Logisticians Converge on Kuwait to Map Out Future

Photo By Staff Sgt. William Watson Martin | Brig. Gen. Gregory Couch, commander of the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), listens to a speaker during introductions of a three day logistics synchronization conference at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. The 316th ESC commander traveled from Baghdad to see first hand how their future operations will take a roll in sustaining the fight on the global war on terrorism. The conference - the first of its kind - seeks to improve the standard of life and protection of allied forces and host nations as well as advancing nations' economies with an improved flow of much needed goods and services.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

05.08.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. William Watson Martin 

311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command   

By Staff Sgt. W. Watson Martin
311 Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Public Affairs Office

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – U.S. military logisticians have come together to discuss how to improve shipment of supplies to troops operating in the mountains of Afghanistan to the varied terrains of Africa and Iraq as well as the many other countries throughout the region.

"We all know what's at stake here, we can't fail the war fighter," said Brig. Gen. Kevin Leonard, Commanding General of the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) who hosted the conference. "Our mission is to keep the Soldier in the fight supplied with whatever he needs to accomplish his mission. Whatever he needs, wherever he is. This is one way to make sure we all know the game plan and the way ahead," said Leonard.

"We are not here to critique, but to observe how the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) – U.S. Army Central's enduring logistical command – is going to sync the log efforts throughout the 27-country theater," said Marine Lt. Col. Tim Bryant, who traveled to the conference from Tampa with Army Brig. Gen. Kenneth Dowd, CENTCOM director of logistics, engineering and security assistance. "It is a good thing to have this conference so all the services can gain a better appreciation for the scope of operations we face."

Military personnel are not only faced with the day to day operations of loading, transporting and tracking the movement of supplies by trains, planes, ships, and trucks, but its planners must also take into consideration weather, distance, existing inventories and geopolitical impacts on its operations. Each country's customs and regulations differ; some borders are harder to move supplies across than others, said Bryant.

"If the conference helps smooth out the hiccups in the logistics system then it's well worth it," said Lt. Col. Randell Torno, assistant to support operations of the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Logistics Support Area Anaconda, Iraq.

"In the Army Reserve we have seven out of the nine deployable ESC's; therefore, what happens in the theater is very important to me for training and development," said Army Maj. Gen. Harry "Skip" Philips, commander of the 377th Sustainment Command (Theater), United States Army Reserve Command. "It is good if you know what you're getting into in advance. No one likes surprises."

"The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines ought to walk away (from this conference) with a better understanding of how each commodity works and how much of a commodity is needed for given areas of operation," said Sgt. Kendall Graves, a 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) liaison to the 101st main contingent in Afghanistan. "Our partnership with the U.S. Air Force is essential to our operations in Afghanistan due to the movement of our supplies, so it is good to see that we are all here to refine our methods."

"To support the war fighters we need to understand how (all the services) operate so we can provide them with necessary strategic distribution of supplies and to help them sustain the fight," said Army Col. Mark Akin, director for Joint Logistics (Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Camp Victory, Iraq.

More than a simple rock drill, the detail of support in this conference focused on the collaborative relationships between the continental U.S. and forward deployed logistics planners.

"The bringing together of so many professional logisticians at once by the 1st TSC has provided us with the forum to do just that," said Akin.

• Date Taken: 05.08.2008
• Date Posted: 05.09.2008 10:13
• Story ID: 19262
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW