By Gen. Dennis L. Via, AMC Commanding General
Gen. Dennis L. Via
To optimize life cycle sustainment, better support the Chief of Staff of the Army’s top priority of readiness, and posture the command for the future, I recently announced a Mission Command alignment for the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
Effective in February 2016, the alignment includes two major initiatives: empowering Life Cycle Management Commands (LCMCs) to provide portfolio-based sustainable readiness, and strengthening Army Sustainment Command (ASC) as AMC’s single entry point for synchronizing, integrating, and prioritizing readiness capabilities across our Army at the installation level.
To strengthen the portfolio-based approach, three Research, Development and Engineering Centers (RDECs) and three Contracting Centers are realigned operational control (OPCON) under their respective LCMC. Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM LCMC) gained OPCON over Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) and the Redstone Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM LCMC) gained OPCON over Communications Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) and Aberdeen Proving Ground Contracting Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM LCMC) gained OPCON over Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and Warren Contracting Center at Detroit Arsenal, Warren, Michigan.
This alignment empowers LCMC Commanders to establish and manage priorities and resources within their respective portfolios. LCMCs will be optimized at a single point for cradle to grave sustainment, from acquisition, fielding, upgrades and maintenance, to final disposition, reducing costs and redundancies. Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) and Army Contracting Command (ACC) retains administrative control over the respective RDECs and Contracting Centers, responsible for prioritizing personnel management, training, career program management, resourcing, and other administrative functions.
To further solidify a single AMC “face-to-the-field,” ASC gained tactical control (TACON) over Contracting Support Brigades (CSBs) and Logistics Assistance Representatives (LARs). The alignment will provide Brigade Combat Team (BCT) Commanders with a single point of entry into AMC’s portfolio of capabilities, provide mission and unity of command and effort, and make AMC more responsive to the warfighters’ needs and requirements. ACC retains administrative control over the CSBs, while the respective LCMC retains administrative control over the LARs.
This shift is not new to AMC or our Army; we have centralized and decentralized these organizations and functions throughout the years as the operational mission environment and conditions have dictated. Realigning now allows AMC to better balance mission requirements with shrinking resources, a smaller Army, and continued worldwide deployments. It fosters prudent use of our limited resources, and provides flexibility to address the unknown future effects of sequestration.
The effort does not include relocation or the elimination of personnel or positions, but better aligns Mission Command across the organization to prioritize readiness requirements for the current and future force.
I am confident that this is the right direction for the command to ensure we are best postured to deliver global readiness solutions to the Army and Joint Force, now and in the future.
