COLUMBUS, Ohio –
The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics held its first Defense Department Provisioning Workshop and Summit in partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency Nov. 19-21 at the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center on Defense Supply Center Columbus.
The purpose of the event, which brought together more than 80 logisticians from across DOD, was to align the services and DLA in addressing root causes that hinder weapon system program provisioning, sustainment and rapid acquisition efforts.
Opening the summit, DLA Land and Maritime Deputy Commander Kenneth Watson expressed the current fragility of supply chains and the importance of networking to meet the challenges ahead.
“If there’s one thing coming out of this – look to your left and your right – I want you to understand who is here…network and use each other as we move forward,” Watson urged attendees. “We can’t keep pushing risk to the supply chain, and that starts with provisioning and cataloging. We’ve got to get back to good in this area – you all know how to do it and you’re going to help be our voice.”
Lisa Kelly, an ODASD logistician and lead for Supply Chain Metrics and Data, provided an overview of realized issues at hand before breakout sessions began. She said a recent provisioning study revealed concerns in four areas – policy, contracting, training and data management.
“These issues are departmentwide, so these conversations need to be happening departmentwide,” she said. “This is our opportunity to come together and talk about where we need to adapt, adjust and alter our processes, policies and practices…we must adapt to remain effective.”
Lending to rapid acquisition and lifecycle sustainment, Kelly said it’s imperative to find a way to strike a balance with the need to field equipment quickly for warfighter requirements with ensuring that once in the field, it can be sustained.
“Even if it has been extended multiple times, or when it goes to our allies and partners because they are part of our joint network. We have a responsibility to them as well,” she said. “It’s our role in the joint logistics enterprise to ensure that our ability to sustain equipment is not only understood but properly advocated for, and our needs are clearly articulated in a way that resonates. If we can’t articulate in terms of risk, impact, cost and performance – it is not going to resonate the way we need it to.”
During the three-day event, attendee expertise was put to work with briefings and interactive breakout sessions. Defense Acquisition University members were in attendance to help facilitate discussions between subject matter experts including federal cataloging committee members, sustainment engineering community members and acquisition program managers.
Key topics included realized sustainment risk, utilizing specifications and standards to identify provisioning components and accelerating provisioning without compromising sustainment. From deep-dive discussions on provisioning policies and directives to spotlight sessions on specific programs, specifications and standards, attendees discussed current issues and shared lessons learned to establish and maintain valuable networks to develop solutions and support future successful provisioning.
DLA Land and Maritime Technical Business Process Support Chief Benjamin Burton, who was a key planner for the event, said it was important to approach these conversations at a functional level.
“Everyone knows their lane, but when you bring people together from all areas of that fundamental core to share insights, the results can be profound,” he said.
William Holmes, a DLA Logistics Operations Provisioning Support branch chief, said this initial provisioning workshop and summit laid the foundation necessary to achieve lasting change and improve readiness outcomes.
Burton concurred and said it was the first of many to come. Plans are underway to hold the next event in about six months, opening the doors to more participants.