[This article was first published in Army Sustainment Professional Bulletin, which was then called Army Logistician, volume 3, number 1 (January–February 1971), pages 26–28. The text, including any biographical note, is reproduced as faithfully as possible to enable searchability. To view any images and charts in the article, refer to the issue itself, available on DVIDS and the bulletin’s archives at asu.army.mil/alog/.]
The ever-increasing technological developments in modern weapons and equipment needed by the U.S. Armed Forces deployed worldwide have necessitated advances in logistics management and skills undreamed of a few decades ago. With even more dramatic changes still ahead, the momentum of tomorrow’s logistics challenges will outdistance all but the trained professional.
THE LOGISTICS OFFICER PROGRAM is designed to meet the Army’s growing need for professional logisticians to man the complex logistics system required to support today’s sophisticated forces in the field. The program is essentially a controlled career field for those field grade officers whose dominant interest is in the dynamic area of military logistics. The Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army, implemented the Logistics Officer Program in 1956 to provide participants opportunities for challenging logistics assignments encompassing high levels of individual responsibility and authority throughout the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army. Such an officer was conceived to be a logistics generalist, an officer whose breadth of vision and professional knowledge had been expanded beyond the relatively narrow orientation of any one particular branch, combat arm, or service, or any one functional area of logistics. Today, the Chief, Office of Personnel Operations (OPO), Department of the Army (DA), operates the Logistics Officer Program within the policy guidance of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and with the technical advice and assistance of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics.
Key Positions
There are 554 key logistics positions presently designated and more than 700 other positions that require logistics experience as a prerequisite. The program concept, the development of a broad base of logistics talent to efficiently manage the Army’s logistics programs and systems, remains the same. The program has grown substantially since its inception and continues to have the largest membership of all the Army’s special career programs. Currently, 1,730 officers belong to the program, 108 more than a year ago.
Membership in the Logistics Officer Program is voluntary and highly competitive. For the officer who wants to develop a specialty in addition to maintaining his branch competency and whose primary field of interest is logistics, the Logistics Officer Program offers opportunities for challenging assignments encompassing high levels of responsibility. It is the branch qualified officer with a demonstrated aptitude for logistics that the program needs in order to retain its viability. Career management policies and procedures insure that an officer who specializes in the logistics field is fully recognized.
Branch Development
The Logistics Officer Program is not intended to conflict with branch development but to provide a system for guiding an officer’s career along selected lines to produce an officer who is both branch competent and skilled in logistics. The Logistics Officer Program is a complement to — not a substitute for — the officer’s basic branch. An individual’s selection opportunities for appropriate branch material command and staff assignments are not limited by program membership. Conversely, development of each officer is accomplished through increasingly important branch material staff and command assignments alternating with schooling and logistics assignments.
Logistics career planning provides for the maximum development of an officer’s inherent abilities, aptitudes, and interests, as well as for the best use of his acquired skill and accumulated knowledge. It recognizes that an officer makes significant use of his talents when his duty requirements are consistent with his capabilities and preferences. However, the individual himself is the most important element in the management of his career. He holds the key to his future and should set his long-term goal and be prepared to move in that direction.
Membership in the Logistics Officer Program is open to all officers on active duty in the grade of major through colonel who meet the following additional requirements:
• Are in a branch other than Chaplains’ Branch, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, or Army Medical Department.
• Possess a baccalaureate degree, preferably in a logistics-related field.
• Have a varied military background commensurate with branch, grade, and length or service.
• Have demonstrated a high level of intelligence, initiative, imagination, and judgment and the potential for advancement to positions of great responsibility.
• Are not participants in another Army special career program except procurement and aviation.
Program Membership
An officer may become a program member in one of two ways. If he meets the criteria, he may apply by letter to his career branch or colonels division. Or, he may be nominated by someone who has knowledge of his qualifications.
All applications for the program are processed through a selection board in the Officer Personnel Directorate, OPO, DA. The board reviews the officer’s entire record to determine if he meets the prerequisites for program membership. If the board action is favorable, the officer is enrolled. In the case of a favorable nomination, the officer is invited to join. If an officer is not selected, no record of the action is made in his official military personnel file in the field or at the Department or the Army, and he is notified directly — not through channels. For additional information, see AR 614-132.
Due to the mutual compatibility of procurement and logistics, officers may be members of both programs. More than 100 officers have concurrent membership in these programs.
Progressive Development
The potential of a program member is developed through planned and progressive rotation or assignments with increasing responsibilities, training, and formal education. Members are scheduled for attendance at logistics courses or are considered for advanced civil schooling when necessary from a position requirement or career development standpoint. Program participants also receive equal consideration with their contemporaries for attendance at military colleges.
Training opportunities specifically oriented toward development of the logistics officer are available at the U.S. Army Logistics Management Center, Fort Lee, Virginia. Graduate logistics education is offered to selected officers in the Graduate Logistics Program at the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. Graduates of this latter course are awarded a master of science degree in Logistics Management. The University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, and Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, also have graduate degree programs in logistics.
Other opportunities exist for graduate level education. Program participants are encouraged to apply for advanced civil schooling in logistics-related fields, such as agriculture, agronomy, business administration, commerce, engineering, food science and technology, management, marketing, mathematics, and statistics.
DA Logistician
Program career progression and devolpment can lead to certification as a fully qualified Department of the Army logistician. Officers are considered for certification as a “logistician” after they have been selected for promotion to colonel, have been members of the program for at least five years, have demonstrated exceptional performance of duty for at least one year in a key logistics or key procurement position, and have a diversified background in the broad field of logistics. Members of the Procurement Officer Program meeting these requirements may also be awarded the Department of the Army Logistician Certificate. Currently, 188 program members have been certified as logisticians. The list of these logisticians may be found on page 29. One-third of the colonel membership in the program have attained the logistician title.
While certification as a logistician brings with it a recognition of individual ability and increased opportunity to serve in high level and staff positions, the job satisfaction and recognition that go with assignments to such positions must be considered as a real benefit to be gained as a member of the Logistics Officer Program.
The Logistics Officer Program is a long-term management instrument. As such, it is continually updated and refined to maintain its effectiveness. The program must be flexible to meet the changing trends in tactics, technology, logistics doctrine, and new operational or administrative concepts. Program members are kept current on developments in the logistics field through various periodicals. For instance, the Army Logistician is sent to each program member by name to keep him abreast of changing logistics policy, doctrine, and concepts.
Program Refinements
Refinements that are being developed for the program include —
• Revision of key position listing — establishing priorities for the order in which these positions will be filled.
• Identification of Logistics Officer Program developmental and supporting positions to provide field grade officers below the grade of colonel with increasingly responsible assignments.
• Revision of AR 614-132, Logistics Officer Program. Publication of the revision is due in the near future.
• Development of a structured training and educational pattern.
The Logistics Officer Program is an important adjunct to the recently implemented Department of the Army LOGISTICS OFFENSIVE. Keeping pace with improvements in technology, the program gives a boost to the qualitative upgrading of the logistics management skills of its members.
By providing effective career development, the Logistics Officer Program serves a threefold purpose. The quality of the individual officer being given logistics assignments is improved as the Army makes use of his acquired skills and cumulative knowledge. This results in a more efficient and proficient Army. In turn, the Army’s obligation to the country is fulfilled as it develops military leaders qualified to serve in positions of great responsibility.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2025 09:53 |
| Story ID: | 501563 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Logistics Officer Program, an ALOG Staff Featurette, Thomas A. Johnson, Editor, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
