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Strategic to Tactical Logistics

Even the most brilliant operational strategy will fail if the force lacks the requirements to

execute it. Logistics has been the lynchpin of military operations since humans first waged war,

and the future battlefield will be no different. The advancements in sensors and lethality require

new maneuver force strategies that hinder logistical support. Therefore, understanding how the

Army supports the force from the strategic to tactical level is paramount to maximizing

sustainment efforts. The purpose of this paper is to describe strategic national sustainment, the

critical support Army sustainment provides to the joint force, and the impact of that support on

tactical sustainment from a Sergeant Major’s (SGM) perspective.

Strategic National Sustainment

Strategic national sustainment is a whole of government approach, led by the service

branches and supported by the Department of Defense and other government agencies, to

leverage military capabilities, United States (US) industrial base and commercial efforts against

battlefield requirements (Department of Defense [DOD], 2019b & Department of the Army,

2019a). This holistic approach to logistics ensures that every aspect of national power is

available and cooperates in facilitating military operations. Under title 10, United States Code,

the services act as the lead logistical agencies and form the Joint Logistics Enterprise (JLEnt)

foundation by supplying, equipping, and supporting their force (Department of Defense, 2019b).

The primary support to the service branches comes from other DOD agencies like the Defense

Logistics Agency and US Transportation Command. DOD Agencies fill capability gaps and

reduce overlapping efforts to streamline efficiency at the national level while improving quality

and oversight (DOD, 2017, 2019a). Decentralizing these capabilities would require a massive
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expenditure of resources and decrease overall efficiency. The JLEnt extends beyond DOD

agencies to all parts of the government and into the private sector.

An often-overlooked part of strategic logistics is the treaties, mutual support resolutions,

and trade agreements between the US and allied nations which provide access to global markets,

infrastructure, and lines of communication (DOD, 2019b). Using the diplomatic instrument of

national power allows the US military to procure goods and services, preposition forces and

equipment, and enable freedom of movement globally. Army forces and equipment staged in

South Korea and the port access in Kuwait are examples of capabilities provided by diplomatic

measures. Sometimes there are needs for goods and services unavailable through other methods,

and multiple services possess organizations dedicated to contracting support. The Army’s

logistics civil augmentation program (LOGCAP) is one example of contracting acquisitions,

construction services, real estate and other operational needs (Department of the Army, 2019a).

These agencies and capabilities combine to create a global logistics network for the entire

military, but individual services each provide their unique contributions to the joint operational

force.

Army Support of the Joint Force Logistics

Just as consolidating some aspects of logistics into DOD efforts improves efficiency and

prevents redundancy, each service also develops unique capabilities to support the Joint Force

Land Component Commander (JFLCC). Designating a service as a lead service, executive agent

(EA), or as defined by required support to other services makes them responsible for logistic

capabilities across the joint force (DOD, 2019a). For example, the Army is the EA for all land-

based water resource management because it is more efficient, effective, and economical when

executed by one department (DOD, 2019b). Additionally, the Army provides Army support to
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other services across the joint operating area, which predominately includes logistical

infrastructure such as theater opening, multi-service medical and financial support, and common

user logistics (Department of the Army, 2019a, 2019b). The current force structure within the

active and reserve components makes extending support to other services and agencies far more

efficient than building these capabilities for each branch. The Army also possesses additional

assets to support the JFLCC.

Army prepositioned stocks, equipment, and supply reserves can supplement operations

during theater penetration while logistical theater opening is underway. For example, the six-

month build-up for Operation Iraqi Freedom required sixteen million square feet of cargo prior to

beginning operations (Wissler, 2018). The build-up for operations in Iraq was deliberate and

time was available to undertake the logistic effort. However, an unpredictable crisis resulting in

large-scale combat operations will provide no opportunity for this type of positioning.

Prepositioned sustainment packages allow rapid or forward staged forces to deploy with

decreased fully mission-capable timetables. Logistic preparations at higher levels directly affect

tactical logistic operations.

Effects on Tactical Logistics

The goal of tactical logistics is to provide commanders with the reach, endurance, and

freedom of maneuver to gain, maintain and exploit the tactical initiative and the commander’s

intent (Department of the Army, 2019b). Strategic level logistics emphasizes getting the most

returns from the investments or efficiency. However, effectiveness is the only thing that matters

at the tactical level. Army support to the joint force at the operational level acts as the interface

between the tactical and strategic levels (Department of the Army, 2019b). The Military Surface

Deployment and Distribution Command is one example of how the Army connects strategic

logistics through the operational levels and supports tactical distribution (Department of the
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Army, 2019b). Prepositioning provides a buffer between tactical requirements and developing

infrastructure. LOGCAP provides expedited means to fill tactical requirements. Afghanistan was

full of examples of utilizing contracting for maintenance and multi-domain capabilities.

Additionally, developing partner force capabilities also improves tactical logistics by either

easing the burden on US networks or supplementing them through partner forces’ actions. A

Sergeant Major’s perspective assists them in meeting the needs of their organization.

A Sergeant Major’s Perspective

SGM’s unique perspective gained from starting at the very lowest tactical level enables

them to anticipate the requirements and shorten the time and space between problem and

solution. Anticipating tactical needs at the operational and strategic levels can pay enormous

dividends in efficiency and effectiveness. All logistics take time, but proactive logistics move

infinitely faster than reactive logistics, and unforeseen critical requirements can delay operations.

These delays can create uphill battles for gaining the initiative and potentially cost lives. This

anticipation, coupled with understanding where support comes from and the additional resources

like LOGCAP or prepositioned assets, ensures that creative thinking yields solutions. At some

point, almost every SGM realizes that sometimes the only obstacle to getting what they need is

not asking the right person. Sometimes using multiple avenues to resource needs expedites

timelines, and an SGM with a working knowledge of every logistical level can maximize

effectiveness. For example, waiting for equipment from US stockpiles might not align with

mission requirements, but purchasing from regional vendors combined with acquisition and

cross-servicing agreements might.

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Conclusion

The purpose of this paper was to describe national sustainment, the critical support Army

sustainment provides to the joint force, and the impact of that support on tactical sustainment.

The JLEnt is a global whole of government approach to logistical support. The Army supports

the joint force and JFLCC through assigned support and specialized capabilities to link strategic

and tactical logistics, thus providing the tactical capability to achieve the commander’s intent. A

Sergeant Major’s understanding of every level of logistic operations and their unique perspective

enables them to fill the requirements of the commander’s vision.

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References

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