Photo By Spc. Preston Robinson | Col. Patrick A. Disney, I Corps Assistant Chief of Staff G4, discusses current and...... read more read more
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Washington -- As the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s go-to operational headquarters for the Indo-Pacific region, America’s First Corps maintains a persistent presence west of the international date line.
A major part of the Corps’ forward-operating concept includes sustaining a geographically dispersed Joint Force, and I Corps’ logistical team is experimenting with new ways to support multiple exercises aligned with Operation PATHWAYS while helping the Corps maintain readiness.
“For America’s First Corps to effectively operate in the USINDOPACOM’s area of responsibility, we have to think differently,” said Col. Patrick A. Disney, Assistant Chief of Staff (G4) for I Corps. “It’s about having innovative and creative leaders like Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson (I Corps Commanding General), Gen. Charles Flynn (U.S. Army Pacific Commanding General), and Adm. John Aquilino (USINDOPACOM Commander), who understand we as a Joint Force can do things better, quicker and more effectively across the Pacific.”
Vast distances between land masses in the Indo-Pacific limits distribution for aircraft or sea vessels extending lines of communication and ship times. Repair parts, also known as Class IX items that are normally shipped over night to units in the United States have lead times of days or even weeks to reach units at the point of need across region. A myriad of issues could also delay movement of major end items (Class VII) and repair parts (Class IX) due to varying customs processes.
Because of this, Disney said I Corps needs to provide the commander with sustainment options that are not tied in to a single operation or exercise, options such as readily accessible prepositioned equipment and supplies with multiple forward mission command packages to rapidly employ across the region.
“We are operating across multiple islands and time zones in a joint area of responsibility critical to the Corps’ mission,” he explained.
In order to better support future options in the region, I Corps G4 and the USINDOPACOM J4 are establishing several Pacific Deployment Distribution Operations Centers to validate during Operation PATHWAYS.
Instead of competing for resources, these PDOOC’s will synchronize the Joint Force’s land, air, and sea capabilities, and process all the customs and clearances required to have freedom of movement across the Pacific, ultimately providing I Corps more options, more predictability, flexibility and agility to rapidly project combat power across the Indo-Pacific.
“The secret sauce is the joint logistics synchronization of forces and resources in the Indo-Pacific AOR," said Disney. "It’s about changing the sustainment culture and not just relying on shipping everything from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Port of Tacoma, or McChord Airfield. It is a culture of what else is in our playbook, the culture of what existing combat power we can leverage with joint partners west of the IDL. The time to move out with this initiative is now.”
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2022 17:54 |
| Story ID: | 417986 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 178 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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