CPT Eric D. Cusick
Today, the U.S. Army is more likely to become involved in military operations other than war (OOTW) because of current world problems. Logisticians as well as officers from combat support and combat arms are striving to prepare the Army to meet and exceed our new OOTW missions. Today's OOTW missions include peace enforcement, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, support to domestic civil authorities, noncombatant evacuation operations, nation building, and counterdrug operations, just to name a few. This evolution of military operations was formally presented by former President George H.W. Bush during a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, September 1992:
With the Army's new direction in mind, this article will provide an overview, some insights and some planning tools for the logistician. The focus will be on logisticians deploying to and conducting OOTW. This information is the collective work of myself and MAJ James Sisk and MAJ Harry Dotson, authors of the Command and General Staff College's course on logistics in OOTW. Combat service support (CSS) in OOTW follows the same general principles as logistics planning and conduct for war. Although OOTW may have some characteristics different from war, basic logistics such as maintenance, supply, transportation, health services and personnel functions are universal. The logistician is still responsible for the application and adaptation of these functions. Doctrinal guidance is provided in such resources as FM 100-5 (Operations), FM 100-10 (Combat Service Support), FM 100-23 (Peace Operations), and FM 63-6 (Combat Service Support in Low Intensity Conflicts).
Key prerequisites for any response and support of OOTW missions are adaptability and flexibility. CSS commanders and staff must be able to quickly adjust to the environmental conditions, tactical and nontactical situations, and unforeseen support requirements to ensure continuity of support. OOTW also presents responsibilities in planning and support to the logistician at battalion and at brigade level that contrast to logistics found in the traditional, linear battlefield.
OOTW usually dictates a U.S. response that relies on the use of CSS resources to support a United Nations force, Joint Task Force QTR or a coalition of forces to help other nations resolve problems. CSS units can support a variety of humanitarian, civic and security assistance programs. The U.S. State Department representative and JTF commanders are key players in determining the level and the amount of support provided.
The brigade and battalion staffs' logistics planning is a continuous process. Including CSS personnel in mission planning and force development is key to a successful mission.
Detailed CSS planning must be concurrent with developing the concept of operation. During the planning process, the brigade and battalion staffs must broaden their focus from the tactical level of sustainment and must encompass both operational and strategic levels. This is especially true in OOTW missions where logisticians do not support forces fighting battles in the traditional sense. Instead, the Army operates under a continuous logistics system: one level meshes with another so that demarcation lines are transparent. Readiness is high on the list of sustainment challenges for CSS units. Because of the hasty deployment of forces to OOTW, the key to successful sustainment in these operations will be readiness.
Readiness in the area of operation can be enhanced quickly through early deployment of support personnel to the reception area. Early deployment of liaisons, logistics teams and linguists in the area of operation are critical. These teams can address logistics concepts which maximize readiness and expedite sustainment operations.
The area of operation challenges the logistician to focus on many potential environmental aspects of support. Planners will face such problems as inadequate local logistics and health service infrastructures. Indigenous authorities may have diminished capabilities that include contracting and local purchase support for supplies, facilities, utilities services and transportation support systems. Existing facilities for power generation and fuel storage, for example, may be lacking or incompatible with U.S. specifications and standards.
Because of the potential constraints, restraints and restrictions of the environment, CSS planners should recognize certain risks when initially depending on indigenous country support. CSS leaders and staff must wargame their logistics support concept to achieve the most important sustainment. Depending on the situation, CSS elements may precede combat or combat support units into an area of operation.
A Logistics Preparation of the Theater Plan should be the basis for negotiating host nation support (HNS) agreements, prepositioning supplies and equipment, civilian support contracts, and humanitarian assistance programs. The end result of negotiation should increase cooperation with the host country and provide necessary enhancements to the country's infrastructure should U.S. forces be deployed. Logistics planners should first identify key elements of the infrastructure.
Some of the first U.S. Army assets deployed in OOTW missions may be specialized teams. These teams provide critical and timely information to assist in overall logistics planning, force development, and development of plans for timephased arrival of resources in the area of operation. If certain elements of the country's infrastructure are inadequate or nonexistent, the U.S. force will either have to bring assets or build facilities in the theater. Key assessment elements may include fuel storage and distribution facilities, availability of potable water, and access to seaports, airports, storage facilities, supply routes and utilities.
Unit interface with HNS, the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) or contingency contracting support is vital to successful COTW missions. Planners must fully use HNS and LOGCAP resources. Contingency contracting can provide supplies, services and construction necessary to support the missions of deployed or deploying units. Contracting services bridge gaps that may occur before military resources can be mobilized. In some cases, contracting will be necessary for the entire OOTW mission. Contracting for locally available resources improves response time and frees airlift and sealift assets for other priority needs. To support contracting needs throughout the Active Army's divisions and corps, contracting and industrial management officers (Functional Area 97) are assigned.
Also, commands must designate and train selected logistics personnel for collateral duty as ordering officers, under the general supervision of warranted contracting officers. Contracting is an integral part of CSS during OOTW and war. Planning for its use should begin before arrival in theater, if possible.
At arrival in theater, early sustainment supplies and mission specific equipment are critical. Early sustainment supplies and mission specific equipment that exceed unit authorization can frequently be provided from wholesale supply assets, prepositioned Army reserve stocks, or operational project stocks. For example, prepositioned assets afloat could be quickly positioned and serve as a logistics base to bridge the gap during the initial deployment phases. These supplies and equipment must be released according to existing regulations and controls.
Training in Country
Many aspects of logistical planning consider training, the environment, security and transition. Logisticians must look at two aspects of training. First, U.S. logistics operators may have to train to operate and maintain non-U.S. Army equipment. Secondly, logisticians may have to train allies or foreign nationals to operate and maintain U.S. or non-U.S. equipment.
Environmental protection is an integral part of every Army mission, including OOTW. The Army protects the environment and sustains natural resources by giving immediate priority to U.S. and international laws, focusing on pollution prevention to reduce or eliminate pollution at the source, and conserving and preserving natural and cultural resources.
Logisticians must also incorporate security considerations into their plans because they often have to provide self-protection. Self-protection will detract soldiers from their primary mission and may require an increased force structure.
Finally, logisticians play a key role in planning transition of functions. Logistics functions performed by U.S. Army elements may shift to another U.S. service, an ally, the United Nations or a regional alliance, a nongovernmental organization, private volunteer organization or civilian authorities. In other situations, the requirement for the function may end. In any case, logisticians must plan the transition in depth.
Transfers of functions require careful coordination between parties. They must specifically agree on what functions are involved, when the transfer is to take place, whether any assets will accompany the transfer, the standard required for the support f unction, and any other concerns for a particular situation.
No Assumption
The same factors apply when a U.S. element is taking over responsibility for a function from another party. Army units accepting functions cannot assume that equipment and supplies on hand when they arrive will remain behind for their use. After careful review of the Center for Army Lessons Learned's data collected from Operation Restore Hope in 1993 in Somalia, I present the following four keystones to the successful transfer of functions:
Transition by Function. Planners must align all functions of manning, arming, fixing, fueling, moving and sustaining the force for quick transfer of responsibilities.
Set Timelines. Establish not later-than timelines for completing transactions. Planners need to tie timelines to key events. The U.S. logisticians who are used to timedriven schedules will have to adjust to working with event-driven schedules. Event-driven schedules were more realistic for planning in Somalia, given the fluidity of tactics and strategies involved.
Transition Early. Transition earlier than scheduled, if possible. This allows great flexibility to exit theater and provide guidance and insight to the unit taking over the mission.
Keep Capabilities. Do not allow a capability to be removed until the replacement is operating. OOTW missions are very intense due to the multiple command structures. It is essential that no one part of the mission be dropped without considering the adverse impact it may have on other forces.
In conclusion, the Army is reaching new heights in excelling at OOTW. Today's Army has Mobile Training Teams, exportable Training Support Packages and classroom instruction to prepare the logistician to support OOTW. At the Combat Training Centers, rotational units are now conducting OOTW scenarios as part of their rotations. Training for OOTW will prepare the Army to meet the challenge of providing international peace and stability.