UNITED STATES - The Defense Logistics Agency is successfully navigating the logistics challenges of supporting U.S. forces in Afghanistan, thanks in part to its close partnerships with businesses in the transportation industry, the agency’s director said at a lunch meeting of the Association for Global Logistics and Transportation Oct. 21.
The organization was formerly known as the National Defense Transportation Association and still uses the acronym NDTA. DLA Director, Navy Vice Adm. Alan Thompson, told the 80 NDTA members in attendance that limited ground supply routes into Afghanistan and the country’s austere infrastructure, rugged landscape and active insurgency are some of the obstacles the Defense Department is encountering while resupplying warfighters there.
“As our industry partners, you all are stepping up to the plate and making it happen. The Defense Department is accomplishing this mission because of your support,” he said.
The department has been using the Northern Distribution Network as an alternative to often-unreliable transportation routes through Pakistan, Thompson said. DLA has a vested interest in the NDN because about 80 percent of the material shipped via the network belongs to the agency, he explained.
The recent disruptions to the Pakistan supply line reinforce the need for multiple supply routes and continued use of the NDN, the admiral said. But because shipping via the NDN takes longer and can be more expensive, DoD is looking for ways to improve the network’s efficiency.
DLA has been working with countries along the NDN to establish business relationships in hopes of making local purchases for some of the goods that transit the network, like bottled water, he said.
“By purchasing some of these goods locally, we can make a positive economic impact in the NDN countries, which can bring security and continued support of U.S. efforts by the host nations,” Thompson said.
DLA’s deployment of its expeditionary distribution capability to Kandahar, Afghanistan, is making a difference in the amount of airlift required to resupply forces in the country, he said, and the agency hopes to further reduce airlift by positioning buffer stocks at the facility.
Thompson said the underpinning off DLA’s work in support of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is the agency’s strategic direction, which is outlined in the recently released fiscal 2011 Director’s Guidance.
“The guidance helps DLA execute the business of today while preparing to best support the needs of DoD and the armed forces in the future,” he said. “The 19 initiatives in the guidance align the efforts of the entire agency and assign responsibility for meeting these objectives.”
The guidance is divided into three main focus areas: Warfighter Support Enhancement, Stewardship Excellence and Workforce Development. All three areas compliment each other to help DLA provide the best possible logistics solutions to warfighters, he said.
“We are true believers in that everything we do must be done as efficiently as possible,” he said. “We exist to support warfighters.”
| Date Taken: |
10.21.2010 |
| Date Posted: |
10.25.2010 09:33 |
| Story ID: |
58743 |
| Location: |
US |
| Web Views: |
16 |
| Downloads: |
1 |
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This work, Thompson: Transportation industry integral to warfighter support, by Heather Athey, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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