incremental development—that is, deliver a limited capability to the warfighter early on, then the full required capability later. In the case of a flame-resistant combat uniform shortage, this approach is not applicable because the procurement, production, storage and fielding of flame-resistant uniforms for a large-scale deployment on the order of tens of brigade combat teams (BCTs) is not a development program.


Alternative acquisition approaches can leverage lessons learned to solve the shortfall by applying existing processes in innovative ways. To ensure readiness with sufficient quantities of flame- resistant combat uniforms for deploying Soldiers, it is essential that the Army make a long-term commitment by maintain- ing a production capability and capacity that can meet surge requirements.


Fortunately for the Army, the Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI) cur- rently provides all deploying Soldiers with the necessary combat uniforms and equipment to operate successfully on the battle- field. However, the RFI program is funded from the overseas contingency operations (OCO) account, whose annual budget is based on the predicted number of deploying Soldiers.


Basically, the program procures sufficient flame-resistant uni- forms at the beginning of the fiscal year to support that year’s deploying Soldiers. However, the number of deploying Soldiers has dropped from a peak of around 190,000 Soldiers in FY08, at the height of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), to current levels of about 15,000 Soldiers. Terefore, the RFI is procuring fewer flame-resistant combat uniforms each year.


As an example, based on a deployment of 15 BCTs, the Army would need about 12 months to build the inventory of


108 Army AL&T Magazine October-December 2017


flame-resistant uniforms and field them for all deployed Soldiers. Tis projection is based on the current industrial base, which is severely limited by the requirement to buy U.S. products in com- pliance with the Berry Amendment; on the existing contracts; and on the demonstrated capabilities from the introduction of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) with the Universal Cam- ouflage Pattern in 2005 for OIF and the introduction of the Flame Resistant Army Combat Uniform (FRACU) in the OEF Camouflage Pattern in 2011. Soldiers would deploy with the current issued uniforms, which are not flame resistant, and get


FUELING NEW APPROACHES


Sgt. Jacob Girardin, a refueler from the10th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of the 10th Mountain Division, fuels a Finnish air force F-18/A Hornet at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia, in May. Deploying Soldiers recieve the FRACU and the FREE through Rapid Fielding Initiative operations; currently, Soldiers wear the ACU in garrison, but one option to boost the numbers of combat-ready uniforms available would be to issue a single set of combat-ready uniforms that Soldiers wear in garrison and overseas. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Thomas Scaggs, 10th CAB)


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