Army Sustainment Functions

Army sustainment functions

Army sustainment functions

Sustainment in any military operation is an equilibrium among logistics teamed up with personnel, military equipment and in the strategic maneuvering which is the optimal deployment of forces to accomplish assigned tasks. Among the military circles, it has been a rising concern that the operational settings have so radically changed that collaborative, inter and intra agencies and multinational command tasks are now the customs rather than compulsions. Such strategic concepts about operational settings provide the layout for latest organizational structures. Along with this, these strategic concepts also help in predicting the mobility or maneuvering platforms which include more robust mechanisms of deployment, employment and for the sustainability of the operational abilities to a large extent. Before the emergence of such strategic thoughts, the strategic, tactical and operational sustainment mechanisms were blurred, but now the strategic planners can anticipate a similar concealing of the functional aspects of employment, deployment, and sustainment ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"WzQy81do","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Wright & Thompson, 2017)","plainCitation":"(Wright & Thompson, 2017)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":54,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/DNMG86FI"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/DNMG86FI"],"itemData":{"id":54,"type":"article-journal","title":"Are brigade combat teams relevant for the future operating environment","container-title":"Army War College publication","volume":"3514","author":[{"family":"Wright","given":"Mr Romeo"},{"family":"Thompson","given":"Colonel Gregg"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Wright & Thompson, 2017).

In view of the changing strategic environment, different and modest views about the command of sustainment and control organization are required. The changed views about the command of sustainment will the command to continue and to improve the essential sustainment. It is therefore right to consider that for regional combat scenario, modern thoughts and state of the art procedures are essential which as a result can optimize the planning and can help to achieve a more robust and nimble collaborative distribution mechanism. Captain Deny which has commanded the sustainment and synthetic branches of the U.S Army believed during the operation Bold Spectrum that “the new organizational maneuver has established the ability of fleet synthetic training which will help to create a range of training audiences in essential mission arena and will provide the certifications for this” ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"3MnE7LdQ","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Ruedi & Scudieri, 2015)","plainCitation":"(Ruedi & Scudieri, 2015)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":57,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/Y4RXEMT7"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/Y4RXEMT7"],"itemData":{"id":57,"type":"report","title":"RAF and Sustainment Warfighting Function","publisher":"ARMY WAR COLLEGE CARLISLE BARRACKS PA STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE","author":[{"family":"Ruedi","given":"Matthew H."},{"family":"Scudieri","given":"James D."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2015"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Ruedi & Scudieri, 2015).

For a commander which has taken the reigns of military operation more recently, the new paradigm of the operational environment is divided into two major areas which feeds the sustainment purposes. These two areas are logistics services and personnel services. Fundamentally, logistics is the process of developing and executing a task, in our organization it is the maneuvering and sustenance of forces. Including in these processes are 1) creating and developing, acquisition, storage mechanisms, paths of movement, distribution, maintenance and outlook of required materials; 2) maneuvering, evacuation and hospitalization of army personnel; 3) procurement, construction, maintenance, operations and dislocating the required facilities and 4) furnishing the required services. For a modern military commander, logistics is an overall integration of the support, strategic and logistic procedures. As military personnel we are bound to such sustainment functions for our ease rather for the systematic or equipment related supplies. For our organization, this integration comprises 1) human resource-related tasks; 2) religious support; 3) financial assistance and financial management and 4) legal mechanism. Psychological support can be required based on circumstances ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"udKANijX","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Ruedi & Scudieri, 2015)","plainCitation":"(Ruedi & Scudieri, 2015)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":57,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/Y4RXEMT7"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/Y4RXEMT7"],"itemData":{"id":57,"type":"report","title":"RAF and Sustainment Warfighting Function","publisher":"ARMY WAR COLLEGE CARLISLE BARRACKS PA STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE","author":[{"family":"Ruedi","given":"Matthew H."},{"family":"Scudieri","given":"James D."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2015"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Ruedi & Scudieri, 2015).

The sustainment of military command and control is not just the required element of any armed forces, rather a complete integration of sustainment mechanism with the operational environment is the pre- requite in today's’ military operations. Considering the sustainment mechanism which aids the synchronization, integration, and deployment of the joint forces and directs the collaborative operations and personnel, we assume that there are at least nine prominent ways sustainment is practically utilized within the pretext of joint forces command. These ways include:

Coordination in sourcing materials

The coordination in the supply of essential materials like fuel, food, and ammunition is critical to sustainment functions. It ensures the timely provision of needed materials in order to safeguard the strategic interest at hand. For more other reasons, coordination in supply management is essential.

Provisions of templates of maintenance

It is pertinent in every circumstance that personnel involves in combat or operations are aware of the maintenance of critical components of the military. Otherwise it may cause hindrances in achieving the desired results. The sustainment mechanism, therefore, ensures the provision of templates about the maintenance of military equipment’s.

Development and coordination

Development, organization, and harmonization of the field forces and the provision of support for the forces in field services, personnel services, in mortuary or religious mechanisms is necessary. Besides caring for uninterrupted supplies of critical military components, the sustainment functions include caring for the recreational, legal and psychological support of personnel. The development and coordination are considered among the top essential preferences of sustainment functions ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"7knqPs03","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Rawcliffe, 2006)","plainCitation":"(Rawcliffe, 2006)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":58,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/KJ34V8RE"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/KJ34V8RE"],"itemData":{"id":58,"type":"article-journal","title":"Changes to the Department of Defense Law of War Program","container-title":"Army Law.","page":"23","author":[{"family":"Rawcliffe","given":"John T."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2006"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Rawcliffe, 2006).

Building sustainment bases

The building of the sustainment bases which are of critical importance during military operations is also included in sustainment operations. It becomes critical to ensure support through the nearest base in order to ensure the timely provision of supplies. The creation of bases serves this function.

Ensuring infrastructure

Infrastructure is critical to for any kind of military operation carried through joint military forces. The adequate maintenance by repairing timely the infrastructure helps in coordinating the operations since it ensures the presence of command at a similar location.

Managing fiscal needs

Fiscal needs are a critical component of sustainment operations. Managing them is another prioritized task. It ensures the timely provision of finances and their management for meeting the essential tasks.

Creating commonality of support

The commonality of support is related to logistical planning which supports ground operations and integrated operations. Creating commonalties and equal footings for their enactment is one of the critical components of the sustainment functions.

Coordinating movements

The sustainment functions act as the fulcrum for establishing and coordinating the movement of forces. Although different in different military strategies, still the sustainment is related to the coordination of movement as well.

Working with available agencies

Functioning with each agency working over a similar task and the establishment of the large scale services ensures the provision and cohesion of security operations. It is the last but important aspect of sustainment function in our organization.

References:

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Rawcliffe, J. T. (2006). Changes to the Department of Defense Law of War Program. Army Law., 23.

Ruedi, M. H., & Scudieri, J. D. (2015). RAF and Sustainment Warfighting Function. ARMY WAR COLLEGE CARLISLE BARRACKS PA STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE.

Wright, M. R., & Thompson, C. G. (2017). Are brigade combat teams relevant for the future operating environment. Army War College Publication, 3514.